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PRAISE
OF FO LLY ERASMUS
Written by 1509 and translated by 1668
JOHN WILSON
Edited with an Introduction by MRS. P. S. ALLEN
OXFORD At the Clarendon Press 1913 V
Oxford University Press London
New York Edinburgh Glasgow Toronto Melbourne Bombay Humphrey Milford M.A. Publisher to the University
INTRODUCTION Praise of Folly
THEFool ment
of
Literature
new
Men
tion.
formulas
is
part of the so-called produced by the fer a
ideas which preceded the Reforma had discovered fresh standards, old
were
and
tested,
the
discrepancies
between principle and practice became more apparent. There was a widespread attempt to cure the evils which had crept into the mediaeval
Church and those which vitiated the body politic. Satire
is
a
sharp instrument to cut away the
and writers strove to
blinding film of custom,
convince self.
a fool of his folly
Yet human nature
easier to see faults
by showing him him- j
slow to change, it is-j than to amend them: in the is
twentieth century men are very much as they were in the fifteenth, still, for instance, buying books which they do not read, like the first fool
who embarked
This was the
in the
title of
fashion in fools.
Its
Narrenschiff
.
the book which set the
author, Sebastian Brant a 2
iv
Introduction
(1458-1521), was a Strasburg inn-keeper s son, who, having taken his degree in law, added to his legal
work great
von Olpe
s
literary activity in
press at Basel.
Bergmann
Brant conceived the
idea of a ship laden with fools, about to set for the land of Narragonia
sail
but he grew so
;
interested in depicting the crew that the ship
The was forgotten and never left its port. Narrenschiff was published in 1494, and its success was immediate.
The
112 several kinds of
men
fools, described with blunt realism, gave
opportunity to recognize their neighbours por traits, and delightedly to fit caps on other heads.
The book was value, of
further
and was even used
Despite his
as
own Swabian
contempt
moral
its
the text for a series
a
dialect as the best
for reaching the mass of his for
for
famous Strasburg preacher. scholarship, Brant had written
sermons given by
in his
welcomed
medium
countrymen.
But
the vulgar and vernacular
did
not keep the learned world from interest ; and the moment the book appeared, Trithemius
added of
it
to Brant
Ecclesiastical
satire
.
s
Latin works in
Writers,
In 1497
it
calling
became
his it
Catalogue a
c
divine
accessible to the
v
Introduction educated of
countries
all
musus translated Riviere
made
a
du Monde
Folz
Ascensius, later
Philo-
into Latin, under the
it
The same
Navis.
Stultifera
when Locher
title,
Pierre
year
French version, La Nef des and the Belgian, Badius ;
renowned
as a
printer at Paris,
was stirred up to attempt a sequel. Brant had dealt with men only, but Badius felt that women should not be
Naves
added
left
six
out,
and
shiploads
The book was
to the fleet.
Stultiferae
his
foolish
of
de Marnef, the Paris publisher, with for a translation into French,
might read
just
*
a
request
so that
women
for their salutary discipline,
it
instruction in a holy
had
virgins
sent to Angilbert
published
life.
a
Jean Drouyn,
paraphrase
of
as big
Four French
again as the
Stultiferae
editions of Badius
s
who
Riviere
translation, gladly undertook the work he amplified it till his Nef des Folles
out half
and
;
s
but
came
Naves
.
book and one
Latin were printed in three and a half years ; but still he was not satisfied, and in 1505 he made another Latin version of Brant s Narrenschiff , (
naming it Navis Locher s title.
Stultifera
,
an inversion of
Introduction
vi
c
These repeated reproductions made the Narrenschiff well known in England, and in 1509
two English
The
of these,
worlde,
translations
was
a
appeared.
The
first
grete shyppe of fooles of this prose version, made from the
of Drouyn by one Henry rethoryke Frensshe Watson. His own prologue tells all that is known of him. He was young, indygne and c
conscious
symple of vnderstandynge, imperfect training
hathe so affusked
me
vnto the
The work was
y
:
me
e
tendernes of
of
my
his
yeres
haue not applyed ought to haue done.
that
lettres as I
entrusted to
I
him by
his
worshyp-
mayster Wynkyn de Worde, thrughe the entysement & exhortacyon of the excellent
full
prynces Margarete, countesse of Rychemonde the Lady Margaret whose pro and Derby ,
Oxford and Cambridge, grandame vnto our moost naturall souerayne
fessors still lecture at 1
lorde
kynge
preserue
Henry
from
translation,
all
y
viii,
encombraunce.
though reprinted
almost forgotten
:
whome
e
in
one copy of
Ihesu
Watson
1517,
is
s
now
his first edition
alone survives, in the Bibliotheque Nationale at Paris.
Introduction
A of
far
the
saynt
more famous work worlde,
mary Otery
the
Shyp
of folys
the
College of counte of Deuonshyre
translated in the
is
vii
in
:
out of Laten, Frenche and Doche into Englysshe tonge by Alexander Barclay, Preste and at that
tyme Chaplen
in the sayde College
young man when
was
a
his
rhymed
Barclay
.
auoyde the execrable inconuenyences of ydilnes he began translation
in 1508 to
at
the
advice
of
his
patron, Thomas Cornish, Provost of Oriel and
Bishop Suffragan of Bath. It is a remarkably even in an age which did not demand literal adherence to an original so
free translation,
;
free that Barclay felt it necessary to apologize
for
Concernynge the translacion
it.
Boke,
I
for y c
it
of this
exhort y e reders to take no displesour is nat translated word by worde acord-
e inge to y verses of
my
actour.
For
I
haue but
only drawen into our moder tunge
langage the sentences of the verses
as
in
rude
nere as
me, some my wyt wyl and takinge tyme addynge, somtyme detractinge away suche thinges a semeth me necessary and
the parcyte of
superflue. ing, for
Barclay
suffer
s
additions are very interest
he drew largely on
his
own
experience,
Introduction
viii
among the fools many whom he knew With the eye of disapproving youth personally.
including
on the sporting
For
He
cleric
one can
if
Fyst, shalbe
he wrote
flater
:
and here
made Person
of
a
hawke on
Honyngton
his
or of
Clyst.
When
dealing with the fool that nought can and nought wyll lerne he bethought him of his
companions, the
Ottery *
secundaries
haue eyght neyghbours, that
I
a place Within this
They may Theyr
in the college at
:
my
firste shall
haue
shyp, for they most worthy be.
theyr lernynge receyue costeles and
wallys
fre,
abuttynge and ioynynge to the
scoles.
No As
thynge they can, yet nought wyll they lerne nor se. a result of
Barclay
s
treatment the
German
element in the Narrenschiff was effaced and the *
are
became
a British bark.
His fools
dressed in the national motley,
and give
Shyp
of Folys
Pre-Reformation England. picture Side by side with Locher s Latin, the new translation was Inprentyd in the Cyte of a
vivid
of
*
ix
Introduction
London
Fletestre
in
the
at
of
signe
Saynt
George By Rycharde Pynson to hys Coste and
Ended the yere of our Sauiour M. d. ix. There were thus The .xiiii. day of December charge
:
.
two English
Narrenschiff
versions of the
London
pearing in
when
just
was being composed Erasmus must have known
ap
Praise
of
there.
Folly *
the
of
mass of
this
and have comprehended the but his own contribution has all
Fool literature
point of view; the originality of genius.
When
he wrote
it
he was 43, and had lived in many lands, among diverse kinds of men. Born at Rotterdam of an unmarried mother, he learnt the elements at
Gouda,
him
until his voice gained
the choir at Utrecht
famous
school
scholars
from
all
at
;
a
place in
whence he went
Deventer,
then
parts of Europe.
to the
attracting
His parents
early death, the dissipation of his small patri
and their consequent
his guardians,
mony by
pressure, drove him into
Augustinian Canons
he hated monastic
life,
escape.
monastery of the
he chafed
ness of his surroundings,
He
a
at Steyn, near
Gouda.
at the
and he made
But
narrow a
way
of
used his opportunities for study
x
Introduction
until he attracted the notice of the Bishop of
Cambray, who took him sent
him
a
to
priest,
worked hard, he was driven
chiefly at his
own
to teach that he
buy books. came from
though might have money studies,
drudgery when one of
this
Lord Mount joy, invited him to
pupils,
England.
free,
be
In Paris he lived poorly and
Relief his
Once
He caught again. but he would not re-enter
not
the monastery.
to
secretary and then
to the University of Paris.
Erasmus was remained
as a
He
stayed in London, went
down
to
country house in Hertfordshire, and visited the Ropers in their home at Well Hall in Kent
a
:
whence he walked with More
to
Eltham and
was received at the Palace by the royal children. In the autumn he paid a short visit to Oxford,
and stayed
in
St.
Mary
was at
of his order.
It
his
friendships
life-long
Linacre, and
More
Warham and stall
and Pace.
;
s
this
College,
with Colet, Grocyn, to whom were added later
Fisher, William
Like
the house
time that he formed
all
Latimer,
Tun-
scholars of the Renais
sance he had long had the ambition to go to Italy,
but poverty had kept him distant.
His
Introduction
xi
English friends determined to satisfy his desire,
and between them gave him money for the But he had reckoned without the journey. law revived by Henry VII, forbidding the export of precious metals the custom-house officers ;
at
Dover took
with a
his gold,
and
left
him
to
embark
limp purse and an angry heart. It was bitter blow, one which Erasmus could never a
forgive
nor forget
wrote of
;
and years afterwards he
his spoliation as
vehemently
as if
the
incident had but just happened. Italy out of his reach,
Erasmus had to
again at Paris, with occasional flights
settle
to
the
Netherlands or to Orleans, when plague raged in the capital. In 1505 his English friends
persuaded him to
more
successful
goal.
The
of
revisit
plan
for
them, and arranged reaching
his
a
Italian
Genoese physician returning home, and
sons of Boerio, the
Henry VII, were
Erasmus was appointed their tutor. At last in the summer of 1506 he could cross the Alps. The first step was to take his doctor s degree at Turin, and then the party went on to Bologna. His studies there were rudely interrupted by the papal siege, which drove him and his pupils
xii
Introduction
to flight.
They retired to
Florence, but returned
in time to see the
triumphant entry of Pope Erasmus was always a preacher of convinced of the wrongfulness of war, he
Julius II.
peace
;
inveighed against it with all his eloquence ; the spectacle of the Head of the Church conducting
campaign and plunging men into misery filled him with horror. In the Moria still more in
a
,
the
Julius Exclusus
,
he spoke
his indignation
without respect of persons. While at Bologna Erasmus was busied with his collection of
printed during
Adages
.
These had been
his Paris years,
but
now
the
first
little
book was worked up into a big book, and Erasmus to Venice to see the new edition published.
went
was produced by Aldus, the famous printer, in whose family Erasmus spent a year of strenuous
It
work.
When
south
and
the
;
it
ended, he
at Siena joined
young Archbishop with
of
left Venice to go Alexander Stewart,
St.
Andrews, who
James IV, at Flodden. visited Rome and Erasmus pupil Naples, enjoying with equal keenness the interest
later fell
With of
this
classic
politics
his father,
sites
or
the
with the high
discussion
officials of
of
modern
the Curia.
It
Introduction
xiii
even probable that the influence of Cardinal Grimani might have kept him at Rome, had not
is
death of Henry VII on 21 April 1509 changed the whole aspect of affairs in England. The young king was no mean scholar he was the
;
new
favourable to the
and ready to
studies,
listen to the wise advice offered him.
talent
recognize
and
employ
it.
He
could
Erasmus
s
English friends were eager that he should share both the work and the profit of the new era :
urgent letters, with messages from the king, He was not slow in called him to London. answering.
Rome
passes to
boat
He
journeyed on horseback from and thence over the Swiss
to Bologna,
Constance and Strasburg, and so by the Rhine to Antwerp and England.
down
as
Day by day, world as he had seen and
it,
on Folly
in high places
in low.
On More
reaching
London he was welcomed
at
house in Bucklersbury. His host, who had nearly been forced to flee the country on s
account of
,
he went, he pondered on they
his resistance to
Henry VII
s
exac
tions, was high in favour with the new king, and having been made under-sheriff of the City,
1
;
xiv
Introduction
could carry on his own practice as a lawyer without fear of molestation. The home-life there was at Mistress
its
happiest, since the son gentle
More had longed
for,
had been added
to the nursery of three little girls.
In these
bright surroundings chequered only by his ill health Erasmus wrote the 4 Moriae Encomium ,
In a
letter from Antwerp, was staying with More return from Italy, when I was kept
in praise of Folly.
May
1515, he says
after
my
:
I
days in the house library had not yet arrived several
illness
So, for
;
by lumbago. and if it had,
My my
forbade exertion in more serious studies.
want
of
employment,
I
began to amuse
myself with the Praise of Folly, not with the intention of publishing the result, but to relieve the discomfort of sickness by this sort of distracition. I showed a specimen of the unfinished
(work to some friends, in order to heighten the jenjoyment of the ridiculous by sharing it. They
were mightily pleased, and insisted on my going on. I complied, and spent some seven days
upon the work I
;
an expenditure of time which
thought out of proportion to the importance Afterwards the same persons
of the subject.
xv
Introduction
who had encouraged me
to write, contrived to
have the book taken to France and printed, but from a copy not only faulty but incomplete.
The
failure of the
work
shown by
to please the public
was
being propagated in sufficiently times in a few months, more than seven type
and that in
its
different places
what people found
This account of the taken
as correct.
;
It
wondered myself
I
to like in
l
it.
edition cannot be
first
was the convention of the
age to affect modesty by disclaiming all responsi bility for publication, and the friends who printed the book without Erasmus
were self
knowledge Probably Erasmus him
a polite fiction.
took the
Moria
to Paris
in the spring of 1511, at
when
it
any
was being printed. from
doing in the interval
on
s
his brief visit
rate he
was there
What he had been More s
his arrival at
house in the late summer of 1509 is not known. For eighteen months there is no record of him until he writes
from Dover on
his
way
to France.
Probably he was living with More, working at Jerome and the New Testament, discussing projects of reform and advising means fcr 1
Epistles of Erasmus,
tr.
Nichols, vol.
ii,
p. 5.
,
xvi
Introduction
them
carrying
foundation
of
under
schools,
out.
public,
which
He
was urgent for the
as
opposed to private
he
monasteries and colleges interest in Colet
s
;
included
those
of
and he took much
school at St. Paul
s,
which
was to educate 153 boys, the number of the miraculous draught of fishes. That the Praise of Folly , written in 1509, was not published till June 1511, is easily to be understood.
What
is
surprising
is
that Erasmus
should ever have ventured to publish, in his own name, so bold an attack on the abuses in
Church and
State.
His next work of
this kind,
Julius Exclusus , appeared anonymously. Erasmus not only refused to acknowledge it,
the
but tried to father
it
on to other writers
:
so
skilfully indeed that without explicitly declaring he was not the author, he managed to convey
But under Folly s mask he was brave enough. Fools had the right of free this
impression.
speech, and truths.
In
made
sport by telling
Germany
men home
the greatest licence was
allowed to players, dressed in motley, who on Carnival night roamed the streets and made their
way
into private houses.
The
i
Sottie
,
xvii
Introduction or fools
drama
sotte
loue aux halles de Paris
;
Lan mil cinq
1512,
a
in France.
Et mere gras,
recognized part of the Le jeu du Prince des Sotz,
was
play,
cens et vnze
Prince des Sotz
le
(
attacked in
n.s.)
abused the Pope,
its
mardy
(February 24, Louis XII,
Sottie
and in
;
le
Phomme
(
its
obstine
Moralite ,
cause
as
the ills tormenting Peuple francois But Folly s freedom Peuple ytalique hurt no one. The French king witnessed this
of
all
and
.
performance and bore no malice. The Pope was as little affected by the hardl In January 15181 things that Folly said of him.
Erasmus writes
The Pope
:
himself read the
His only comment was Erasmus is in the Moria our glad and yet I deal with no one more
Moria and laughed. this
"
I
:
himself
am
"
;
than with the Popes.
scathingly
before in a letter to the powerful St.
Bertin
such
world
as it ;
s
at St.
is,
it
Omer, he said
:
A month Abbot
pleases the learned of the
pleases
bishops,
of
This work,
whole
archbishops, kings,
and Pope Leo himself, who has read the whole of it from beginning to end. The cardinals,
theologians, 1507
of
course,
b
were indignant
;
one
xviii
Introduction
them, Martin Dorp,
of
a young lecturer at him for Louvain, reproved treating sacred things with undue levity and urged him to consider, if
nothing
at
else,
own
his
least
reputation.
Formerly every one admired your writings but now this wretched Moria, like Dauus in ;
the
is
play,
upsetting
defended himself in
a
Erasmus
everything.
long apology, but the
theologians were never satisfied.
Twenty years compared him to
later a Spaniard, Caruaialus,
the lawyer who, feigning madness, had stirred up the Sicilians to a massacre of the French.
Erasmus a
,
is
jester
he wrote
in the guise of
destroying the whole Church with
and
his quips
bitterly,
jokes.
Erasmus must have seen Brant schifl 1
and Badius
Praise of Folly
The
satire
bells,
her
is
own
is
far
made
is
Stultiferae in
more
to
praises.
s
Narren,
but
his
no sense an imitation. Folly, in cap and the rostrum and sing
subtle.
mount She
s
Naves
is
shown
as
the laughing
goddess, whose very appearance lightens men s hearts and spurs them to greater achievements
than
the
delights in
calculations
of
reason.
Erasmus
making the worse appear the better
xix
Introduction part, in proving that the dotards
are the truly happy,
and lack-wits
and wise men miserable.
man
inspired by Folly, since no Friendship could be friends with another, did he is
foolishly overlook his faults.
It
is
which makes matrimony
of Folly
not
the blindness possible
;
thej
; by her flattery are founded and empires held together.
gaiety of Folly livens society cities
There
is
no way to that
nor access to that
so
much famed wisdom, as
fortress,
call it,
they
of
happiness but under the banner of Folly.
