22. THE PRIEST. He is carrying the viaticum, or sacrament, to some dying person. Attendants follow with tapers and holy water. Death strides on before, with bell and lanthern, to announce the coming of the priest. "Sum quidem et ego mortalis homo." Sap. vii. 23. THE MENDICANT FRIAR. He is just entering his convent with his money box and wallet. Death seizes him by the cowl, and forcibly drags him away. "Sedentes in tenebris, et in umbra mortis, vinctos in mendicitate." Psal. cvi. 24. THE NUN. Here is a mixture of gallantry and religion. The young lady has admitted her lover into her apartment. She is kneeling before an altar, and hesitates whether to persist in her devotions or listen to the amorous music of the young man, who, seated on a bed, touches a theorbo lute. Death extinguishes the candles on the altar, by which the designer of the subject probably intimates the punishment of unlawful love. "Est via quæ videtur homini justa: novissima autem ejus deducunt hominem ad mortem." Prover. iv. 25. THE OLD WOMAN. She is accompanied by two Deaths, one of whom, playing on a stickado, or wooden psalter, precedes her. She seems more attentive to her rosary of bones than to the music, whilst the other Death impatiently urges her forward with blows. "Melior est mors quam vita." Eccle. xxx. 26. THE PHYSICIAN. He holds out his hand to receive, for inspection, a urinal which Death presents to him, and which contains the water of a decrepid old man whom he introduces, and seems to say to the physician, "Canst thou cure this man who is already in my power?" "Medice cura te ipsum." Luc. iv. 27. THE ASTROLOGER. He is seen in his study, looking attentively at a suspended sphere. Death holds out a skull to him, and seems, in mockery, to say, "Here is a better subject for your contemplation." "Indica mihi si nosti omnia. Sciebas quod nasciturus esses, et numerum dierum tuorum noveras?" Job xxxviii. 28. THE MISER. Death has burst into his strong room, where he is sitting among his chests and bags of gold, and, seated on a stool, deliberately collects into a large dish the money on the table which the Miser had been counting. In an agony of terror and despair, the poor man seems to implore forbearance on the part of his unwelcome visitor. "Stulte, hac nocte repetunt animam tuam: et quæ parasti, cujus erunt?" Lucæ xii. 29. THE MERCHANT. After having escaped the perils of the sea, and happily reached the wished-for shore with his bales of merchandize; this too secure adventurer, whilst contemplating his riches, is surprised by Death. One of his companions holds up his hands in despair. "Qui congregat thesauros lingua mendacii, vanus et excors est, et impingetur ad laqueos mortis." Proverb. xxi.