The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-28

were few and In eager demand The classics
were then the novelty, the recovered and re-
turning voice of life and truth. when theology
had grown dry and threadbare-inerB humdnt-
ores. as they have ever since been called, the
very name and the comparative degree indi-
eating the opening Of the conflict between liberal
culture and mediGval scholasticism
III.
II was in December. l404. that Erasmus WIS.,
tied England with the young Lord Mountjoy,
who had been one OF his pupils in Paris. Morton
was still Archbishop Of Canterbury at this time,
and Warham. who succeeded him, both as Pri-
mate and Chancellor. was Master Of the Rolls.
Without the help which he subsequently re-
ceived from warham, he acknowledged that he
must have gone under. He was introduced also
to Thomas More, then a lad of twenty: to Colet,
afterward the famous dean of st. Paul's; to
Grocyn. who was teaching the rudiments Of
Greek at Oxford. although no gramrnars or die
tionaries were yet within reach. During this
first visit, however. although no met with much
kindness and generosity, no saw no pros
pect Of making n position In England answer
ing to his merits and expectations. Erasmus
concluded. consequently. after n stay of some
months, that he could do better foi himself Mt
Paris. where he was better known. At this point
the biographcr interjects the comment that there
is no kind of person more difficult TO provide for
than n man of genius. He will not work In
harness. nor undertake work which he does not
like. His unavowed theory about himself Is
That he must be left 20 do rs he pleases, and to
be provided somehow with a sufficient income
to live In independent comfort To this
10 had to come with Erasmus eventual
ly. Ruling powers saw his value at last, and
took him ON his own terms. Meanwhile his
VI l4A IL A. u.
were provided for through the handsome pres
snt made Inv his English friends. Among them
they contributed in money what would amount
in modern currency TO f2OO sterling. Unluckily
for Era.mus an English statute forbade the cx-
port.tion Of sneci.. Hi, money was seized and
conascat.d Mt the Dover custom house, ana he
was sent on 10 Paris absolutely penniless. The
m,sad venture took wind and was much talked
about. Erasmus saw that something was ex-
pected from him on the subject. He determined
IN show that he was not occupied with
b,s nrIv,,e misfortunes. and. instead of
writing "A diatribe on English custom houses,
he put together. with A few weeks labor. a work
which was N he IN. beginning of his Worldwide
fame. He called IL "Adagia." a compilation
,ror, bis comp,opnla,e hooks n collection Of
ponuIar savings. quotations. epigrams. proverbs.
anecdotes. ANYTHING amusing which came 10
hand With his own reflections attached IN them.
7 iobt literature was not common. and uartly for
that reason the .Adarian was a splendid sue
cass Comics were sold in thousands. and helped
a Iit,Ie IN an the authors emptied nurse. From
his English friends the hook had an enthusiastic
welcome. warham. who was soon 10 be Arch
bisbon NJ Canterbury. was so delighted with IL
that he took his copy with him wherever he
vent sent the author money. and offered him a
hena6cs ~ he would return To England.
II was not long after the composition of the
=. Ada0ia T" that Erasmus translated the greater
mart Of Iucian,s dialogues. Froude expresses the
wisb that more NJ us read Lucian now. and pro-
noppces him bv far the greatest man outside
the Christian Church in The second century of
our era. He had human blood in him. You will
learn fall as much from his dialogues OF what
men and women were like in the Roman En-
pira when the Christian faith had taken root.
"a from the contemporary Christian writers.
On. of these dialogues, :. Touching Those Who
Rscoms Comnanions for Hire. {" seems partIcu-
IsrIv % have struck Erasmus. because
n Indicated a termination which beset him.
yonpo men of talent in Iucian's time
we're tamnted nv the promIse OF an easy life 10
hire themselves out az COMPANIONS TO wealthy
Roman mobiles, 10 write their letters, correct
their verses, amuse their guests, and write
noems In their honor. Lucian traces one of these
unfortunates through his splendid degradation,
tiu he IA ,upplanted by a new tayorite and
npng aside like a worn-out dress. Too late 10
return 10 any honest employment, he sinks from
sbams 10 shame til he falls 10 the level of the
1.oom ~ the chamber and the hnusekeeDsr