As he continued, Erasmus
He had
mankind overcame
folly of
mocking banter of the *
men
become
beasts
the
grammarians, brag if
Anchises
s
:
life
while
;
they
yet
of princes
His>
,
till
;
the
they
men
they spend
new inven superstitious. The
the seekers after
and the
tormenting as
reaL.
men who
the hunting
itch of building
tions, the gamesters
schools,
his lightness.
themselves,
live
their fortune
Africa,
changed.*
passes into stern arraignment
he knew
imagine they who have the all
mood
s
started lightly, but his sense of the
the
boys
in
their
though they had conquered happen to find out who was
Mother, or pick out
of
some worm-
xx
Introduction
word not commonly known, The Bubsequa, for a Cowheard
eaten Manuscript a as
suppose
it
.
logicians, the philosophers, the divines are dealt
with
yet
courtiers
more
severely
are ridiculed
;
and their
princes
;
and
at last, cardinals
and the very Pope himself are shown their follies with a fine directness. John Knox scarcely spoke plainer to the
But the mockery
Moria ;
ends, as
from
a
satire
it
it
Queen
of Scots.
had begun, with passes
back to an
oration, and Erasmus whimsically proves that
Solomon,
St.
Paul,
the praises of Folly.
even Christ Himself sang
This
is
done by
a twisting of
Bible phrases displeasing to
modern
taste,
which
brought Erasmus sharp censure in his own day. Over forty editions of the Praise of Folly
were issued during its author s lifetime chief publishers were glad to print it,
;
the
and
smaller presses copied their editions.
Froben
embedded
in notes,
first
published
it
in 1515,
which though ostensibly by Lystrius were in Holbein part written by Erasmus himself. illustrated
sketches,
it
since
with the famous pen so
translated from the
and ink
It was reproduced. Latin into French original
often
xxi
Introduction
in 1517, into Italian in 1539, into English ten years
later,
and
into
German,
since
appeared
in
It has
Czech,
Danish,
Swedish,
Russian, Polish, and
and
Dutch,
Flemish before the end of the century.
Modern Greek. That
there
no Spanish translation before 1842 is remark able, for Erasmus s other works were widely
is
read in Spain.
The English translation of 1549 was made by Thomas Chaloner, diplomatist and scholar,
Sir
knighted for his bravery at Pinkie, and has been more than once reprinted, the last time in 1901.
Another well-known
Witt
translation,
against Wisdom, or a Panegyrick upon Folly, was made in 1683 by White Kennett, then a
young B.A. of St. Edmund Hall, later its Principal and afterwards Bishop of Peterborough.
The
twentieth century can appreciate Chaloner s work, but to the Stuarts he seemed so old-
White Our language
fashioned as to be almost unintelligible.
Kennett
says in his introduction
hath been so the
first
much
appearance
English, that had I
polish d,
it
of
this
:
and
refin d, since
Declamation in
fallen into
my
hands
entred on this work, the perusal of
it
e re
would
xxii
Introduction
have scarcely discourag d me from pursuing the For to have adventured abroad a undertaking :
this antiquated Version, would have been interpreted as a design rather of exercising the Reader in the unpleasant
second Edition of doubtless
task of laboriously picking out the
meaning
of
obsolete words, and expressions, than of fairly
him
leading
into the true and genuine sense of
although what is here asserted be might easily made out beyond all possibility of exception, yet the learned Author acquitted himself so very well herein, that he comes fully the Original
;
up even to the most commendable way writing, which obtain d in his time.
The
translation
now
of
made
reprinted was
in
by John Wilson (1627 ?-i696), scholar, He was well known lawyer, and writer of plays. 1668
which gained him York and a post in
for his ultra-royalist views,
favour with the Ireland, 4
The Cheats
rascality
more
is
direct
Wisdom
Duke
of
but better known for
;
and
The
his
comedies,
Projectors
,
where
His version is happily described. and restrained than Witt against or as
Kennett himself puts
modern Translator (Wilson)
,
.
.
it,
The
tied himself
.
.
.
Introduction observance of the Latin
strictly to a literal
whereas in
this
allowed
my
sion
the
as
self
if is
Rehearsal of mine,
such elbow-room
humoursomness
and the Idiom
xxiii
of
.
.
have
of
the
of
.
.
.
;
.
expres
Subject
each language did invite,
command.
Kennett
in
long-winded and prosy, and
his
not
I
consequence elbow-room
has resulted in a coarseness of expression surpris
ing in a future
Church dignitary
:
yet his distin
guished position gained his book the popularity of continued reprints. Wilson s, with its truer
though faint echo of Erasmus s terse vivacity, was neglected until recently edited by Dr. Rouse.
A translation made in 1878 by James Copner, late vicar of Elstow, proves that the lost its attraction for
modern
In this edition Wilson tained,
but
for
the
s
Moria has not
scholars.
spelling has
convenience
of
been
re
modern
the old punctuation has been altered and the text divided into paragraphs. Some readers
disagreeable
phrases
have been omitted, and
few obvious mis-translations corrected, where The correction possible in Chaloner s words. a
on
p.
no,
*
Sthenelus
adopted from Dr. Kan.
for
Stelenus
,
has been
ERASMUS OF ROTTERDAM To
Friend
his
THOMAS MORE, was coming
Health
:
while since out of Italy for England, that I might not waste all that time I was to sit on Horsback in foolish I
Al and
a
chose rather one while
illiterate Fables, I
my self something of our com and other while to enjoy the
to revolve with
mon
Studies,
remembrance here
some
Amongst
of
no
my
Friends, of
learned
lesse
these you,
my
whom
than
More, came
left
I
pleasant.
first
in
mind, whose memory, though absent your
my self,
me
such delight in my absence, as when present with you I ever found in your company ; than which, let me perish if in all my life I ever gives
met with any thing more therefore,
1507
And
being satisfy d that something was
to be done,
proper for
delectable.
and that that time was no wise
any serious matter, B
I resolv
d to make
Erasmus
2
some sport with The
\
Praise of Folly.
But who
the Devil put that in thy head ? you l say. The first thing was your sirname of More, which
comes
so near the
word Morice
(Folly) as
you from the thing. And that you are so, the world will clear you. In the next place,
are far all
conceiv d this exercise of wit would not be
I
inasmuch as you are approv d by you to be delighted with such kind of mirth,
least
;
wont that
is
to say, neither unlearned,
mistaken,
if
I
am
not
nor altogether insipid, and in the of your life have play d the part
whole course f
:
of a
Democritus.
And though
such
is
the excel-
lence of your Judgement that twas ever contrary to that of the people s, yet such is your incredible
affability
and sweetness
of
temper
that you both can and delight to carry your self to all
you
men
will not
a
man
of all hours.
only with good will accept this take upon you the
Declamation, but defence of t, forasmuch
small
Wherefore
being dedicated to you, it is now no longer mine but yours. But perhaps there will not be wanting some wranglers as
and charge me, partly that these toyes are lighter than may become a Divine,
that
may
cavil
The
Praise of Folly
3
and partly more biting than may beseem the modesty of a Christian, and consequently exclaim that
resemble the Ancient Comedy,
I
or another Lucian, and snarle at every thing.
But or
I
whom
would have them of
foolery
the
the lightness
Argument may
consider that mine
is
not the
first
offend,
to
of this kind,
but the same thing that has been often practis d even when Homer, so by great Authors :
since, did the like
many Ages
and Mice
of Frogs
Puddings crates, and ;
with the battelyK
Virgil, with the Gnat, and when PolyOvid, with the Nut ;
;
his
Corrector
Isocrates,
extol d
Glauco, Injustice Favorinus, De and the quartan Ague Synescius, Baldness the and when Lucian, Fly, Flattery
Tyranny
;
;
formity,
;
;
;
Seneca made such sport with Claudius s Canon izations Plutarch, with his Dialogue between ;
and Gryllus Lucian and Apuleius, and some other, I know not who, with the Hog that made his last Will and Testament, of which also, even S. Jerome makes Ulysses
;
with the Asse
And
;
they please, let em suppose I play d at Tables for my diversion, or if they had rather have it so, that I rod on
mention.
therefore
B 2
if
Erasmus
4 a
For what
Hobby-horse.
when we
is
injustice
allow every course of
Recrea
life its
tion, that Study only should have none
when such
cially
serious matter,
that
it,
?
espe
are not without
toyes
and foolery
is
their
handled that
so
not altogether thick-skull d benefit from t than from some reap more As s crabbish and specious Arguments.
the Reader that
may men when
is
with long study and great pains, patches many pieces together on the praise of Rhetorick or Philosophy another makes a one,
;
Panegyrick
him
to a
to
Prince
a
War
another encourages
;
against the Turks
;
another
tells
you what will become of the world after himself and another finds out some new device is dead ;
for the better ordering of
nothing matters
is
more
trifling
Goat s-wooll
than to treat of serious
so nothing
triflingly,
for as
:
carries
better
a
grace, than so to discourse of trifles as a
may seem to have intended them
my own
let
part,
have written
;
other
though
weening
opinion of
blind in
my own
but not altogether
my
men
judge
yet,
unlesse
self
cause,
may
I
foolishly.
man For
least.
of
what
I
an over
have made
me
have prais d Folly,
And now
to say
The Praise of somewhat
make
This
to that other cavil, of biting.
liberty was ever permitted to
to
f
Folly
men
all
common
errors
without offence,
of as
and
mankind,
run into licentiousness
*
\
too
does not
which makes me the
;
more admire the tender
wits,\
that
as this liberty
long
s
on the
their smart witty reflections
j
ears of the
men
of this
Nay, away with solemn Titles. meet with some so preposterously religious,
age, that can
you
l
^
that they will sooner endure the broadest scoffs
even
Pope
against
Christ
than
himself,
hear
the
or a Prince be toucht in the least, especially
it be any thing that concerns their profit whereas he that so taxes the lives of men, without
if
;
naming any one
may
in particular, whither, I pray,
he be said to
Or
admonish?
how many
bite, or rather to teach I
otherwise,
notions do I tax
and
beseech ye, under
my
self
?
Besides, he
that spares no sort of men cannot be said to be angry with any one in particular, but the vices of
all.
And
therefore,
be any one that
if
shall say
there shall happen to
he
is
hit,
he will but
discover either his guilt or fear.
sported in this kind with
v
Saint Jerome more freedome and
greater sharpnesse, not sparing sometimes
men
s
\
Erasmus
6 very name. avoided it,
I
But I
besides that I have wholly
I,
have so moderated
my
stile,
that
the understanding Reader will easily perceive my endeavours herein were rather to make
|mirth
than
Nor have
bite.
of Juvenal, raked
up
and ribaldry, but
laid before
ridiculous than dishonest.
be any one that
remember
least
I,
is
after the
Example
that forgotten sink of filth
you things rather
And now,
if
yet dissatisfied, let
that
it
discommended by Folly
is
;
there
him
at
no dishonour to be and having brought
her in speaking, it was but fit that I kept up the character of the person. But why do I run over these things to you, a person so excellent an
Advocate that no man better defends
his Client,
though the cause many times be none best
?
Farewell,
my
best disputant
stoutly defend your Moriae.
From
the Country,
the 5th of the Ides of June.
of the
More, and
ENCOMIUM
MORI^E
OR
THE An
PRAISE OF FOLLY
Oration, of feigned matter, spoken by Folly in her own Person
what
AT
rate soever the
I
am
I
am
World
talks of
me
not ignorant what an ill report (for hath got, even amongst the most Foolish), Folly
yet that
that She, that onely She, whose
Deity recreates both gods a sufficient
is
up
Argument,
and men, even this I no sooner stept
that
to speak to this full Assembly, than
faces
put on
kind
a
of
all
your
new and unwonted
So
suddenly have you clear d your brows, and with so frolique and hearty pleasantness.
a
laughter given
as
of
me
as I
many you seem to me no
your applause, that in troth, behold on every side of me,
less
than
Homer
with Nectar and Nepenthe
;
gods drunk whereas before, s
Erasmus
8
as lumpish and pensive as if ye had come from consulting an Oracle. And as it usually happens when the Sun begins to shew his
ye sat 1
Beams, or when
after a sharp Winter the Spring breathes afresh on the Earth, all things imme
diately get a as it
were
a
new
face,
new
colour,
and recover
certain kind of youth again
:
in like
manner, by but beholding me, ye have in an instant gotten another kind of Countenance ;
what the otherwise great Rhetoricians with their tedious and long-studied Orations and
so
can hardly of the
effect, to wit, to
Mind,
I
have done
remove the trouble
it
at once,
with
my
single look.
But
if
ye ask
me why
I appear before you in be pleas d to lend me your not those ears, I mean, you
this strange dress, _ears^
and Pie
tell
;
ye carry to Church, but abroad with ye, such as ye are wont to prick up to Jugglers, Fools and Buffons, and such as our Friend Midas once gave to Pan.
Sophister
For
I
am
with ye
dispos d awhile to play the ;
not
of
their
sort
who
nowadays buzle Young-men s heads with certain empty notions and curious trifles, yet teach them 1
e Trophonii specu.
The Praise of nothing but of scolding
who,
a
9
Folly
more than Womanish obstinacy but Pie imitate those Antients,
:
that they might
the
better avoid
that
infamous appellation of Sophi or Wise^ chose rather to be call d Sophisters. Their business
was to celebrate the Praises of the gods and valiant men. And the like Encomium shall ye hear from me, but neither of Hercules nor Solon,
but mine own dear
Nor do
I
Be
is
to say, Folly.
esteem those Wise-men
call it a foolish self.
Self, that
it as
a rush, that
and insolent thing to praise one s foolish as they would make it, so
and what can be more, they confess it proper than that Folly be her own Trumpet ? For :
who
can
set
me
out better than
my
self,
unless
perhaps I could be better known to another than to my self? Though yet I think it somewhat
more modest than the general practice of our Nobles and Wise men, who, throwing away all shame, hire some flattering Orator or Lying Poet, from whose mouth they may hear their praises, that
posing
spread out their
is
to say
themselves their
Crests,
meer
with Peacock
whilst
this
lyes
a
;
and
yet,
com
seeming
s
modesty, plumes and erect
impudent Flatterer
x
i
Erasmus
o
man
and pro an absolute of all Virtue pattern poses that s wholly a stranger to t, sets out a pittiful Jay in other s Feathers, washes the Blackmoor equals a
him
of nothing to the gods,
as
1
white, and lastly
In short, 4
I will
He may
swells a
Gnat
to an Elephant.
follow that old Proverb that says,
lawfully praise himself that lives far
from Neighbours.
Though, by the way, I cannot but wonder at the ingratitude, shall I say, or
negligence of
Men, who, notwithstanding they
honour
me
enough
to confess
them
the
in
for these so
first
my
many
place and are willing
bounty, yet not one of ages has there been,
some thankful Oration has
who
out the praises when yet there has not wanted them, of Folly whose elaborate endeavours have extol d Tyrants,
in
set
;
Agues, Flyes, Baldness and such other Pests of Nature, to their own loss of both time and sleep. ye shall hear from me a plain extem Nor porary speech, but so much the truer. would I have ye think it like the rest of Orators,
And now
made
for the Ostentation of
Wit
;
for these,
ye know, when they have been beating their heads some thirty years about an Oration, and as
1
ex musca elephantem.
The Praise of at
last
1 1
Folly
produce somewhat
perhaps
that
was
never their own, shall yet swear they compos d in three dayes, and that too for diversion
it
:
whereas
came
I
first
ever
lik t
x
best to speak
it
whatever
out.
of ye expect from me, that after the manner of Rhetoricians I should go about to
But
let
none
Define what
am, much
I
less
use any Divisions
equally unlucky to circumscribe her whose Deity is universal, or make the least
for I
hold
it
Division in that Worship about which every
thing
is
so generally agree d.
think ye, should
here
describe
I
before
present
For
I
Or to what purpose, my self, when I am and ye
ye,
behold
me
true and
see, that
as
am,
ye onely giver of wealth, whom the Greeks call the Latines Stultitia, and our plain Ma>/oia, speaking
?
Or what need was
English Folly. said
so
much,
sufficient to
as
if
my
inform ye who
man, mistaking
me
for
there to have
very looks I
am
?
were not
Or
as if
any
Wisedome, could not
at
sight convince himself by my face, the true index of my mind ? I am no Counterfeit, nor
first
do
I
carry one thing in 1
my
looks
and another
quicquid in buccam venerit.
in
-
1
Erasmus
2
my breast. my self, that
No,
I
am
in every respect so like
neither can they dissemble me,
who
arrogate to themselves the appearance and title of
1
Wisemen, and walk
hoods
;
though
Asses in Scarlet-
like
after all their hypocrisie
generation of men, that,
Midas
s
A most ingrateful
ears will discover their Master.
when they
are wholly
given up to my Party, are yet publickly asham d of the name, as taking it for a for reproach ;
which
cause, since in truth they are Mwporarot,
Fools, and yet
would appear to the World to be Wisemen and Thales s, wee ll ev n call em M(Dpoa-6(f)ovv, Wise-fools.
Nor will it be
amiss also to imitate
who
^cians of our times,
manner Gods,
if like
t|ie
Rhetorj-
think themselves in a
Horse-leeches they can but
and believe they appear to be double-tongu d have done a mighty act if in their Latin Orations ;
they can but shuffle-in some ends of Greek, like
Mosaick-work, though altogether by head
and shoulders and
less
to the purpose.
And
if
they want hard words, they run over some Worm-eaten Manuscript, and pick out half a
Dozen
of the
most old and absolete to con-
The Praise of
i
Folly
3
found their Reader, believing, no doubt, that they that understand their meaning will like it the better, and they that do not, will admire it the more by how much the lesse they under it. Nor is this way of ours of admiring what seems most Forreign without it s par
stand
ticular grace
;
for
if
to be any
there happen
more ambitious than
may
they
others,
give
their applause with a smile, and, like the Asse, 1
shake their ears, that they may be thought to understand more than the rest of their neigh bours. to come to the purpose name but what Epithet my
But
:
;
What but
I
have giv n ye I adde ?
shall
that of the most Foolish
?
