Final answer:
The excerpt uses personification as the type of figurative language by attributing human qualities to the abstract concept of death, suggesting it as a mower cutting down grass.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the excerpt of poetry provided, personification is used as the type of figurative language. The line 'When Death passed as a mower mowing' gives the abstract concept of death human qualities by comparing it to a mower cutting down grass, a task typically performed by a person. This use of personification is a common literary device in poetry to evoke imagery and provide a deeper understanding of themes, in this case, the inevitability and impartial nature of death.