New-York tribune., 1907-11-10
ERASMUS.
I'D He Gires to the Modern
.4dv0cate Of Peace.

,-fss in which this volume appears was
) II Tod about year ago with a collection
- from the notebooks of Leonardo da
le@ that publication, and in others which
-. course to bc printed, the appeal made
"a ! -,-+jcllarly 10 the man Of letters. to the
ed ,rrr Of those old writings which have
~ dressed upon the whole 10 the more
lis, \ lasses of humanity. Erasmus was
,rot a man Of culture and wrote in a
Is language Vet the essay which is here
are +.7fr a sixteenth century translation is
IL II ,bose works which ought TO have the
ley ,orsble circulation. It's message is di-
)sa 1 n The hearts cf all men. Surely in an
Tho \ messing an extraordinary advocacy Of
e. n -. only through such mediums as the
Dr. II usgue conference. but in books, mag
az II o,5 unnuruhered newspapers the help
ne a great voice from the past should
onr ,sglected. Iuxuriously printed in a lin
ths .s.on this volume is nevertheless not for
heir 1 7.4ante alone K brings something TO the
.ase -,-reut Of modern thought
ima Lr,uv IT formed part Of the "Adagia."
hes .st collection of essays which has been
oFe nd As "a manual of the wit and wisdom
MI ancient world for the use Of the modern.
Lep s,s5 by commentary in Erasmus's finest
10
an .rts-ion largely 70 the willingness Of read
M take its merits on faith. mo one ever
'een him said yoItaire Of Dante and so his
by * likely to Increase But the essay in
-dation Of war was bound to get itself read
icaA ~gb the generations for the reason that il
ta rs--4zed by a peculiar enthusiasm. With
r. s-,re-auent Erasmus could not but be re-
Ia 4 bv the sarguiEary passions Of his time
-he5 A,--45 which he felt for violence. whether
; q ,. imrulsive in the individual or organized
iee& .,ztsred in armies When in his maturity.
XII sre "a write this formal protest. he gath
EMS IN into II ideas which had been fermenting
lhe -s brain ali his lie long. Mr.. Mackail in
'ai Induction which for all its brevity. is IN
-'rly vivid IN p0rtraiture and in the indica-
-i-o n historical perspective, well exhibits the
IA -lr conditions under which these pages
S43 rrtten. The eIories Of the Renaissance
l'a still illuminating Italian civilization and
oea -frg their bearns 10 other parts of Europe.
1F under the portifcate OF Leo y, and
@n ~ with that splendid ohurchuan in mind,
rus was not urhapefu, Of better conditions
[ uisrr. lie closes an an optimistic note, be
that "by peace restored now TO the
n Leo shall get more true glory than julius
" 50 many wars that he either boldly be-
sue r urosperously fought and achieved" He
not divine the tremendous wars that We're
ursh Z few years after his own death, and
-i-n mesn tine he liked 70 dream OF a per
Il III reformation. At the same time he had
ID eornnon sense and too keen an insight
Col human nature 10 be really deceived by any
ard seeming, and his essay is as vehe
IL tone as though he were beseeching the
70 listen on the eve Of a great conflict,
-'as arising u7urrnurs he could family hear. Mr..
-il rH speaks Of his sacred fury in the cause
narisn. We have no better example Of II !
hat which IS embodied in the essay against
Etere will you find better illustration Of
yEest reasonable" Of Erasmus. He be
c,y II 4 The beginning and pleads with his reader
Ia child, striving 10 show him how the
and beauties CC peace are rooted in the
ieaE z instincts C mankind how all that is
q 90 80 Il in Us is the very negation Of war. he
2 Ter 70 wild nature pointing out the divine
Sine IN which gave arrnor 70 the brutes but left
ne alone 70 be brought forth AN naked, weak,
= an 2 and without any arrnor, with most soft
; rez md smooth skin" Nature knew what she
Na1 lbo-t when she supplied the ramping lion
liz GaTs," and "fenred the crocodile with d skin
orn r3 as z plate" L she decided that man
inea & appear upon the earth with nothing at
hood a his members ,Aat may seem to be or
..-a1 a--A 70 war, Or to any violence" il was be
4 co she Intended that he should remain at
sntC She hath utterly soWn in man the very
oss@ q benevolence" says Erasmus, and he
=. ~ patiently and yet with al Of that ami
stems which was part Of his genius. 10 enforce