For by
what properer name can
so great a goddess as be known to her Folly Disciples ? And because it is not alike known to all from what stock I
am
do
sprung, with the Muses
my
neither
endeavour to the
first
satisfie
Chaos,
good leave Pie But yet you.
Orcus,
Saturn,
or
Japhet, nor any of those thred-bare, musty Gods,;
were
my
he, that
Father, but Plutus, Riches is,
in spight of Hesiod, 1
TO. UTCL
;
that only
Homer, nay and
Erasmus
14 Jupiter himself,
Divum Pater atque Hominum Gods and Men at whose
Rex, the Father of single
;
heretofore, so
as
beck,
at
present,
all
things Sacred and Prophane are turn d topsie
According
turvy.
whose
to
Pleasure
Peace, Empire, Counsels, Judgements,
War, Assem
Wedlocks, Bargains, Leagues, Laws, Arts, in I want breath things Light or Serious
blies, all
short,
that
the publick and private business of
all
mankind,
is
Herd
govern d
Gods
of
without whose help all making, and
;
of the Poets
those few of the better sort of the rest, either
would not be be but
1
at
such
all,
house to themselves. an Enemy,
or
if
they were, they would
home and keep a poor And to whomsoever hee s
as live at
tis
not Pallas her
self
that
can
on the contrary he whom he favours may lead Jupiter and his Thunder in a string. This is my father 2 and in him I glory. befriend
him
as
:
did he produce me from his brain, as but Jupiter that sowre and ill-look d Pallas
Nor
;
3 .
of that lovely
Nymph
beautiful and galliard of
call all 2
3
ex Neotete
d Youth, the most the rest. Nor was Hujus me
Nympha.
glorior esse.
The I,
Praise of Folly
i
J
limping Black-smith, begot in the Yet, mis
like that
sad and irksome bonds of Matrimony.
me
twas not that blind and decrepit Plutus in Aristophanes that got me, but such take
as
not,
he was in
his full strength
and pride
of
youth
and not that onely, but at such a time
;
when
he had been well heated with Nectar, of which
he had,
at
taken
dose extraordinary.
a
And
one of the Banquets of the Gods,
as to
the place of is look d
my
nowadays that
forasmuch
birth,
upon
as
main point
as a
was neither, like Apollo s, in the floating Delos, nor Venus-like on the rolling Sea, nor in any of blind Homer s as blind Caves
of Nobility,
it
:
"but
in the fortunate Islands,
where
grew without plowing or sowing
;
x
all
things
where neither
Labour, nor Old-age, nor Disease, was ever and in whose fields neither Daffadil, heard of ;
Mallows, Onyons, Beans, and such contemptible things
would ever grow
;
but, on the contrary,
Rue, Angelica, Buglosse, Marjoram, Trefoiles, Roses, Violets, Lillies, and all the Gardens of Adonis, invite both your sight and your smelling. And being thus born, I did not begin the world, 1
sponte sua per se dabat omnia
tellus.
1
6
Erasmus
other Children are wont, with crying
as
streight perch d up and smil d on
Nor do
but
envy to the great Jupiter the Goat, Nurse, forasmuch as I was ^snrljfd by twn
his t
my
;
mother.
jolly
I
Nymphs,
to witDrunkenness, the daughter
of Bacchus, and_Ignorance, of Pan.
And
as for
such
my companions and followers as ye perceive about me, if you have a mind to know who they ye are not like to be the wiser for me, unlesse be in Greek This here, which you observe
are, it
:
with that proud cast of her eye, is Self-love ; She with the smiling countenance, <iXat>ria,
ever and anon clapping her hands, is KoAa/aa, Flattery ; She that looks as if she
that
is
were half
asleep,
is
Arjtfrj,
Oblivion
;
She that
leaning on both Elbows with her hands She clutch d together, is Micro7roz>a, Laziness
sits
;
with the Garland on her head, and that smells She so strong of perfumes, is H6oz^, Pleasure ;
with those staring is
Avoid, Madness
and
full
moving here and there, She with the smooth Skin
eyes, ;
pamper d body
and,
as to
the two
the
one
is
Gods
is
T/W(T),
Wantonness
;
that ye see with them,
Kotos , Intemperance, the other
#7n>oj,
Dead
Sleep.
These,
I say, are
The Praise of
17
Folly
Servants, and by their faithful have subjected all things to my Dominion, and erected an empire over Emperors
/my houshold Counsels
I
plUS hqvp yfi bar! my and Education, Companions. And now, lest I may seem to have taken upon me the name of Goddess without cause, you themselves.
shall in
how
the next place understand
my
far
Deity extends, and what advantage by t I have brought both to Gods and Men. For, if it was not unwisely said by some body, that this and if only is to be a God, To help Men ;
among the Gods Corn and Wine and such
they are deservedly enroll d that
first
brought in
other things as are for the
mankind, first,
why am
not
of all the gods
I
of
of right the aA$a, or
who
?
common good
being but one, yet
For first, What is things on all men. more sweet or more precious than Life ? And
bestow
all
yet from to
whom
can
Crab-favour d Pallas gathering
Jupiter
s
propagate mankind 1
more properly be
it
come than from me
spear, nor
s
Shield, ;
neither 2
either
said x
the
the Cloudbeget,
or
But even he himself, the
ofipino-narptis Palladis hasta.
1507
For
?
C
2
vfQfXrjyfptrov Jovis
aegis.
Erasmus
1 8
Father of Gods, and King of Men 1 at whose very beck the Heavens shake, must lay-by his forked thunder, and those looks wherewith
he conquer d the Gyants, and with which at pleasure he frights the rest of the Gods, and like
Common Stage-player put on a Disguise, as often as he goes about that, which now and then
a
he do
And
s,
that
is
2
to say
the getting of children
:
the Stoicks too, that conceive themselves
next to the Gods, yet shew me one of them, nay the veryest Bygot of the Sect, and if he do
not put
off it
beard, the badge of Wisdom, be no more than what is common
his
though yet with him and Goats his
;
yet at least he
supercilious Gravity,
smooth
must lay-by
his forehead,
shake off his rigid Principles, and for some time
commit an
and dotage. In fine, that Wiseman who ever he be, if he intends to have act of folly
Children must have recourse to me.
But
tell
me, I beseech ye, What Man submit his neck to the Noose of Wedlock, if as Wisemen should, he did but first truly weigh the is
inconvenience of the thing
1
qui nutu tremefactat
Olympum.
would
Or what Woman
?
there would ever go to
is
that
t
did she seriously
The Praise of consider either the peril
the trouble of bringing if
of Child-bearing,
them up
?
ye owe your beings to Wedlock, ye
Wedlock to
this
what ye owe
my me
i?
Folly
follower,
or
So then,
owe
Madness
;
that
and
have already told ye. but once try d what it is, that has she Again, would she, do ye think, make a second venture, if it
to
were not for
I
other Companion, Obli
my
Nay, even Venus her self, notwithstanding what ever Lucretius has said, would not deny
vion?
but that
all
her vertue were lame and fruitless
without the help of little,
odd,
supercilious
my
Deity.
For out of that
May-game came the Philosophers, in whose room have ridiculous
kind of people the world calls Monks, Cardinals, Priests, and the most holy Popes. And Lastly, all that Rabble of the Poets -Gods,
succeeded
a
with which Heaven
is so thwack t and throng d, be of so vast an extent, they are hardly able to croud one by another. But I think it a small matter that ye thus owe
that though
it
your beginning of life to me, unless I also shew you that whatever benefit you receive in the progress of it is of my gift likewise. For what other
is
this
?
Can
that be call d c 2
life
where ye
/
20
Erasmus
Oh
take I
away pleasure ? say ? I knew none
Wit, or so
much
Do
!
ye
like
you could have
of
folly, or
Wisdom
what
so little
rather, as to
For even the Stoicks
be of any other opinion.
themselves, that so severely cry d
down
pleasure,
d against it to the common People, to no other end but that having discourag d them from it, they did but handsomly dissemble, and
rail
might the more plentifully enjoy it themselves. But tell me, by Jupiter, what part of man s life not sad, crabbed, unpleasant, insipid, troublesome, unless it be seasoned with v Pleasure, that is to say, Folly ? For the proof is
k
that that
is
/
of
which the
in that his
never-sufficiently prais d Sophocles,
happy Elogy
of us
l
(
To know nothing
the onely happiness might be Authority enough, but that I intend to take every parti
is
,
cular
by
And
it s self.
Who knows
not but a
man
s
Infancy the merriest part of life to himself, and most acceptable to others ? For what is that in them first,
is
which we
kiss,
but
succour,
embrace, cherish, nay Enemies
this
witchcraft
of
wise Nature did of purpose give 1
Ev TW
<f>povc?v
yap
Folly,
them
[jirjSev ijdiffTos /Jt os.
which
into the
i
The
2
Praise of Folly
1
world with them, that they might the more pleasantly passe-over the toil of Education, and as it were flatter the care and diligence of their
And
Nurses.
then for Youth, which
reputation everywhere,
how do
study to advance
and lend
it,
it
And whence, Whence but from me
hand
it
?
understands
I ?
favour
their helping
all
pray,
in such /
men
all it
is
Grace
this
by whose kindness,
as little as
may
be,
it is
?
as
also for
that reason the higher priviledged from excep tions
and
;
am
I
mistaken
if,
when
it is
grown
up and by experience and to savour something like
discipline brought Man, if in the same
instant that beauty does not fade, it s
decay,
runs
till
fail.
comes to
it
onely hateful
Which
1
to
it s
flat,
And by how much from me, by so much the
briskness it
pleasantness
grow
liveliness
and
it s
the further less it lives,
the burthen of Old age, not others,
but to
it
self
also.
were altogether insupportable did not I pitty it s condition, in being present with it, and, as the Poets -gods were wont to assist such
as
also
were dying with some pleasant Meta-
morphcosis, help their decrepitness as 1
molesta senectus.
much
as
22
Erasmus me
by bringing them back to a second from whence they are not improperly childhood, in
lies
ye ask me how I do it, I shall not be shy in the point. 1 bring them to our River Lethe (for it s spring l
called
head
Twice-Children.
if
the Fortunate Islands, and that
rises in
other of Hell
from which,
Which,
as
is
but
soon
Brook in comparison), they have drunk down a
a
as
long f orgetfulness, they wash away by degrees the perplexity of their minds, and so
But perhaps you doting.
Admit
Child-hood fool,
or
;
it
ll
;
as if to
that
that
say, tis
For who
the
Man
2
do not
I
very
and
essence
be such were not to be
had any
condition
it,
but that
of a
thing
it
Prodigy that should have
as a *
are foolish
They
understood nothing. would not look upon that Child as
pleasant in
a
wax young again.
much Wisdome common Proverb,
as
according to that
?
like a
Child that
is
a
Man
too soon.
Or who would endure a Converse or Friendship with that Old-man, who to so large an experience of things, had joyn d an equal strength of mind and sharpness
2
of
judgement
?
And
Odi puerulum praecoci sapientia.
therefore
The for this reason it
does
it is
it
so,
Praise of Folly me.
;
and that Yet, not
dotard exempt from
this
is
withstanding,
that Old-age dotes
beholding to
is
23
man
those cares that distract a Wise
he
;
all is
pot-Companion, nor is he sensible of that burden of life, which the more manly Age
not the
less
enough to do to stand upright under
finds
And sometimes
Plautus
like
too,
he returns to
his
most unhappy
of all things living,
I
befriend him, that
of his friends,
for as
much
as,
t.
Old-man,
three Letters, A.M.O., the
understood what he did in
do
s
I
And
t.
if
he rightly
much
yet, so
make him well
receiv d
and no unpleasant Companion l according to Homer, Nestor
;
s
discourse was pleasanter than Achilles
s
Honey, whereas and malicious and
was both bitter
;
that of Old-men, as he has florid.
In which respect,
it
in another place,
they have this want the
also,
advantage of children, in that they onely pleasure of it
Adde
pratling.
t
others
life,
to this that old
we ll suppose men are more
eagerly delighted with children, and they, again,
with Old-men. 1
2
Like to
Melle dulcior
like
,
quoth the Divel
fluit oratio. &>
ujs
TOV opotov.
Erasmus
24 to the Collier.
For what difference between
them, but that the one has more wrinckles and years upon his head than the other ? Otherwise, the brightness of their hair, toothless mouth,
weakness of body, love of Milk, broken speech, chatting, toying, forgetfulness, inadvertency, and
other their actions, agree in every the nearer they
briefly, all
And by how much
thing.
approach to this Old-age, by so much they grow backward into the likeness of Children, until like them they pass from life to death, without any weariness of the one, or sense of t
other.
And now,
let
him
that
will
compare the
by me, with the MetaHnrb o f whom, I shall not
benefits they receive
mnrplinsps of
flif>
;
mention what they have done in their pettish humours, but where they have been most favourable
:
turning one into a Tree, another
into a Bird, a third into a Grashopper, Serpent, or the like. As if there were any difference
between perishing, and being another thing But I restore the same man to the best and !
happiest part of his refrain
from
all
life.
And
if
Men
would but
commerce with Wisdom, and
The Praise of give
up themselves
but
with
Subjects, and
it
perpetual youth. Vj Do Philosophers that are brains
their
beating
perpetually
grown whence
a
our grim
observe
d by me, they were to be old, but
to be govern
know what
should never
solace themselves
2?
Folly
most part you
for the
on ll
knotty find
old before they are scarce young. is it,
X
but that their continual and
em And
restless
thoughts insensibly prey upon their spirits, and dry up their Radical Moisture? Whereas, on the contrary, as
a
my
fat fools are as
plump and round
Westphalian Hogg, and never sensible of
old age, unless perhaps, as sometimes
happens, they come so
hard
all
things.
a thing it
And
to be infected with is
for a
man
it
Old age
afar off
to this purpose
ders, of
whom
;
is
Youth
as it is verifi
there goes this
;
to be
happy in that no small
testimony of the Proverb, that sayes, the onely thing that keeps
rarely
Wisdom X
Folly
at a stay,
is
and
d in the Braban-
common
saying,
That Age, which is wont to render other Men And yet wiser, makes them the greater Fools. there is scarce any Nation of a more jocund 4
converse, or that of
Old
is
less
age, than they
sensible of the misery
are.
And
to these, as in
j
Erasmus
26
manner
scituation, so for
friends the Hollanders.
my I
not
call
them mine,
me
observers of
by
my name
?
nearest
And why
should
since they are so diligent
that they are of
come
of living,
commonly
which they are
so far
call
d
from
being asham d, they rather pride themselves in t. Let the foolish world then be packing and
Medeas, Circes, Venuses, Auroras and
seek out I
know not what other Fountains
Youth.
I
am
sure I
am
of restoring
the onely person that it good. Tis I alone
both can, and have made have that wonderful Juice with which Memnon s daughter prolong d the youth of her Grandfather Tithon. I am that Venus by whose that
favour Phaon became so young again that Sappho fell in love with him. Mine are those Herbs, yet there be any such, mine those Charms, and mine that Fountain, that not onely restores departed Youth but, which is more desirable,
if
preserves to
this
it
perpetual.
Opinion,
And
if
that nothing
ye is
all
subscribe
better than
Youth, or more execrable than Age, I conceive you cannot but see how much ye are indebted to
me, that have retain d so great
shut out so great an
evil.
a
good, and
The Praise of But why do
I
altogether spend
speaking of Mortals
?
27
Folly
my
breath in
View Heaven round, and
him that will, reproach me with my name, he find any one of the Gods that were not stinking and contemptible, were he not made
let if
acceptable by
Bacchus
my
is
it
that
always a Stripling, and bushy-hair d
is
?
mad, and drunk, and spends Drinking, Dancing, Revels, and May-
but because he his life in
Whence
Deity.
is
games, not having so much as the least society And lastly, he is so far from with Pallas. desiring to be accounted wise, that he delights
be worshipp d with Sports and Gambals ; is he displeas d with the Proverb that gave of Fool, 1 A greater Fool than the sirname him
to
nor
c
Bacchus
;
Morychus,
which name
was chang d to
of his
for that sitting before the gates of
Temple, the wanton Countrey people were wont to bedaub him with new Wine and Figgs. his
And
of scoffs,
what not, hath not the antient
Comedies thrown on him they, and
?
O
foolish
worthy to be born
of thy Father
s
thigh
!
And
as
yet,
God,
say
thou wert
who had
not
rather be thy Fool and Sot, alwayes merry, ever 1
Morycho
stultior.
Erasmus
28 young, and than either
other people,
for
making sport
Homer
Jupiter, with his crooked Councels, terrible to every one or old Pan with s
;
Hubbubs
his
with Cinders with
her
or smutty Vulcan half-cover d
;
or even Pallas her
;
Gorgon
Countenance
so dreadful
Head and Spear and
s
Bui-beef
like
self,
?
Why
is
a
Cupid
always Pourtrai d like a Boy, but because he is a very Wagg, and can neither do nor so much as
think of any thing sober
?
Why
Venus ever
in her prime, but because of her affinity with
me ?
Witness that colour of her Hair, so resembling my Father, from whence she is call d x the golden Venus
;
and
lastly,
ever laughing,
if
ye
give any credit to the Poets, or their followers the Statuaries. What Deity did the Romans
ever
more
religiously adore
the foundress of
but
diligently
all
pleasure
search
the
than that of Flora, ?
Nay,
lives
if
of
ye should the
most
Homer and the rest of the Poets, you would find em all but so many pieces of Folly. And to what purpose sowre and morose of the Gods out of
run over any of the other gods tricks when ye know enough of Jupiter s loose Loves ? should
I
1
Venus aurea.
The Praise of
29
that chast Diana shall so far forget her
when
be ever hunting and ready to perish Endymion ? But I had rather they should
Sexe for
Folly
as to
hear these things from heretofore they were
Momus, from whom
wont
to have their shares,
one of their angry humours they tumbled him, together with Ate, Goddess of Mischief, till
in
down headlong
to the Earth, because his
wisdom,
forsooth, unseasonably disturb d their happiness.
