Tho went I near and found Master Reynard, that had left that he first read and sang, and began to play his old play.

The violent and voyeuristic imagery of the transi tombs, particularly in the horrific detailing of vermiculation, had a ghoulish counterpart in the 'grim coupling', the 'shaking of the sheets' of the danse macabre[…].

[…] the sun shone down merrily on the green woods of Darren, the bright Liffey tumbled joyously down by bank and brake, and a joyous peal of bells rang out to welcome the happy bridal of the Lady of Darren and her handsome lover, Sir Brian Courtenay.

We had been talking about the masters who had achieved but a single masterpiece,—the artists and poets who but once in their lives had known the divine afflatus, and touched the high level of the best.