Nor since
that dares any mortal give
him harbour,
though I must confess there wanted little but that he had been receiv d into the Courts of Princes, had not my companion Flattery reign d in chief there,
with
whom
and
t
other there
is
no more correspondence than between Lambs and Wolves. From whence it is that the Gods and more play the fool with the greater liberty l
doing all things care Father Homer, that is to say, lessly, says without any one to correct them. For what content to themselves, as
ridiculous stuff
is
there which that stump of the em ? what Tricks
Fig-tree Priapus does not afford
and Legerdemains with which Mercury does not cloak his thefts ? what buffonry that Vulcan paov ayovTfs.
3
Erasmus
o
not guilty of, while one while with his poltfoot, another with his smutcht muzzle, another is
with
his impertinencies,
rest of the his
Gods
?
As
he makes sport for the with
also that old Silenus
Countrey-dances, Polyphemus footing time hammers, the Nymphs with their
to his Cyclops
and Satyrs with their Anticks whilst Pan makes em all twitter with some coarse Ballad, Jiggs,
;
which yet they had rather hear than the Muses themselves, and chiefly when they are well whitled with Nectar.
Besides,
what should
I
mention what these Gods do when they are half drunk ? Now by my troth, so foolish that I my self
can hardly refrain laughter. But in these twere better we remember d Harpo-
matters
some Eves-dropping God or other take us whispering that which Momus onely has crates, lest
the priviledge of speaking at length.
And
therefore, accordirigjo
Homer
s
example, high time to leave the Gods to themV look down a little nn the F.arth selves^and wherein likewise_jou ll find nothing frolirk or I
think
it
;
fortunate., that it
ows not to me.
So provident
has that great Parent of Mankind, Nature, been, that there should not be any thing without
it s
The mixture, and
as it
Praise of Folly were seasoning
3 i
of Folly.
For
since according to the definition of the Stoicks,
Wisdom
is
reason
and on the contrary
up
;
nothing
else
than to be govern d by Folly, to be giv n^
to the will of our Passions
man might
that the
;
life
of
not be altogether disconsolate and
hard to away with, of how much more Passion than Reason has Jupiter compos d us ? putting x scarce half an ounce in, as one would say, to a a
pound
Besides, he has confin d Reason to
.
narrow corner
of the brain,
and
left all
the
body to our Passions as also set up, against this one, two as it were, masterless
rest of the
;
Tyrants Anger, that possesseth the region of the heart, and consequently the very Fountain of life, its
the Heart
it self;
and Lust, that stretcheth Against which double
Empire every where.
force
how powerful Reason
is,
let
common
experience declare, inasmuch as she, which yet is all she can do, may call out to us till she be hoarse again, and
and Vertue
tell
us the Rules of
Honesty
while they give up the Reins to their Governour, and make a hideous clamour, till
at
last
;
being wearied, 1
he
Semiunciam ad assem.
suffer himself
y
3
Erasmus
2 be
to
whither they please
carried
to
hurry
him.
But forasmuch
such
as
business of the world have
Reason more than the
of
the better manage other things, they give
em
such
That they
God
as is
take to
some
me
call
a
may
this as well as in
to counsel of
worthy
em
little sprinklings
yet that they
rest,
even in
it,
born to the
are
as
my
wife
;
self,
and
I
to wit
a silly thing,
wot, and foolish, yet wanton and pleasant,
by which means the roughness of the Masculine temper is season d and sweeten d by her folly. For v
in that Plato seems to
doubt under which
Genus he should put woman, rational Creatures
other in the Sexe.
it
to wit
that of
or Brutes, he intended no
than to shew the apparent folly of if perhaps any of them goes about
For
to be thought wiser than the rest,
what
else
does she do but play the fool twice, as if a man 2 should l teach a Cow to dance a thing quite ,
against the hair
.
For
as it
doubles the crime
any one should put a disguise upon Nature, or endeavour to bring her to that she will in
if
no wise bear, according 1
Bovem ad
ceroma.
2
to that Proverb of the
invita reluctanteque Minerva.
The Praise of Folly 1; An Ape is an Ape, though
Greeks, Scarlet
so a
;
woman
is
woman
a
to say foolish, let her put on
33 clad in
that
still,
is
what ever Vizard
she please.
But, by the way,
I
hope that Sexe
foolish as to take offence at this, that I
not so
is
my
self,
being a woman, and Folly too, have attributed Folly to them. For if they weigh it right, they needs must acknowledg that they owe it to
Folly that they are
As
more fortunate than men.
their Beauty, which,
first
and that not without
cause, they prefer before every thing, since by its
means they
Tyranny even upon otherwise, whence proceeds
exercise a
Tyrants themselves that sowre look, rough ;
skin,
bushy beard and
such other things as speak plain Old age in a man, but from that Disease of Wisdom ? whereas
women
s
Cheeks are ever plump and smooth,
their Voice small, their Skin
as
if
they perpetual Youth. Again, what greater thing do they wish in their
imitated
whole
a
lives,
certain
kind
than that they
soft,
of
may
please the
Men
?
For to what other purpose are all those Dresses, Washes, Baths, Curlings, Slops, Perfumes, and 1
1507
Simla est simia, etiamsi purpura vestiatur.
D
3
Erasmus
4
those several
little tricks of
setting their Faces,
painting their Eye-brows, and smoothing their Skins ? And now tell me, what higher Letters
Recommendation have they to men than this Folly ? For what is it they do not permit em of
to do
and to what other purpose than that ? wherein yet their folly is not the
?
of pleasure least is,
I
sider
thing that pleaseth ; which how true it think no one will deny, that does but con
with himself, what foolish Discourse and pass between a man and his
odd Gambals
as oft as
woman,
And
he has
chiefest delight of
But there none
of
a
mind
to be
gamesome ?
have shown ye whence the
so I
man
are some,
the
s
life
you
youngest,
ll
first
and
springs. say,
that
and those too
have
a
greater
kindness for the Pot than the Petticoat, and place their chiefest pleasure in good fellowship. If there a
can be any great entertainment without at it, let others look to t. This I am
woman
sure, there
was never any pleasant which Folly
gave not the
relish to.
Insomuch that
if
they
no occasion of Laughter, they send for x one that may make it or hire some Buffon flatterer, find
,
quempiam.
The Praise of
Folly
3
y
whose ridiculous discourse may put by the Gravity of the company. For to what purpose were it to
clogg our Stomacks with Dainties, Junkets
and the
like Stuff, unless our Eyes and Ears, nay whole Mind, were likewise entertain d with Jests, Merriments and Laughter? But of these kind
of second Courses I
those
yet as
am
ordinary
the onely Cook
;
our
of
practises
though Feasts,
a
King, throwing Dice, drinking Healths, trouling it Round, dancing the Cushion choosing
and the
Wise
Men
common all
were not invented by the seven but my Self, and that too for the
like,
The
pleasure of Mankind.
which things
they have, the
is
nature of
more
such, that the
more they conduce
to
of Folly
Humane
were unpleasant, did not deserve the name of Life and other than such it could Life, which,
if it
;
not well be, did not these kind of Diversions
wype away
nexte
tediousnesse,
cosyn to the
other.
But perhaps there way of pleasure, and
ment
of
their
most desirable than either
air,
are
all
fire,
d
rest satisfi
Friends, of
some that neglect
calling
things
D 2
in the enjoy
friendship
the
more necessary
;
or water
this
;
so delectable,
Erasmus
$6
that he that shall take
out of the World had
it
good put out the Sun
as
yet that
if
mendable,
;
and
com
lastly so
make any thing
the
to
matter, that neither the Philosophers themselves
doubted to reckon
it
among
their chiefest good.
shew you that I am both end and of this so great good beginning
But what
Nor
go about to prove
shall I
Sorites,
2
the thing
but after
as clearly as
And now
tell
it
by
the
also
?
Fallacies,
or other the like subtilties of
Dilemmas,
Logicians,
1
I
if
me,
if
blunt way, point out twere with my finger.
my
to wink, slip over, be blind
at, or deceiv d in, the vices of our friends, nay, 1
to admire
and esteem them
when one
for Virtues, be not
next degree to folly
at least the
kisses
his
Mistresses
another the Wart on her Nose shall
folly tis
?
And
?
What
so,
perhaps you
is
this, l
freckle
When
?
swear his squint-ey d Child
than Venus
What
?
I
is
more
it
Neck, Father lovely
but meer
say,
cry, it
a
is
is
;
and yet and
this onely that joyns friends together,
continues
men,
of
them
whom 1
so joyn d.
I
speak of ordinary
none are born without
prora et puppis.
2
pingui,
quod aiunt, Minerva.
their
im-
The Praise of perfections, and happy
the least
:
for
among
is
37
Folly
he that
is
prest with
wise Princes there
is
either
no friendship at all, or if there be, tis unpleasant and reserv d, and that too but amongst a very twere
few,
a
For that the
crime to say none.
greatest part of
mankind
are fools,
nay there
not any one that dotes not in many things and friendship, you know, is seldome made but
is
;
amongst
And
yet if it should so happen mutual good-will between no wise firm nor very long liv d
equalls.
that there were a
them,
it is
in
;
among such as are morose and more than needs, as being Eagle-sighted circumspect into his friends faults, but so blear-ey d to their that
is
to say,
own that they take not the least notice of the Wallet that hangs behind their own Shoulders. Since then the nature of Man is such that there is
to
scarce any one to be
many
errors,
add to
minds and
studies, so
chances of
humane
found that
is
not subject
this the great diversity of
many
life,
slips,
oversights and
and how
is
it
possible
there should be any true friendship between those
Argus s, so much as one hour, were it not for that which the Greeks excellently call evriOtiav ?
and you may render by Folly or good Nature,
3
Erasmus
8
chuse you whether. But what ? Is not the Author and Parent of all our Love, Cupid, as blind as a
so
beetle
and
?
from him
with him
as it
is
1
colours agree,
all
own
that every one likes his 2
*
Sweeter-kin best, though never so ugly, and that man dotes on his old wife, and a boy on his
an old girle
These things
.
where but laught they
are,
at
they make it
were, glew
And what
done every
are not onely too, yet
as
ridiculous
society pleasant, and,
as
as it
together.
has been said of Friendship
may
more reasonably be presum d of Matrimony, which in truth is no other than an insepar able conjunction of
Divorces, or
daily happen, a
man and
by
his wife
have,
What would
supported and cherished Retainers
ignorance,
mine
of
also
!
how few marriages should we Husband should but through-examin
holiday the
!
that,
apishnesse, gentlenesse,
flattery,
if
Good God
were not the converse between
dissembling, certain
Whoop
life.
what not worse than
!
how many tricks his pretty little Mop has plaid* before she was marry d 1
ra
2
ut cascus cascam et pupus
/XT)
Ka\cL
!
of
Modesty
And how
Ka\a ir^avrai.
pupam deamet.
The Praise of
39
Folly
fewer of them would hold together, did not most of the Wife s actions escape the Husband s his
knowledg through
And
neglect
or sottishness
for this also ye are beholding to
whose means
that the
it is
to his Wife, the
Wife
house kept in quiet. seeing his
Husband
A man
But how much happier
me, by pleasant
Husband, and the
to her
Wife weeping he
is
!
is
laught at, when up her tears.
licks
to be thus deceiv
is it
d
than by being troubled with jealousie, not onely to torment himself, but set
In
fine, I
society
am
all
things in a
hubbub
so necessary to the
and manner
of life
!
of all
making both delightful and
that neither would the people long endure their Governors, nor the Servant his Master, nor the Master his Footman, nor the
lasting,
Scholar his Tutor, nor one friend another, nor the
Wife her Husband, nor the Userer the
Borrower, nor
a
Commander, nor unlesse all of them had
Souldier his
one Companion another,
their interchangeable failings, one while flatter
prudently conniving, and generally sweetning one another with some small
ing,
other
while
relish of Folly.
And now you d
think
I
had
said
all,
but ye
-
Lrasmus
40
hear yet greater things. Will he, I pray, love any one that hates himself ? Or ever agree shall
with another
who
not at peace with himself ? pleasure in another that is troublesome to himself ? I think no one will say it that is not is
Or beget
more
And yet, if ye should no man but w ould be so
foolish than Folly.
exclude me, there
s
r
from enduring another that he would
far
own
in his
nostrils,
stink
be nauseated with his
own
and himself become odious to himself
actions,
forasmuch
;
Nature, in too many things rather a Stepdame than a Parent to us, has imprinted that evil in men, especially such as have least as
judgment, that every one repents him of his own condition and admires that of others.
Whence
comes to pass that all her gifts, For elegancy and graces corrupt and perish. what benefit is Beauty, the greatest blessing of it
if it
Heaven,
Youth,
Age of a
?
s
he can do with any grace to himself for it is not so much a thing of Art,
life
the very a
What
corrupted with the severity of old Lastly, what is that in the whole business
or others as
?
if
man
with
be mixt with affectation
life of
every Action, that
good meen
unlesse this
my
it
be done
friend and
The Praise of
41
Folly
companion, Self-love, be present with it ? Nor does she without cause supply me the place of a Sister, since
her whole endeavours are to act
my part every where. For what is more foolish than for a man to study nothing else than how to please himself? of his
that
To make himself the object And yet, what is there
own admiration
is
?
either delightful or taking, nay rather
what not the contrary, that a man does against the hair ? Take away this Salt of life, and the Orator
may
ev n
Musitian with
all
sit
still
with
his Action, the
his division will
be able to
please no man, the Player be hist off the Stage, the Poet and all his Muses ridiculous, the
Painter
with
his
Art contemptible,
and the
Physitian with all his Slip-slops go a begging. 1 for an Ugly fellow Lastly, thou wilt be taken instead of a Beautiful, for Old and Decrepit instead of Youthful, and a Beast instead of a
Wise
Child instead of Eloquent, and instead man, a of well-bred man, a clown. So necessary a a
thing
it
is
that every one flatter himself, and
commend himself to himself commended by others. 1
before he can be
pro Nireo Thersites, pro Phaone Nestor, pro Minerva sus.
Erasmus
42 Lastly, since
nesse
l
i
that a
it is
the chiefest point of happi-
man
is
willing to be
you have further abridg d in this $that no man s asham d of his own of his
own
no man
of living,
no man of
wit,
of his
own
house, no
man
nor any
of
what he
my
is
,
Self-love,
face,
no man
own parentage, man of his manner his own Country
his
;
Highlander has no desire to change with an Italian, a Thracian with an Athenian, nor
so that a
Scythian for the fortunate Islands. singular care of Nature, that in so great
O
a
of things has
made
all
equal
been sometime sparing of her recompenc d it with the more
though it
must
here, I
a variety
Where
!
gifts
of
the
she has she
has
self-Love
;
confess, I speak foolishly,
being the greatest of
all
other her Gifts
:
to say
nothing that no great action was ever attempted without my Motion, or Art brought to perfec tion without my help.
IsnotWarjhe very Root and Matter oj all Fam d Enterjajsps-? And yet what more foolish than to undertake especially
it
for I
when both
know not what
Parties
more than they get by the bargain? 1
Quod
sis,
trifles,
are sure to lose
esse veils.
For
of
The
Praise of Folly
those that are slain,
when
for the rest, 2
l
43
not a word of them
and
;
both sides are close engag
and the Trumpets make an ugly noise
,
d
what
pray, that are so exhaust with study that their thin cold Blood has scarce any spirits left ? No, it must be those blunt
use of those Wise men,
fat fellows, that
I
by how much the more they
exceed in Courage, fall short in Understanding. Unless perhaps one had rather chuse Demosthenes for a Souldier,
Archilochius, threw
him
away
to his Heels e re he
Enemy
;
as
ill
his
;
but
had scarce seen
his
happy an Orator. is not of least con
thing of
this
Arms and betook
a Souldier, as
But Counsel, you ll say, cern in matters of War. In it
J
who, following the example of
a
General
Warring
is
I
grant
no part
of
Philosophy, but manag d by Parasites, Pandars, Thieves, Cut-throats, Plow-men, Sots, Spend thrifts and such other Dregs of Mankind, not Philosophers for
common
;
who how unapt converse, let
they are even Socrates, whom the
Oracle of Apollo, though not so wisely, judg d the wisest of all men living , be witness ;
2
\6yos.
et rauco crepuerunt
cornua cantu.
v
Erasmus
44
who stepping up to speak somewhat, I know not what, in publique, was forc d to come down again well laught at for his pains. in this he was not altogether a
Though
yet
he
re-
fool, that
d the appellation of Wise, and returning it back to the Oracle, deliver d his opinion That
fus
a
wise
man
should abstain from medling with unless perhaps he should have
publique business
;
rather admonisht us to beware of
Wisdom
if
we
intended to be reckon d among the number of men, there being nothing but his Wisdom that first
accus d and afterwards sentenc
drinking of his poison d Cup. find
him
t
him
For while,
in Aristophanes, Philosophying
to the as
ye
about
Clouds and Ideas, measuring how far a Flea could leap, and admiring that so small a creature as a Flye should make so great a buzze, he medled not with any thing that concern d common life.
But
Master being
his
his Scholar Plato
is
at
in
danger of
his
hand, to wit that
head,
famous
Patron, that being disturb d with the noise of the people, could not go through half his first Sentence. What should I speak of Theo-
who being about to make an Oration, as dumb as if he had met a Wolfe in
phrastus,
became
The Praise of his a
4?
Folly
way, which yet would have put courage in of War ? Or Isocrates, that was so cow-
Man
hearted that he durst never attempt Tully, that great Founder of the
it
Eloquence, that could never begin to without an odd kind of trembling, like that had got the Hick-cop prets as an
argument
that was sensible of
Or
?
Roman speak a
Boy
which Fabius inter
;
of a wise
Oratour and one
what he was doing
and
;
while he sayes it, does he not plainly confess that Wisdom is a great obstacle to the true
management
of business
em, think
of
ye,
?
What would become
were they to
fight
blows, that are so dead through fear, is
goodly sentence of Plato
Commonwealth where or
whose Prince
When
the
only with empty words ? next to these is cry d up, forsooth, that
Contest
And
out at
it
when
is
s
Happy
:
a
is
that
is
Prince, Philosopher addicted to Philosophy .
ye consult Historians, you ll find no Princes more pestilent to the Commonwealth
than
yet
if
where the Empire has
fall
n
to
some
smatterer in Philosophy or one given to Letters. the truth of which I think the Catoes give
To
sufficient
credit
;
of
whom
the one was ever
Erasmus
4<f
disturbing
with
his
the
the
of
peace
hair-brain d
Commonwealth
accusations
the other,
;
while he too wisely vindicated its liberty, quite overthrew it. Add to this the Bruti, Cassii,
nay Cicero himself, that was no cious
to
Commonwealth
the
less
was Demosthenes to that of Athens.
M. Antoninus
(that I
much ado
I
may
can make
burthensome and hated
than
Besides
give ye one instance
that there was once one good
with
perni
Rome
of
it
for Emperour out) was become ;
of his Subjects,
no other score but that he was
upon
so great a Philo
But admitting him good, he did the Commonwealth more hurt in leaving behind him such a Son as he did, than ever he did it good by his own Government. For these kind sopher.
of
Men
Wisdome
that are so given
up to the study of most unfortunate, but
are generally
chiefly in their Children
providently ordering
it,
Wisdome should spread For which reason so degenerate, as
tis
Nature, lest
farther
this
seems, so
it
mischief of
among mankind.
manifest why Cicero
and that wise Socrates
one has well observ
Mother than
;
d,
s
were more
their Father, that
is
s
Son was
Children, like
their
to say, Fools.
The Praise of However
as
a
47
Folly
were to be born with, if only to publick Employments they were * Like Sow upon a pair of organs were they any this
,
thing
apter
to
Invite a Wise
Offices of Life.
and he
ll
the
man
common
to a Feast
spoil the company, either with Morose
troublesome
or
silence
even
discharge
Take him
Disputes.
a Cow would out to Dance, and you l swear have don t better Bring him to the Theatre, 2
.
and till
his like
are
looks
very
Cato
enough to
drawing rather than put off Let him fall into gravity. 3
a
he
shall
spoil
all,
he take an occasion of with
make more sudden
his
supercilious
stops than
if
Let him buy, or
Woolf before him.
and
discourse,
he had sell,
or
go about any of those things without which there is no living in this world, and you 1 in short
say this piece of
than
a
Man,
Country,
or
Wisdom were
of so little use
Friends
wholly ignorant of a
course of
life
all
common
quite different
by which means 1
;
and
tis
Asini ad lyram. 3
Lupus
is
rather a Stock
he to himself, because he is
things,
and
lives
from the people
impossible but that 2
Camelus
in fabula.
saltans.
;
he
Erasmus
48 contract
popular odium, to wit, by reason
a
of the great
For what is
not
full
to fools
?
there at
any single one advice to of
souls.
all
shall dare to set
up
his throat,
my
him
is, that following the example he retire into some desart and there
Timon, enjoy his wisdome
to himself.
But, to return to it
and
diversity of their life
done among men that of Folly, and that too from fools and Against which universal practice if
is
my
what power was oken and wild people
design,
that drew those stony,
into Cities, but flattery?
For nothing else is d and by Amphion signify Orpheus s Harp. What was it that, when the common people of
Rome were
like to
have destroy d
all
Mutiny, reduc d them to Obedience? ,a Philosophical Oration ? Least. But ,
/
by
their
Was
it
a ridicu-
lous and childish Fable, of the Belly and the rest of the
his of the
What wise man s so much with the of his white
Lycurgus
s
people
Or
Horse
his
good success had Fox and Hedghog. as
Oration could ever have done
Hind?
of pulling off a as
And
Members.
Themistocles in
s
as
Sertorius
s
his ridiculous
invention
Emblem
Tail hair by hair?
example
of his
Or
two Whelps
?
The Praise of To rul
49
Folly
say nothing of Minos and Numa, both which d their foolish multitudes with Fabulous
with which kind of Toyes that and great powerful beast, the People, are led any way. Again what City ever receiv d Plato s Inventions
or
;
s Laws, or Socrates s Precepts ? on the But, contrary, what made the Decii
Aristotle
devote
Gods, or Q. Curtius to leap into the Gulph, but an empty vain glory, a most bewitching Sirene ?
And
themselves
yet
tis
strange
to
it
the
Infernal
should be so condemn d
by those wise Philosophers. than for
foolish, say they,
to flatter the people, to
For what
buy
their favour
to court the applauses of so
gifts,
more
is
Suppliant Suiter
a
many
with fools,
to please himself with their Acclamations,
to
be carri d on the people s shoulders as in triumph, and have a brazen Statue in the Market place ?
Add
Names and Sirnames
to this the adoption of
Honours given to Reputation, and the Deification
those Divine
a
man of
of
;
no
the most
wicked Tyrants with publicque Ceremonies ; most foolish things, and such as one Democritus is
too
little
to laugh at.
Who
yet from this root sprang 1507
E
all
denies
it
?
And
the great Acts of
Erasmus
fo
the Heroes, which the Pens of so
men
have extoll d to the
Folly
is
that that
lai
many Eloquent
In a word, this d the foundation of Cities Skies.
;
and by it, Empire, Authority, Religion, Policy and publique Actions are preserv d neither ;
there any thing in
is
a
Humane
Life that
is
not
kind of pastime of Folly.
But to speak
what
of Arts,
work to invent and transmit as
Famous, V but the
men
s
wits on
many
they conceive, pieces of Learning,
thirst of
Glory
sleep, such pains and
men thought
foolish of
set
to Posterity so
?
With travel,
so
much
have the
loss of
most
to purchase themselves
know not what Fame, than which be more vain. And yet notwith can nothing standing, ye owe this advantage to Folly, and a kind of I
which
the most delectable of
is
all
other, that
ye reap the benefit of other men s madness. And now, having vindicated to my self the praise of Fortitude if I
will say, It
and Industry, what think ye of Prudence ? But some
do the same by that
may
You may
be
so.
as
But yet
well joyn Fire and Water. I
doubt not but to succeed
ye have done hitherto, ye will but favour me with your attention.
even in
this also,
if,
as
The Praise of And to
first, if
whom
Folly
5-
1
Prudence depends upon Experience, the honour of that name more
is
? To the Wiseman, who partly out of modesty and partly distrust of himself, attempts
proper
or the Fool, whom neither Modesty nothing which he never had, nor Danger which he never The considers, can discourage from any thing ? ;
Wiseman
has
recourse
the
to
Books
the
of
Antients, and from thence picks nothing but subtilties of words.
The
Fool, in undertaking
and venturing on the business of the world, I
mistake not, the
gathers,
if
such
Homer though
as
blind
have seen, when he said l dreads the fire For there .
obstacles to the
knowledge
true
Prudence,
may be said to The burnt child are
two main
of things,
Modesty
that casts a mist before the understanding, and
Fear that, having fanci d
a
danger, disswades
from the attempt. But from these Folly sufficiently frees us, and few there are that rightly
us
understand of what great advantage
it
is
to
blush at nothing and attempt every thing. But if ye had rather take Prudence for that that consists in the 1
/oX0
I/
judgment $* T
of things,
vr]inos Zyvca.
2
hear
Erasmus
y2 me,
how
beseech ye,
I
they are from
far
yet crack of the name. that
Humane
all
For
first
that
it
evident
tis
things, like Alcibiades
Sileni
s
or rural Gods, carry a double face, but not the least
alike
so that
;
to be death,
to be
life
if
and
;
what
you view
first
sight seems
may prove What appears
narrowly
so the contrary.
may chance
beautiful
at
it
be deform d
to
;
what
what infamous, praise wealthy, very begger what learned, a dunce what lusty, worthy feeble what jocund, sad what noble, base a
;
;
;
;
what
;
;
lucky,
unfortunate
;
what
friendly,
an
and what healthful, noisome. In short, view the inside of these Sileni, and you ll find
enemy
them if
quite other than what they appear
perhaps
spoken,
blunt a
;
it
shall
make
I ll
Who
it
plain to
you
l
(
would not conceive
way great Lord and abundant .
;
which,
not seem so Philosophically
in
after a
my
Prince
every thing
?
But yet being so ill furnisht with the gifts of the mind, and ever thinking he shall never have
And enough, he s the poorest of all men. then for his mind so giv n up to Vice, tis a shame how it inslaves him. I might in like 1
pinguiore Minerva.
The Praise of manner Philosophy one, for
s
Folly
of the rest
5-3
but
;
be enough. will some one
example Yet why this ? patience, and I ll shew ye what If any one seeing a Player acting
this
let
sake,
Have
say.
drive
at.
his Part
on
I
Stage, should go about to strip him of his disguise, and shew him to the people in his true
a
Native Form, would he not, think ye, not onely spoil the whole design of the Play, but deserve himself to be pelted off with stones cal Fool, is
and one out of
his wits
?
as a
Phantasti-
But nothing
more common with them than such changes
the
same
Woman,
;
person one while personating a and another while a Man now ;
Youngster, and by and by now a King, and presently a
God, and in a But to discover a
a
grim Seigniour;
a
Peasant
now
;
agen an ordinary Fellow. were to spoil all, it being
trice this
the onely thing that entertains the Eyes of the Spectators.
And what
is all
this Life
but
a
kind
Comedy, wherein men walk up and down in one another s Disguises, and Act their respective of
Parts,
till
the property-man
a
And
brings
em
back
yet he often orders different Dress, and makes him that came
to the Tyring House.
Erasmus
f4 now
but just
the Robes of a King, put
off in
on the Raggs of
a
Begger.
Thus
are
all
things
represented by Counterfeit, and yet without this there were no living.
And here if any wise man, as it were dropt from Heaven, should start up and cry, This great thing, a
God and
a
Man,
I
whom
the World looks upon for know not what, is not so much as
for that like
Beast he
a
led by his inasmuch as
is
Passions, but the worst of Slaves,
he gives himself up willingly to so many and such detestable Masters. Again if he should bid
man
a
that were bewailing the death of his
Father to laugh, for that he now began to live by having got an Estate, without which Life is
but
a
kind of Death of his
boasting
because he
or call another that were
Family,
so far
is
;
ill
begotten or base,
remov d from Vertue that
the only Fountain of Nobility and so of the rest what else would he get by t but be thought himself Mad and Frantick ? For as is
;
:
nothing
Wisdome,
is
more
so
foolish is
than
nothing froward unseasonable Prudence. his
that
does
not
preposterous
more unadvised than
comply with
And the
such
a is
present
The Praise of time
x
and order himself
5-5-
Folly
the Market goes
as
,
2 either Feasts, but_ forgetting that Law drink or begon, undertakes to disprove a com mon receiv d Opinion. Whereas on the con
of
tis
trary
not
to
or
does, is
be
to
either
the part of a
foolish,
wise
run with
you
ll
say
vided always ye as to confess
his
beyond no notice
take
that this
is
But
company. I
on
civil
to
but
Condition,
nor shall
;
be so
man
what the world
of
for
it
Prudent
truly
Act
deny t
it,
this
pro
other side
a P_art in that
World. But,
O
ye Gods,
3
(
shall I speak or
hold
my
But why should I be silent in a thing tongue that is more true than truth it self ? However it ?
might not be amiss perhaps in so great an Affair, to call forth the Muses from Helicon, since the
em upon every foolish Be present then awhile, and assist me, ye Daughters of Jupiter, while I make it out that there is no way to that so much Fam d Poets so often invoke occasion.
Wisdome, nor call it of
access to that Fortress as they
Happiness, but under the Banner of C,
1
et foro noluit uti. 3
*
Eloquar an sileam
^ mOi ?
rj
diriOt.
C^^- O^t
Erasmus
?6
And first tis agreed of all hands that Folly. our passions belong to Folly inasmuch as we a wise Man from a Fool by this, that the judge ;
one is order d by them, the other by Reason and therefore the Stoicks remove from a wise ;
man
all
disturbances
Diseases.
Office of a
Mind
of
as
so
many
But these Passions do not onely the Tutor to such as are making towards
the Port of Wisdome, but are in every exercise
Vertue as it were Spurs and Incentives, nay and Encouragers to well doing which though that great Stoick Seneca most strongly denys, and takes from a wise man all affections whatever,
of
:
yet in doing that he leaves
him not
much
so
as
Man, but rather a new kind of God, that was never yet, nor ever like to be. Nay, to speak plainer, he sets up a stony Semblance of a Man, a
void
of
all
Humanity. Wise Man
common feeling of And much good to them with this let them enjoy him to him without Competitors, and
of theirs
themselves, love live
and
Sense
;
with him in Plato
s
Common-wealth, the
of Ideas, or Tantalus
Countrey who would not shun and as at
s
Orchards.
startle at
some unnatural accident or
such
Spirit
?
a
For
man,
A man
The Praise of dead to
common
Nature and
sense of
all
5-7
Folly
affec
tions, and no more mov d with Love or Pity 1 than if he were a Flint or Rock whose censure ;
him
that commits no errors
nothing escapes self, but has a Lynx ;
s
eyes
upon
others
;
measures
by an exact Line, and forgives pleases himself with himself onely
every thing
nothing
;
;
the onely Rich, the onely Wise, the onely Free Man, and onely King in brief, the onely man ;
every thing, but in his own single judg ment onely that cares not for the Friendship that
is
;
any man, being himself a friend to no man makes no doubt to make the Gods stoop to him,
of
;
and condemns and laughs of our Life
And
?
Man. /But
were to be
carri
him
desire
pray,
is
if
this their
the thing
for its for
voices, what City Governour, or what
a
General
their
would have such
Good-fellow such
would
me
tell
d by most
would chuse him
Army
whole Actions
yet such a Beast
perfect Wise
Woman
at the
a
?
What
Husband, what what Servant
Guest, or
either wish or endure such a
Master
?
Nay, who had
not rather have one of the middle
sort of Fools,
who, being
1
Quam
si
dura
silex
a
Fool himself,
aut stet Marpesia cautes.
may
Erasmus
f8
know how to command or obey and who though he please his like, tis one that is kind to yet the greater number
J the
better
Fools
;
;
merry among his Friends, a Boon and Companion, and easie to be liv d with his
Wife,
;
one that thinks nothing of Humanity should be a stranger to him ? But I am weary
lastly
Wise Man, and therefore
of this
I
ll
proceed to
some other advantages.
Go
Suppose a man in some lofty and that he could look round him, high Tower, as the Poets say Jupiter was now and then wont. to then.
To how many misfortunes would he find the man subject How miserable, to say no
life of
?
worse, our Birth, to to
how
our Education
difficult
;
how many wrongs our Childhood expos d, what pains our Youth how unsupportable
our
;
Old-age,
Death
and
as also
?
grievous
what Troups
our
unavoidable
of Diseases beset
how many Casualties hang over our Heads, how many Troubles invade us, and how little us,
there
is
that
is
not steept in Gall
of those evils one
Poverty,
man
brings
Imprisonment,
?
to say nothing
upon another,
Infamy,
as
Dishonesty,
Racks, Snares, Treachery, Reproaches, Actions,
The Praise of But
Deceipts
m
I
got into
^9
Folly
as endless a
work
as
Man
For what offences
numbring the Sands
kind have deserv d these things, or what angry God compell d em to be born into such miseries, is
not
my
present business.
diligently examine
not,
think ye,
it
shall
with himself, would he
approve
Milesian Virgins, and
Yet he that
kill
the
example of the But who are ?
himself
they that for no other reason but that they
were weary of life, have hastned their own Fate ? were they not the next Neighbours to
Wisdom
?
Diogenes,
Xenocrates, Cato,
of
Brutus,
Cassius,
Man
Chiron, being offer d Immor- V chose rather to dye than be troubled
that Wise tality,
amongst whom, to say nothing
with the same thing always.
And now the
World
I if
think ye see what would all
twere necessary
men should be we got another
and some better Potter.
But
I,
become
wise
;
of
to wit
kind of Clay
partly through
ignorance, partly unadvisedness, and sometimes
through forgetfulness of evil, do now and then so sprinkle pleasure with the hopes of good, and sweeten
men up
in their greatest misfortunes,
that they are not willing to leave this
life,
even
,
Erasmus
60
then when according to the account of the
and by how Destinys this life has left them much the less reason they have to live, by so much the more they desire it so far are they ;
;
from being life.
Of
sensible of the least wearisomness of
my
gift it
is,
that ye have so
old
many
Nestors every where, that have scarce left em much as the shape of a Man Stutterers,
so
;
Dotards,
Toothless,
rather, to use the
Gray-hair d,
Bald
words of Aristophanes,
1
or
;
Nasty,
Miserable, Shrivel d, Bald, Toothless,
Crumpt, and wanting with
life
their Baubles
a
Teeth
;
yet so delighted
and to be thought young, that one
dies his gray hairs
with
:
Periwigg another
another covers his baldness
;
;
another gets
falls
a
set
of
new
desperately in love with
young Wench, and keeps more flickering about her than a young man would have been asham d a
of.
For to
see such
an old crooked piece, with
one foot in the grave, to marrie a plump young Wench, and that too without a portion, is so
common mended
that for
f
t.
men
almost expect to be
But the best sport
of
com
all is
to
KvQovs, aO\iovs } fivoovs, /xaScD^ras, vcaSovs, KOI
The Praise of see our old
<5i
Folly
even dead with age, and
Women,
such skeletons one would think they had stoln out of their graves, and ever mumbling in their l
mouths,
Life
sweet
is
;
and
old as they
as
catterwawling, daily plaistering their face, scarce ever from the glasse, gossipping, still
are,
These things
dancing, and writing Love-letters.
are laught at as foolish, as indeed they are
they please themselves,
live merrily,
yet
;
swimme
in
pleasure, and in a word are happy, by my courtesie. But I would have them to whom
these things seem ridiculous, to consider with
themselves whether
the Proverb goes,
themselves
.
it
be not better to
such kind of
pleasant a life, in *
To
take a
follies,
live so
than, as
Halter and hang
Besides though these things
may
be subject to censure, it concerns not my fools in the least, in as much as they take no notice of
it,
stone
but
or
if
fall
they do, they easily neglect
upon
a
man
s
head, that
s
evil
it.
If a
indeed
;
infamy, villany, ill reports, carrie no more hurt in them than a man is sensible
of
;
dishonesty,
and
if
no longer
a
man have no sense of them, they What art thou the worse
evils.
1
2 <pw$
ayaOov.
Si
populus
te sibilet,
are 2
at tibi plaudas.
if
62
Erasmus
the people hisse at thee, so thou applaud thy self? And that a man be able to do so, he must
ow
only to Folly. I hear the Philosophers opposing and saying tis a miserable thing for a man to it
But methinks it,
^;
be foolish, to erre, mistake, and know nothing truly. Nay rather, this is to be a man. And they should call it miserable, I see no reason forasmuch as we are so born, so bred,
why
;
so instructed, nay, such
of us
And
all.
is
the
common
nothing can be
call
condition
d miserable
that suits with
think a
man
its kind, unless perhaps you l such because he can neither flie
with Birds, nor walk on all four with Beasts, and is not arm d with Horns as a Bull. For
by the same reason he would call the Warlike Horse unfortunate, because he understood not
Grammar, nor
eat Chees-cakes
miserable, because he d
make
;
so
and the Bull ill
a
Wrestler.
And therefore, as a Horse that has no skill Grammar is not miserable, no more is man this respect, for that
But
again,
the
1
they agree with
Virtuosi
was particularly added to
his
in in
Nature.
may
say that there
Man
the knowledge
1
Logodaedali.
The Praise of
63
Folly
by whose help he might recompence Understanding for what Nature cut
of Sciences,
himself in
him
short in other things.
least
face of truth,
As
if
this
had the
that Nature, that was so
watchful in the production of Gnats, Herbs and Flowers, should have so slept when she made Man, that he should have need to sollicitously
be helpt by Sciences, which that old Devil Theuth, the evil Genius of mankind, first in vented for his Destruction, and are so little
conducing to happiness that they rather obstruct it to which purpose they are properly said to ;
be
first
found out,
as
that wise
King
in Plato
argues touching the invention of Letters. Sciences therefore crept into the world with other the pests of mankind, from the same head from whence all other mischiefs spring wee l sup ;
pose call
it
Devils, for so the
them Daemons, that
name imports when you is
to say,
*
Knowing. .For
that simple people of the golden Age, being
wholly ignorant of every thing
call
d Learning,
d only by the guidance and dictates of Nature for what use of Grammar, where every
Irv
;
man
spoke
the
same Language and had no
Erasmus
6\
further design than to understand one another J
What use
of Logick,
?
where there was no bickering
about the double-meaning words ? What need of Rhetorick, where there were no Law-suits ?
Or ill
what purpose Laws, where there were no ? from which without doubt good
to
manners
Laws
first
came.
they were
Besides,
more
than with an impious curiosity to dive the dimension of
religious
into the secrets of Nature,
and hidden causes
Starrs, the motions, effects,
of things
to
;
as
And
crime for any
it a
believing
attempt to be wise
beyond
his
man
condition.
the Inquiry of what was beyond Heaven, that madness never came into their as
to
heads.
But the purity
ing by
degrees, first, as I said before,
of the golden age declin
Arts were
and yet but few, invented by the evil Genii and those too receiv d by fewer. After that the ;
Chaldean Superstition and Greek newfangledness, that had little to do, added I know not
how many more; meer torments of Wit, and that so great that even Grammar alone is work enough for any man for his whole life. Though
yet
amongst these Sciences those
only are in esteem that
come
nearest to
common
The Praise of sense, that
to
is
Divines
say, Folly.
Naturalists
starv d,
out
of
6$
Folly
heart,
are half
Astrologers
laught at, and Logicians slighted onely the 1 is worth all the rest. And Physician amongst ;
them
too,
the more unlearned, impudent, or
unadvised he
is,
the more he
For among now profest by most men, Princes.
branch.. ..of
is
esteem
d,
even
Physick, especially as it is
no
Flattery,
is
less
nothing but a than Rhetorick.
Next them, the second place is given to our whose Profession, Law-drivers, if not the first ;
though
I
say
it
my
self,
the Ass of Philosophy
;
most men laugh yet there
business, either so great or small, but
by
these
Asses.
These purchase
at as
scarce any
s
is
manag d
their
great
Lordships, while in the mean time the Divine, having run through the whole Body of Divinity,
gnawing a Raddish, and is in continual Warfare with Lice and Fleas. As therefore those
sits
Arts are best that have the nearest Affinity with Folly, so are they most happy of all others that have least
commerce with
follow the guidance of Nature,
wise imperfect, unless perhaps 1
1507
7roAA.au/
who
is
and
in
we endeavor
avTaios a\\cuv.
F
Sciences,
no to
Erasmus
66
has appointed to us. leap over those bounds she Nature hates all false-colouring, and is ever best
where she
Go
is
least adulterated
to then,
don
t
ye find
with Art.
among the
several
kinds of living Creatures, that they thrive best
that understand no
them
What
?
than the Bee
more than what Nature taught
more prosperous
is
And though
?
or wonderful
they have not the other Bodies have,
same judgement of sense as yet wherein hath Architecture gone beyond What Philosopher their building of Houses ? ever founded the like Republique
Horse, that comes so near
and
shame to
Wh^eas_the also it
happens that and in the Battel, while he
lose the Race, it often
he cracks his wind
:
is
For while he thinks
;
contends for Victory, he s cut l and, together with his Rider, earth
?
in understanding
therefore so familiar with him,
is
partaker of his misery. a
man
not
to
down lies
mention those
himself,
biting the
strong
Bits,
sharp Spurrs, close Stables,
Arms, Blows, Rider, all that and briefly, slavery he willingly submits he so to, while, imitating those men of Valour, eagerly strives to be reveng d of the 1
terrain ore
momordit.
Enemy.
The Praise of
6j
Folly
Than which how much more were the life of flies or birds to be wish d for, who living by the instinct
of
present,
if
And
Nature look no further than the
yet
man would
but
let
em
alone in
t.
any time they chance to be taken, and being shut up in Cages endeavour to imitate our speaking, tis strange how they degenerate
from
if
at
So much_ better in. every respect are the works of Nature than the their native gaiety.
adulteries of Art.
In
manner
like
can never sufficiently praise
I
that Pythagoras in a Dung-hill Cock,
who
but one had been yet every thing
a
Man,
sopher, a a
a
Woman,
a
Fish, a Horse, a Frog,
King,
and
I
;
being Philo
a private
man,
believe too, a
Sponge and at last concluded that no Creature was more miserable than man, for that all other ;
Creatures are content with those bounds that
Nature
set
them, onely
exceed them.
And
again,
Man
endeavours
among men he
to
gives
the precedency not to the learned or the great,
but the Fool.
Nor had
than 1 Ulysses with rather to
lie
his
that Gryllus
many
grunting in
F 2
counsels, a
less
who
wit
chose
Hog-sty than be
Erasmus
68
expos d with t other to so many hazzards. Nor does Homer, that Father of trifles, dissent from
me; who not only
call
full of
but often
calamity
,
d
all
men
1(
wretched and
his great pattern of
2
Miserable Wisedom, Ulysses, and Achilles no where. And why, ;
Paris, Ajax,
pray ? but that, like a cunning fellow and one that was his craft s-master, he did nothing without the advice of Pallas.
In a word he was too wise, and
by that means ran wide
amongst men
Wisedom,
I
of Nature.
they are least
As therefore
happy that study
being in this twice-Fools, that
as
they are born
men
they should yet so far forget
Gods
their condition as to affect the life of
and
after the
when
Example
of the
;
Gyants, with their
gimcracks make a War upon they on the other side seem as little
Philosophical
Nature
:
miserable
so as
is
possible,
who come
nearest to
Beasts
and never attempt any thing beyond
Man.
Go_J:p then, let
s
try
how demonstrable
not by Enthymems or the imperfect Syllogisms of the Stoicks, but by plain, down
this
right
is
;
and ordinary Examples. the immortal Gods
And now, by
!
I
2
SvffTTJVOV.
think
The Praise of
69
Folly
nothing more happy than that generation of
men we commonly and
dolts
em.
Pie
may seem
;
no small
ye a thing, which at
first
evil,
first
perhaps
and absurd, yet nothing more they are not afraid of death
foolish
;
by Jupiter
!
d with the
are not tor
They
mented with the conscience terrify
ideots, lack-wits
splendid Titles too, as I conceive
tell
And
true.
call fools,
of evil acts
not
;
fables of Ghosts, nor frighted
with Spirits and Goblins. They are not dis tracted with the fear of evils to come, nor the In short they are not thousand of cares to
hopes of future good. disturb d with those
which
this life
is
subject.
are
They
neither
modest, nor fearful, nor ambitious, nor envious, nor love they any man. And lastly if they should
come nearer even Brutes,
Divines.
the very ignorance
to
they could not
And now
modities of thy
from how many
;
cares thy
evils I
of
hold the fool,
mind
all
heap together and then thou
life,
so
me, thou wise
tell
how many troublesome tinually perplext
sin,
for
is
with con-
the discom-
lt
have delivered
be sensible
my
Fools.
Add
to this that they are not onely merry, play,
sing,
and laugh themselves, but make mirth
,
Erasmus
70
where ever they come,
a
special priviledge
em
seems the Gods have given pensiveness of
life.
the world
is
another,
that
them
Whence
to refresh the
it is,
so differently affected
as their
all
men
companions,
it
that whereas
one towards
admit
indifferently
desire, feed, cherish,
embrace them, take their parts upon all occa em without offence to do sions, and permit
what they
or say
And
list.
so little
doth every
thing desire to hurt them, that even the very Beasts, by a kind of natural instinct of their
no
innocence
For
them
doubt,
by
pass
their
injuries.
be truly said that they are consecrate to the Gods, and therefore and not of
it
may
without cause do
men have em
in such esteem.
Whence
is it else that they are in so great with Princes, that they can neither eat request nor drink, go any whither, or be an hour without
them
Nay, and in some degree they prefer
?
these
Fools
before
their
crabbish Wise-men,
whom yet they keep about them for State-sake. Nor do I conceive the reason so difficult, or that it
should seem strange
before to
t
why
they are prefer d
others, for that these wise
Princes
men
speak
about nothing but grave, serious
The
Praise of Folly
own
matters, and trusting to their
learning do not fear sometimes
lc
tender ears with smart truths
em
with that they most
laughter, abuses of other
and the
7 parts
1
and
to grate their
but
;
fools
delight in, as
j
fit
easts,
men, wanton pastimes,
like.
Again, take notice of this no contemptible
which Nature hath giv n
blessing
they are the only plain, honest
And what
speak truth.
is
fools,
men and
that
such
as
more commendable
though that Proverb of Alcibiades in Plato attributes Truth to Drunkards
than truth
for
?
and Children, yet the praise of it is particularly mine, even from the testimony of Euripides amongst whose other things there is extant ;
that his honourable saying concerning us, fool speaks foolish things
.
For whatever
has in his heart, he both shews
and expresses wise
men
s
it
in
are those
his
A
a fool
in his looks
it
discourse
2<
;
while the
two Tongues which the
Euripides mentions, whereof the one speaks truth, the other what they judge most These are they seasonable for the occasion.
same
1
Auriculas teneras mordaci radere vero.
yap
|
Erasmus
72 1
*
that turn black into white
,
blow hot and cold
with the same breath, and carry
meaning
in their Breast
from what they feign
Yet in the midst
with their Tongue.
me
one to
of
all
respect seem most unfortunate, because, having no
their prosperity, Princes
to
a far different
them
tell
in
this
truth, they are forc
t
to receive
flatterers for friends.
But, some one
may
strangers to truth,
say, the ears of Princes are
and for
this reason
they avoid
those Wise men, because they fear lest some one more frank than the rest should dare ,o speak / ^rv~*^*-^ for ; .
to
them
so the
truth.
things rather true than pleasant
matter
And
is,
yet
that they this
don
much
t
care for
found by experience onely Truths but
is
Fools, that not
among my
even open reproaches are heard with pleasure ; so that the same thing which, if it came from /
a wise
man s mouth might prove a a
spoken by
Truth
Fool
carries
of pleasing,
if
is
with
receiv it
Capital Crime,
d with
delight.
a certain peculiar
no Accident
fall
For
Power
in to give occasion
which faculty the Gods have given onely to Fools. And for the same reasons is it of offence
;
1
qui nigrum in Candida vertunt.
The that
Women
kind of
Praise of Folly
73
are so earnestly delighted with this
Men,
being more propense by Nature And whatsoever they
as
to Pleasure and Toyes.
may happen times Jest
it
do with them, although some
to
be of the seriousest, yet they turn it to as that Sexe was ever quick
and Laughter
;
witted, especially to colour their
own
But to return to the happiness
when they have
past over this
of Pleasantness,
and without
fear or sense of
life
so
faults.
of Fools,
with
much
who
a great deal
the least
as
Death, they go straight forth
into the Elysian Field, to recreate their Pious
and Careless Souls with such Sports as they us d here. Let s proceed then, and compare the condition of any of your Wise Men with that of this Fool. Fancy to me now some example of
Wisdome you d
set
up
against
that had spent his Childhood and
learning the Sciences
;
and
lost
him
;
one
Youth
in
the sweetest
Watchings, Cares, Studies and for the remaining part of it never so much
part of his
as
life
in
tasted the least of pleasure
;
;
ever sparing,
poor, sad, sowre, unjust and rigorous to himself, and troublesome and hateful to others broken ;
with Paleness, Leanness, Crasiness, sore Eyes,
Erasmus
74
and an Old-age and Death contracted before their time (though yet, what matter is it, when he dye that never
liv
d
?)
Picture of this great Wise
And croak
here again at
l
and such
;
is
the
Man.
do those Frogs of the Stoicks
me, and say that nothing is more But Folly is the next
miserable than Madness.
not the very thing. For what else is Madness than for a man to be out of his wits ?
degree,
But
if
em
to let
see
how
they are clean out of good favour we ll
the way, with the Muses
take this Syllogism in pieces. I
must
confess, but
how by
as
Subtilly argu d,
Socrates in Plato teaches
one Venus and one Cupid to make two of either, in like manner should
us
those
splitting
Logicians
have done, and distinguisht
Madness from Madness,
if
at least
they would
be thought to be well in their wits themselves. For all Madness is not miserable, or Horace had never
call
d
his Poetical fury
2
a
beloved
Mad
nor Plato plac d the Raptures of Poets, Prophets and Lovers amongst the chiefest ness
;
nor that Sybil in Virgil Travels Mad Labours. But there
Blessings of this Life call
d JEneas 1
s
;
of ex rfjs ffToas (36.Tpa.xoi.
2
amabilis insania.
The Praise of are
two
sorts of
Madness
;
75-
Folly
the one that which
the revengeful Furies send privily from Hell, as often as they let loose their Snakes, and put into
men
s
either
breasts
the desire of War,
or an insatiate thirst after Gold, or
some
dis
honest Love, or Parricide, or Incest, or Sacriledge, or the like Plagues, or
when they
terrific
some guilty soul with the Conscience of his the other, but nothing like this, that Crimes ;
which comes from me, and is of all other things which happens as oft as the most desirable ;
some pleasing dotage not onely
jocund.
And
blessing
of
was that which,
this
as a special
the Gods, Cicero, writing
less sensible of
more
it
friend Atticus, wisht to himself, that he
be the
mind
clears the
of its troublesome cares, but renders
to
his
might
those miseries that then
hung over the Common-wealth. Nor was that Grecian in Horace much wide of it, who was so far mad that he would sit by himself whole daies in the Theatre laughing
and clapping
Tragedy
his hands, as
acting,
nothing presented
if
he had seen some
whereas in truth there was ;
yet in other things a
well enough, pleasant
among
man
his Friends, kind
7
Erasmus
6 and
good a Master to his Ser had broken the Seal of his vants, they Bottle he would not have run mad for t. But to his Wife, 1
that
so
if
when by the care of his Friends and he was freed from his Distemper, and Physick become his own man again, he thus expostulates at last,
2
with them
ye have rather
he
will.
lik
d
And
Pollux,
pleasure
so well that
it
trust
my
me,
I
he
By which you
.
lost it against his
think they were the
madder o th two, and had the
greater need of
Hellebore, that should offer to look pleasant a
Friends,
d than preserv d me, in thus
kill
me from my
forcing see
Now, by
:
madness
as
an
upon
so
be remov d by have not determin d
evil to
though yet I Physick whether every Distemper of the Sense or Under standing be to be call d Madnesse. ;
For neither he that having weak eyes should Mule for an Ass, nor he that should admire
take a
Poem as excellent, would be but he that not onely thought mad
an insipid
;
his senses,
1
but
is
signo laeso
erreth in
deceived also in his judgment, non insanire lagenae. Pol,
Non
presently
me
occidistis, amici,
servastis, ait, cui sic extorta voluptas.
The Praise of
77
Folly
and that too more than ordinary and upon all occasions, he, I must confess, would be thought
come very near
to
to
As
it.
an Ass bray should take
it
if
any one hearing
for excellent musick,
or a Begger conceive himself a King. this it
kind of madness,
turn to pleasure,
onely to
them
if,
it
And
yet
commonly happens,
brings a great delight not
that are possest with
those also that behold
may
as it
it
;
it,
but to
though perhaps they
mad as the other, for of this madness is much larger than take it to be. For one mad man
not be altogether so
the Species the people
laughs at another, and beget themselves a mutual
Nor
pleasure.
that
is
does
it
seldom happen, that he
the more mad, laughs at
him
that
is
lesse
And in this every man is the more happy, how many respects the more he is mad and
mad. in
;
if I
were judge in the
case,
he should be rang d in
is peculiarly mine; which and universal, that I scarce know any one in all mankind that is wise at all hours, or has not some tang or other of madness.
thatClassis of Folly that
in troth !
And
is
to
so large
this
Classis
do they appertain that
sleight every thing in comparison of hunting,
and protest they take an unimaginable pleasure
Erasmus
78
to hear the yell of the
the Hounds, and
I
out
Horns and the
believe could pick
yelps of
somewhat
their very excrement. then what pleasure they take to see a Buck or the like unlac d ? Let ordinary fellows cut
extraordinary
of
And
up an Ox or a Weather, twere a crime to have this done by any thing less than a Gentleman who with his Hat off, on his bare knees, and !
Cuttoe for that purpose (for every Sword or Knife is not allowable), with a curious supersti
a
and certain postures,
tion
layes
parts in their respective order
hemm him
in
admire
it
with
;
open the
several
while they that
silence, as
some new
Ceremony, though perhaps they have an hundred times before. And if any
religious
seen of
it
em
chance to get the
presently
least piece of
t,
he
thinks himself no small Gentleman.
which they drive at nothing more than to become Beasts themselves, while yet they In
all
imagin they live the life of Princes. And next these maybe reckon d those that have such an itch of Building
;
Rounds
and
1
into
Squares, Squares into Rounds ; 1
one while changing presently
again
never knowing either
quadrata rotundis.
The Praise of measure or end,
at last,
till
79
Folly
reduc d to the utmost
them
poverty, there remains not to
so
much
place where they may lay their head, or wherewith to fill their bellyes. And why all as
a
this
but that they
?
may
few years
pass over a
in feeding their foolish fancies.
my
in
And,
reckon d such
as
opinion,
next
these
may
be
with their new inventions and
occult arts undertake to change the forms of things,
and hunt
all
about after
a certain fifth
Men
so bewitcht with this present never repents them of their pains or expence, but are ever contriving how they till, having spent all, may cheat themselves
Essence
;
hope that
it
;
there
is
not enough
left
them
to provide another
And
yet they have not done dreaming their these pleasant Dreams, but encourage
furnace.
others, as
Happiness. lost
in
all
much And
as
in
them
at last,
lies,
their Expectations, 1
themselves with this Sentence, the__Y er-7
attempt
is.
enough.
plain of the shortness of sufficient for so great 1
to the
when they
man
;
s
same
are quite
they chear up In great things
and then com life,
that
an Undertaking.
In inagnis vel voluisse sat
est.
is
not
/
8
Erasmus
o
And then for Gamesters,
am
I
a little
doubtful
whether they are to be admitted into our and yet tis a foolish and ridiculous Colledge ;
some addicted
sight to see
so to
that they can
t,
no sooner hear the ratling of the Dice but their heart leaps and dances again. And then when time after time they are so far drawn on with the hopes of winning that they have made shipwrack of all, and having split their Ship on that Rock of Dice, 1 no less terrible than the Bishop and s Clerks, scarce got alive to shore, they chuse rather to cheat any man of their just Debts than not pay the money they lost, lest otherwise, forsooth,
of their words.
they be thought no
Again what
is
it, I
men
pray, to see
old fellows and half blind to play with Spectacles
Nay and when
their Knuckles, to hire a Caster, or one that
put the Dice in the thing, I
part
must
end
in
Box
for
confess, did
quarrels,
men
is
it
?
A
may
pleasant
not for the most
Me.
no doubt but that that kind
are wholly ours, 1
them
and therefore belongs
rather to the Furies than
But there
?
d Gout has knotted
a justly-deserv
who
of
love to hear or tell
non paulo formidabiliorem Malea.
The Praise of and strange
feign d Miracles
weary
of
81
Folly
lyes,
and are never
any Tale, though never so long, so
it
be of Ghosts, Spirits, Goblings, Devils, or the which the farther they are from truth, like ;
the more readily they are believ d and the
do they serve
And
their itching ears.
tickle
more these
not only to pass away time, but bring
profit, especially to
Masse
Priests
and Pardoners.
And
next to these are they that have gotten a foolish but pleasant perswasion, that if they can but see a Wodden or painted Pclypheme Christopher, they shall not die that day ; or do but salute a carv d-Barbara, in the usual set
or
Form, that he shall return safe from Battail make his application to Erasmus on certain
;
days with some small Wax Candles and proper that he shall quickly be rich. Nay,
Prayers,
they have gotten an Hercules, another Hippolytus,
and
a
religiously set
George, whose Horse most out with Trappings and Bosses
St.
little but they worship however, endeavour to make him their friend by they and to swear by his some Present or other Master s Brazen Helmet is an Oath for a Prince.
there wants
;
;
Or what should 1507
I
say of
G
them
that
hugg them-
Erasmus
8 2
with
selves
their
Pardons
counterfeit
;
that
have measur d Purgatory by an Hour-glass, and can without the least mistake demonstrate its Ages, Years, Moneths, Days, Hours, Minutes,
and Seconds, as Table ? Or what
were in
it
Mathematical
a
of those
who, having confidence in certain Magical charms and short Prayers invented by some pious Impostour, either for
his
Soul
s
health or profit
themselves
every
thing
s
promise to
sake,
Wealth,
:
Honour,
good Health, long Life, lively Old-age, and the next place to Christ in the other World, which yet they desire may not
Pleasure, Plenty,
happen too soon, that pleasures of this life
is
have
to
before
say
them
left
the
?
And now
suppose some Merchant, Souldier, or Judge, out of so many Rapines, parts with some small piece of money. He straight con ceives so
all
that sink of his whole
life
quite cleans d
so
;
so
many Lusts, many many Contentions, so many Murders, so many Deceipts, so many breaches of Trust, so many Treacheries bought off, as many
Perjuries,
Debaucheries, so
it
were by compact
they
may
;
begin upon a
and
so
new
score.
bought off that But what is
The
Praise of Folly
more
foolish than those, or rather
who
daily
those seven
reciting
8 3
more happy, verses
of
the
Psalms promise to themselves more than the
..
top of Felicity ? which Magical verses some Devil or other, a merry one without doubt but more a Blab of his Tongue than crafty, is believ d to have discover d to St. Bernard, but
And
not without a Trick. that
I
am
asham d
half
these are so foolish
em my
of
and yet
self,
they are approv d, and that not onely by the common people, but even the Professors of
And what, are not they also almost Religion. the same where several Countryes avouch to themselves their peculiar Saint, and as every one of them has
Form
particular for
for
to for
Tooth-ach
the
women
;
Worship
making
As, one
?
another,
;
a
Voyage Prosperous and cure Sheep of the Rot ;
it
would be too tedious
whom
;
is
the
;
but
chiefly,
common
more than
to
a fourth,
;
and
a fifth,
so of the rest,
to run
over
all.
more
the Virgin Mother,
people do in the Son.
G 2
good
Groaning-
there are that are good for
things than one
attribute
for
Goods
a third, for Stollen
And some to
his particular gift, so also his
of
a
manner
L
8
Erasmus
4
Yet what do they beg of these Saints but what belongs to Folly ? To examine it a little. Among those offerings which are so frequently hung up in Churches, nay up to the very Roof of some of em, did you ever see the least acknowledg all
ment from any one grown
a
that had left his Folly, or
Hair s-breadth the wiser
?
One
scapes
Shipwrack, and gets safe to Shore. Another, run through in a Duel, recovers. Another, while a
the rest were fighting, ran out of the Field, no
than valiantly. Another, condemn d to be hang d, by the favour of some Saint or
less luckily
other, a friend to Thieves, got off himself by
im
Another escap d by breaking peaching Another recover d from his Feaver in Prison. his fellows.
spight of his Physitian. Another s poison turning to a loosness prov d his Remedy rather than
Death
;
and that to
his
Wife
s
no small sorrow,
both her labour and her charge. Cart broke, and he sav d his Horses.
in that she lost
Another
s
Another preserv d from the these hang
up
fall
of a House.
their Tablets, but
All
no one gives
thanks for his recovery from Folly ; so sweet a thing it is not to be Wise, that on the contrary
men
rather pray against any thing than Folly.
The Praise of But why do
lanch out into this Ocean of
I x
Superstitions?
Had
yet were
I
an hundred Tongues,
I
many Mouthes, and
as
8 y
Folly
a
Voice never so strong,
not able to run over the several sorts
names
of Fools, or all the
of
Folly
so thick
;
do they swarm every where. And yet our Priests make no scruple to receive and cherish whereas proper instruments of profit some scurvy Wise fellow should step up, and
em, if
as
;
speak things as they are,
way sin
is
to dye well to
;
The
as,
best
To
live well
way
add to the money thou giv
the
is
to get quit of st,
the Hatred
and
of sin, Tears, Watchings, Prayers, Fastings,
amendment favour thee, I say,
Such or such
of life; if
and the
thou imitatest like,
a Saint will
his life
should this Wise
these,
;
man
chat
from what happiness into how great troubles would he draw em ? to the people,
Of
this
Colledge also are they
lifetime appoint with
who
in
what solemnity they
their ll
down how many how many Mourners, how many
buried, and particularly set
Torches, 1
Non mihi
si centum linguae sint, oraque centum, Ferrea vox, omnes fatuorum evolvere formas, a stultitiae percurrere nomina possim :
Omm
be
8
Erasmus
6
Singers, it
;
how many Alms-men they
as if
or that
it
any sense of
it
shame
to
were
a
them
were not honourably interr d herein, as
if,
like
have at
will
could come to them, that their Corpse
so curious are
they the ^Ediles of old, these were to ;
present some Shews or Banquet to the people.
And though
I
am
in hast, yet I cannot yet pass
by them who, though they differ nothing from the meanest Cobler, yet tis scarcely credible
how
they flatter themselves with the empty
One
Title of Nobility.
derives his
Pedegree
from ^Eneas, another from Brutus, a third from 1 the Star by the Tail of Ursa Major. They shew you on every side the Statues and Pictures of their Ancestours run over their great Grandfathers ;
and great great Grandfathers of both Lines, and the Antient Matches of their Families when ;
themselves yet are but once remov d from a Statue, if not worse than those trifles they boast of.
And
they Fools
yet by
live a
means
happy
who admire
of this pleasant self-love
life.
Nor
these Beasts as
are if
they
less
they were
Gods.
But what do
speak of any one or
I 1
ad Arcturum.
tother
The Praise of particular kind of
men,
8
Folly
as if this
7
self-Love had
not the same effect every where, and render d
most men superabundantly happy ? As when more deform d than a Baboon, shall
a fellow,
believe himself
Another, lines with
handsomer than Homer
soon
as a
hoarse
Nireus.
Compass, presently think himself J that understands Musick third,
no more than as
s
he can draw two or three
A
an Euclid.
2
as
as a
my
Horse, and
Dunghil-Cock,
himself another Hermogenes.
for
his
voice
shall yet
conceive
But
madness
of all
that^s_jthe most pleasant, when a man, seeing another any way excellent in what he pretends
to himself, makes his boasts of
were
as if it
his
fellow in Seneca,
had
it as
confidently
And
such was that rich
who when
ever he told a story
own.
elbow to prompt him the and to that height had they flatter d him,
his servants at his
names
;
that he did not question but he might venture a rubber at cuffs, a
man
otherwise so weak he
could scarce stand, onely presuming on this, that he had a company of sturdy servants about him. 1 "Ovos
irpos
\vpav.
Quo Ille
deterius nee
sonat, quo mordetur gallina marito.
Erasmus
8 8
Or
to
what purpose
it
is
of our professors of Arts
Self-love
foolish
Opinions
ignorant each of
them
Players,
to say Vaunts and
is
And
1
like
find
lips
nay, the more foolish any thing tis admir d the greater number
;
the more
is,
chiefly
the more insolently
is,
he pleases himself, that Spreads out his Plumes. Lettice
land than
s
and Poets, of which the more
Fidlers, Orators,
like
but
;
as this
that they
all,
had rather part with their Father their
mind ye
should
them
so natural to
is
I
Forasmuch
?
;
being ever tickled at the worst things, because, as I said before,
And
therefore
most men are
if
more
the
so subject to Folly.
foolish a
man
is,
the
more he
pleases himself and is admir d by others, to what purpose should he beat his brains about
true knowledg, which
first
will cost
him
dear,
and next render him the more troublesome and less
confident, and, lastly, please onely a few
And now
I
consider
onely in particular
common
Nature has planted, not
men but even in every Nation,
and scarce any City of
it,
?
is
self-love.
there without
And hence
it, a
kind
it
that
is
the English, besides other things, particularly 1
Inveniunt similes labra lactucas.
The Praise of
Beauty, Musick, and
themselves
challenge
to
Feasting.
The
Alliance to the
89
Folly
Scots are proud of their Nobility,
Crown, and Logical
Subtilties.
The French think themselves the onely wellbred men. The Parisians, excluding all others, arrogate to themselves the onely knowledg of
The Italians affirm they are the Masters of good Letters and Eloquence, onely and flatter themselves on this account, that of Divinity.
all
others
which kind the
first
In they onely are not barbarous. of happiness those of Rome claim
place,
somewhat,
I
still
dreaming to themselves of
know not what,
of old
Rome.
The
Venetians fancy themselves happy in the opinion
The Greeks, as if they were the onely Authors of Sciences, swell themselves with the Titles of the Ancient Heroes. The of their Nobility.
Turk, and
all
that sink of the truly barbarous,
challenge
to
themselves
Religion,
and laugh
stitious.
at
the
onely
Christians
And much more
glory as
of
super
pleasantly the Jews
expect to this day the coming of the Messias,
and
so
Moses. the
obstinately contend for their
The
Law
of
Spaniards give place to none in
reputation
of
Souldiery.
The Germans
Erasmus
9o
pride themselves in their Talness of Stature and in
skill
Magick.
And, not to instance see, I conceive,
love,
who
in every particular,
how much
you
satisfaction this Self-
has a Sister also not unlike her
self
d Flattery, begets every where; for Selflove is no more than the soothing of a man s call
which, done to another,
self,
is
And
flattery.
though perhaps day may be thought infamous, yet it is so only with them that are more taken with words than things. They at this
think truth
is
much
it
inconsistent with flattery
;
but
we may learn from the brute Beasts. of What more fawning examples than a Dog ? and yet what more trusty ? What that
has
it is
more
otherwise
of those little tricks
than
a Squirrel
?
and yet what more loving to man ? Unless, perhaps you ll say, Men had better converse with
fierce Lions, merciless Tigers,
For that
Leopards.
flattery
is
and furious
the most perni
by means of which some treacherous persons and mockers have run the credulous into such mischief. But this of mine cious of
all
things,
proceeds from a certain gentleness and upright ness of mind, and comes nearer to Vertue than
The
Praise of Folly
ils_.Qpposite, Austerity, or
some peevishness,
as
a.
9
1
Morose and trouble
Horace
calls
This
it.
supports the dejected, relieves the distressed, encourages the fainting, awakens the stupid, refreshes the sick, supples the untractable, joyns
and keeps them so joyn
loves together,
entices children to take
old
men
their learning,
d.
It
makes
and, under the colour of praise, offence both tell Princes their
frolick,
does without
and shew them the way to amend em. it makes every man the more jocund
faults
In short,
and acceptable to himself, which is the chiefest point of felicity. Agen, what is more friendly than when 1 two horses scrub one another ?
And
to say nothing of
it,
that
it s
a
main part
fam d eloquence, the better part of tis Physick, and the onely thing in Poetry the delight and relish of all humane Society. of
that
;
But
Nay
tis a
sad thing, they say, to be mistaken.
rather, he
is
most miserable that
is
not
so.
For they are quite beside the mark that place the Happiness of men in Things themselves, since
it
great
is
onely depends upon Opinion. the obscurity and variety of 1
Mutuum
muli scabunt.
For
so
humane
Erasmus
92
that nothing can be clearly known, as
affairs,
truly said
is
lent of
all
it
by our Academicks, the least inso
the Philosophers
or
;
if it
could,
it
would but obstruct the pleasure of life. Lastly, the mind of man is so fram d that it is rather taken with false colours than truth
any one has
if
let
him go
which
a
to
mind
of
;
which
make the experiment,
to
Church and hear Sermons,
in
there be any thing serious deliver d, the
if
Auditory is either asleep, yawning, or weary of t but if the Preacher pardon my mistake, I would ;
have said Declaimer
,
too often
as
but into an old Wife
fall
presently awake, prick after
In
it.
like
whom
Saint, or one of
than ordinary,
up
manner, as
for
if
s
it
happens,
they
story,
re
and gape
their ears
there be any Poetical
more
there goes
example,
Christopher, or a Barbara,
a
stories
George,
shall see
a
him more
you worshipp d than Peter, Paul, or even Christ himself. But these things are not for religiously
this place.
And now gurchast a
so
man
s
!
at
how cheap
Forasmuch
as
whole endeavour
inconsiderable
;
a rate
is
to
is
this
happiness the thing it self
requir d, be
it
but the opinion of
never it
is
The Praise of
93
Folly
conduceth as much easily taken up, which yet or more to happiness. For suppose a man were eating rotten Stockfish, the very smell of which would choak another, and yet believ d it a dish
Gods, what difference is there as to his if another s happiness ? Whereas on the contrary,
for the
stomack should turn pray,
at a Sturgion,
I
wherein,
he happier than t other ? If_a man have d Wife, who yet in his Eye stand in competition with Venus, is it not is
a crooked, ill-favour
may
the same seeing
as if
she were truly beautiful
an ugly,
Master
s
hand,
piece,
ill-painted
admire the work
as
believing
were he not
it
?
he
Or
if
should
some great
much
happier,
think ye, than they that buy such things at vast
and yet perhaps reap less pleasure from than t other ? I know one of my name that
rates,
em
gave his
new marri d Wife some
Jewels, and,
as
he was
a pleasant
counterfeit Droll, per-
swaded her that they were not onely but of an inestimable price and what ;
right, differ
ence, I pray, to her, that was as well pleas d and
contented with Glass, and kept it as warily as In the mean time the if t ad been a treasure ?
Husband
sav d his
money, and had
this
advantage
Erasmus
94
he oblig d her
of her folly, that
em
he had bought
much
as
as
if
Or what
at a great rate.
difference, think ye, between those in Plato
that
Cave,
imaginary
stand
gaping
at
s
the
Shadows and Figures of things, so they please and that themselves and have no need to wish ;
Wise Man, who, being got loose from em, sees things truly as they are ? Whereas that Cobler he might always have continu d Golden Dreams, he would never have desir d
in Lucian, his
any
other
difference
vantage
them
if
happiness. or,
;
least,
that
then
there
is
no the
that their happiness costs
in
first,
:
So
there be, the Fools ha
if
is
to
say,
onely some small
it in common. perswasion And the possession of no good can be delightful without a companion. For who does not know ;
what
next, that they enjoy
a dearth there
be to be found
?
is
of
Wise men,
if
yet any one
and though the Greeks for these
many ages have accounted upon seaven only, yet so help me Hercules, do but examine em so
narrowly, and I ll be hang d if ye find one half witted fellow, nay or so much as one quarter
Wise man, amongs^em all. For whereas among the many
of a
praises
of
The Praise of Bacchus they reckon
this
9
Folly
the
chief,
that
5-
he
washeth away cares, and that too in an instant do but sleep off his weak spirits, and they come ;
x
on agen,
as
we
say,
But how
on horseback.
much
larger and more present is the benefit ye receive by me, since, as it were with a per petual drunkenness, I fill your minds with Mirth,
Fancies and trouble I
Jollities,
Nor
?
there any
is
be without
let
Gods
are
it
The
drives
cares
gift
gives
away
man
living
whereas the
whom
gifts of
the
sprightly delicious
and leaves such
Wine a
that
Flavour
grows not every where. Beauty, the and to fewer ^ of Venus, happens to few it,
;
Mercury Eloquence.
Homer
every one rich.
Empire on
all
neither side.
men.
Phoebus
amongst
us.
:
s
Hercules makes not Jupiter bestows not
Mars oftentimes favours
return sad from Apollo s sometimes shoots a Plague
Many
Oracle.
saves
;
scambled, some to one and some
to another.
behind
and that too without any
Neptune drowns more than he 2
to say nothing of those
mischievous
Gods, Plutoes, Ates, Punishments, Feavours and the like, not Gods but Executioners. I 1
albis,
ut aiunt, quadrigis.
2
Vaejoves.
Erasmus
$6
am
that only Folly that so readily and indiffer
ently bestow
my
and
am
the rest of the
past by
or not admitted
to the steam of their Sacrifices.
Gods
;
For the
may chance
to spoil a
and therefore one had
as
:
do mischief, that
tis
man
s
good ev n some men,
em alone as worship em just like who are so hard to please, and withall let
to
rest
are so curious in this point, that
such an omission business
look
when
if,
am
are invited, I
of the
I
an
and earth together,
Gods
Nor do
all.
subject to take pett,
I
expiatory sacrifice if some be omitted. Nor do I l beat heaven
require
Ceremony
on
benefits
to be entreated, or
so ready
better be a stranger
than have any familiarity with em. But no man, you ll say, ever sacrific d to Folly, or built I
because in it.
me a Temple. And troth, as
cannot but wonder I
am
be entreated,
easie to
good part, though For why should
I said
before,
at the ingratitude I
;
yet
take this also
truelie I can scarce request I
require Incense, Wafers,
Goat or Sow, when all men pay me that worship every where, which is so much approv d a
even
by our very Divines 1
coelum
terris et
?
mare
Unless coelo.
perhaps
The Praise of
97
Folly
should envy Diana, that her Sacrifices are mingled with Humane blood. Then do I con I
ceive
my
every where,
me
most
religiouslie
as
generally done,
self
in their
tis
Minds, express
me
and represent of the Saints
How many
is
me
worshipp
are there that
when
men embrace
in their
in their Lives
not so ordinary
d,
;
Manners, which worship
among
Christians, j
!
that studie to imitate her in pureness of Life,
is
the
true
Heaven
when
of Heavenlie things,
worship and most acceptable to why should I desire a Temple,
the whole world
deceiv d or Priests,
Nor am
which
Besides
!
I
a
tis
but in
a
is
my
goodly one
Land where
?
Temple, and I m Nor can I want there are no men.
yet so foolish as to require Statues or
painted Images, which do often obstruct my Worship, since among the stupid and gross
multitude those Figures are worshipt for the And so it would fare with Saints themselves.
me,
as it
doth with them that are turn d out
doors
No, I have by their Substitutes. Statues enough, and as many as there are Men ;
of
1507
H
1
/I
burn Candles to the
Virgin Mother, and that too at noon day, when there s no need of em But how few are there
Humility and love
,
/
Erasmus
98 every one bearing
contrary. I
my
lively
how unwilling And therefore
his Face,
Resemblance in
so ever
there
is
he be to the
no reason why
should envie the rest of the Gods,
if
in parti
cular places they have their particular worship,
and
on
too
that
Phoebus
as
set-days
at
at Argos, Juno Cyprus, Venus at Athens, Minerva in Olympus, Jupiter at and near the Hellespont, Tarentum, Neptune
Rhodes
at
;
;
;
;
;
;
Priapus
as
;
performs
me
long
every
as
the
day much
Wherein notwithstanding any one to have spoken more let us, if
ye please, look a
men, and
much esteem
And
me
we
if
I
purpose people,
shall
seem to
boldlie than trulie,
little
into the lives of
will
of
to me,
not run over the
it
lives of everie
but onelie would be too long the great ones, from whence we ;
shall easilie conjecture the rest. is
general
appear not onely how but how much they even from the highest to the lowest.
one, for that
some few
in
will easily
it
they owe
yet
World
better Sacrifices.
For to what
to say any thing of the
who without
common
dispute are whollie mine
?
For they abound every where with so many several sorts of Folly, and are everie day so busie
The Praise of
99
Folly
new, that a thousand Democriti
in inventing
few for so general a laughter, though there were another Democritus to laugh at them are too
Tis almost incredible what
too.
Pastime they
dailie
make the Gods
;
Sport and for
though
they set aside their sober forenoon hours to
when
dispatch business and receive prayers, yet
they begin to be well whitled with Nectar, and cannot think of anything that s serious, they get
em up
into
some part
of
Heaven that has
better prospect than other, and thence look
down upon
the actions of men.
anie
that
good
thing !
what an
pleases
em
excellent sight
several Hurlie-burlies of Fools
sometimes
Here
among
sit
Nor
tis !
there
is
better.
Good,
How many for I my self !
those Poetical Gods.
one desperatelie in love with a young Wench, and the more she sleights him the more Another marries outragiouslie he loves her. a
s
woman
Another s money, not her self. more eyes on her than Argos
s
jealousie keeps
Another becomes he carries
it
!
a
nay, hires
companie, to make
weeps over his
Mourner, and how it
more
foolishlie
others to bear ridiculous.
him
Another
Mother in Law s Grave. Another H
2
Erasmus
ioo
spends all he can rap and run on his Bellie, to be the more hungry after it. Another thinks there is no happiness but in sleep and idleness.
Another turmoils himself about other men business, and neglects
his
own.
s
Another thinks
himself rich in taking up moneys and changing Securities, as
we
say borrowing of Peter to pay
Paul, and in a short time becomes bankrupt.
Another
himself
starves
to
enrich
Heir.
his
and incertain gain exposes his life to the casualties of Seas and Winds, which yet no money can restore. Another had
Another
for a small
rather get Riches by
home. easiest
And some attain d
with Presents rich
old
War
than
live
peaceably at
them
there are that think
by courting old childless
;
women
men
and others again by making believe they love m both ;
which afford the Gods most excellent pastime,
them cheated by
to
see
so
dishonest,
those
persons they But the most thought to have over-cach t. foolish and basest of all others are our Merchants, to wit such as venture on every thing be it never
though they
and manage it no better who no swear and for allowance, by ;
lie
swear, steal, cozen, and cheat, yet shufle them-
The Praise of selves into the first rank,
and
all
101
Folly
because they have
their Fingers. Nor are they with out their nattering Friers that admire them and
Gold Rings on give
em openly the title of Honourable,
no doubt, to get some small snip of
There
whom
in hopes,
themselves.
t
are also a kind of Pythagoreans, with
all
things are so
common,
that
if
they get
any thing under their Cloaks, they make no more scruple of carrying it away than if twere their
own by
There
inheritance.
are others too that
and while they fancie themselves pleasant dreams, conceive that
are onely rich in conceit,
to
Some
enough to make them happy.
desire to
be accounted wealthy abroad, and are yet ready home. One makes what haste he
to starve at
can to
set all going,
and another rakes
by right or wrong. for publick
honours
This ;
man
is
it
together
ever labouring
and another
lies
sleeping
A
great many undertake Chimney-corner. endless Suites, and outvie one another who shall
in a
most enrich the Delatory Judge or Corrupt One is all for Innovations and Advocate. ;
another
for
some
great-he-knows-not-what. Another leaves his Wife and Children at home,
and goes to Jerusalem, Rome, or
in Pilgrimage
Erasmus
102 to St.
James if a
short,
man
down from
where he has no
s,
like
Menippus
business.
In
of old could look
Moon, and behold those in numerable rufflings of Mankind, he would think the
swarm
he saw
a
among
themselves,
and Gnats quarrelling
of Flies
laying Traps
fighting,
for
one
another, snatching, playing, wantoning, growing up, falling, and dying. Nor is it to be believ d what stir, what broils this little creature
and yet in how short a time it comes to nothing its self while sometimes War, otherraiseth,
;
times Pestilence, sweeps off
em
many thousands
of
together.
But
whom
let
me
be most foolish
my
self,
and one
Democritus may not onely laugh at but if I go one foot further in the discovery
flout,
of the Follies
people.
and Madnesses of the common betake
I ll
rne
to
them
that
carry the reputation of Wise men, and hunt after that golden Bough, as says the Proverb. Amongst
whom a
the Grammarians hold
generation of
more
the
first
place,
men than whom nothing would be more
perplext, nothing Gods, did not I allay the troubles of that pittiful Profession with a certain
miserable, nothing
more hated
of the
The Praise of
103
Folly
For they are not kind of pleasant madness. 1 five curses with which to those onely subject
Homer
begins
his
Epigramme, but hunger-starv d, Schools, did
among
as
and slovens I
?
say
;
in
Greek
being ever Schools
as
their 2
Nay, rather
Cloisters,
grown old Slaughter-houses deaf with their noise, of boyes, company ,
and pin d away with stench and yet by
the
says
hundred
or
Bridwells a
Iliads,
six
courtesie
my
it is
most excellent
selves the
of all
And
nastiness.
that they think
men
;
them
so greatly
do they please themselves in frighting a company of fearful boyes, with a thundring voice and big tormenting them with Ferules, Rods, and and, laying about em without fear or Whips In the wit, imitate the Ass in the Lion s skin. looks
;
;
mean time
all
that
seems absolute
nastiness
Spruceness, that Stench a Perfume, and that miserable slaverie a Kingdom, and such too as
they
would not change
Phalaris less
up
their
Tyrannic
for
s Empire. Nor are they new Opinion they have taken
or Dionysius
happy
in that
of being learned
;
for whereas
most of em
beat into boys heads nothing but foolish Toyes, 2 <j>povTi<TT7)piois.
Erasmus
io4
what Palemon, what good Gods Donatus, do they not scorn in comparison of themselves ? And so, I know not by what tricks, ye
yet,
!
about that to their boys foolish Mothers and dolt-headed Fathers they pass for it
they bring
such
as
they fancy themselves.
that other pleasure of theirs, that
happen to
find out
who was
Add if
to this
any of
Anchises
s
em
Mother,
some worm-eaten Manuscript word not commonly known, as suppose it
or pick out of a
for
Bubsequa
Cowheard, Bovinator
a
Wrangler, Manticulator for
up the
ruines of
the letters half
a
Cutpurse
for
a
or dig
;
some ancient Monument, with eaten out O Jupiter what !
;
what triumphs what commenda towrings tions as if they had conquer d Africa, or taken !
!
!
in Babylon.
But what
of this
when they
their foolish insipid verses,
others that admire
em
presently that Virgil
them
!
But
s
as
soul
nothing
give
up and down
and there wants not
much ? They is
like
believe
transmigrated into this,
when with
mutual complements they praise, admire and claw one another. Whereas if another do but slip
a
word, and one more quick-sighted than
The Praise of
Folly
by accident, O Hercules what uproars, what bickerings, what taunts, If I lye, let me have the ill what invectives the rest discover
l
it
!
!
will of
a 3
all
2
time
the Grammarians.
one of
I
knew
in
my
Arts, a Grecian, a Latinist,
many
Mathematician, a Philosopher, a Physitian, a Man master of em all, and sixty years of
age, who, laying by all the rest, perplext and tormented himself for above twenty years in
the study of Grammar fully reckoning himself Prince if he might but live so long till he could certainly determine how the Eight parts of ;
a
Speech were to be distinguisht, which none of the Greeks or Latines had yet fully clear d :
as
it
if
Sword,
were if
a
And
tion.
a
man
matter to be decided by the made an Adverb of a Conjunc
for this cause
many Grammars forasmuch above
how
as
my
is
it
that
Grammarians
as
friend
we have
as
nay more, Aldus has giv n us ;
not passing by any kind of Grammar, barbarously or tediously soever compil d, five,
which he has not turn d over and examin d envying every
man
s
attempts in 2
3
KOI
ravra
this kind,
iro\vTfx v ^ raTOV
;
how
quendam.
Erasmus
o6 so ever,
and desperately concern d
fear another should forestal
him
and the labours
years perish.
of so
many
for
of his glory,
And
now, whether had you rather call this Madness or Folly ? It is no great matter to me whether, so ye confess it is by my means that a creature, otherwise the most miserable of all
long
as
others,
rais
is
d to that height of
felicity that
he
has no desire to change his condition with the
King
of Persia.
The Poets, I must confess, are not altogether so much beholding to me, though tis agreed of all
hands they are of
partie too
my
;
because
they are a free kind of people, not restrain d or limited to any thing, and
all
their studies
aim
nothing more than to tickle the ears of fools with meer trifles and ridiculous fables. And yet at
they are so bold upon t, that you ll scarce believe how they not onely assure themselves of immortality
promise before
it
all
and
life
others, Self-love
peculiarly appendant
any
a
sort of
constancy.
;
like
And
to others too.
the Gods, but to this order,
and Flattery are
nor
men with more
am
I
more^
worshipt by
plainness or greater
The Praise of
107
Folly
And then, for the Rhetoricians, though they now and then shuffle and cut with the Philosopher, yet that these
two
are of
my faction
though
also,
other Arguments might be produc d, this that besides their other trifles, clearly evinces it
many
;
much and so exquisitely who ever he were that
they have written so of
Fooling.
writ
of
And
so,
the Art of
he reckons Folly
Rhetorick to
as a species of wit.
Herennius,
And
Quinti-
the Soveraign of this Order, has a Chapter touching Laughter more prolixe than an Iliad. In fine, they attribute so much to Folly, that what many times cannot be clear d with lian,
/
)
the best Arguments, off tis
with
a
jest
:
is
now and then put
yet
unless,
perhaps
you
ll
say,
no part of Folly to provoke laughter, and
that artificially.
Of the same batch after immortality of
Of whom, though
Fame all
they that hunt by setting out Books. em are endebted to
also are
of
yet in the first place are they that
me, nothing but daub Paper with their empty Toyes. For they that write learnedly to the understanding of a few Scholers, and refuse not to stand the test of a Persius or Laelius,
seem to
me
rather
Erasmus
io8
to be pittied than happy, as persons that are
ever tormenting themselves
Putting
Blotting out, Revising, Reprinting, x and nine years in cor
in,
showing
Adding, Changing,
;
to friends,
t
recting, yet never fully satisfied
do they purchase Praise, and that too of
rate
watchings, so
and
Add
much
loss of sleep,
this vain
;
at so great a
reward, to wit,
very few, with so many sweat, so much vexation a
the most pretious of
all
things.
to this the waste of health, spoil of
com
plexion, weakness of eyes or rather blindness,
poverty, envie, abstinence from pleasure, over-
hasty Old-age, untimely death, and the like so highly does this Wise man value the approba tion of one or
two blear-ey d
fellows.
;
But how
much
happier is this my Writer s dotage, who never studies for any thing, but puts in writing what ever he pleases or what comes first in his
and all this head, though it be but his dreams with small waste of Paper, as well knowing that the vainer those Trifles are, the higher esteem ;
they will have with the greater number, that is to say all the fools and unlearned. And what
matter
is it 1
to sleight those few learned,
nonumque prematur
in
annum.
if
yet
The Praise of
109
Folly
Or of what authority they ever read them ? will the censure of so few Wise men be against Cloud
so great a
But they
men
s
glory
of Gainsayers
?
are the wiser that put out other
works for their own, and transfer that which others with great pains have
obtain d to themselves
relying on this, that
;
they conceive, though it should so happen that their theft be never so plainly detected, that yet they should enjoy the pleasure of it for the present.
how
And
they
tis
please
applauded by the in a
*
worth one
themselves
while to consider
when they
are
common
This
Croud, on Book-sellers
s
people, pointed at that excellent person ;
is
stalls and in the top of every three hard have words read, but chiefly Page to next and which, Exotick, conjuring degree lie
;
;
by the immortal Gods what are they but meer words ? And agen, if ye consider the world, !
by how few understood, and for even
prais
d by fewer
!
amongst the unlearned there are dif Or what is it that their own
ferent palates.
very names are often conterfeit, or borrow d from some Books of the Antients? When one 1
OVTOS
fffrlv 6 Setj/os (tceivos.
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ii2
Erasmus
and make such
Words,
till
a
about Terms and
sputter
they have quite
lost the Sense.
And
yet they are so happy in the good opinion of themselves, that as soon as they are furnisht with
two or three Syllogisms, they dare boldly enter the Lists against any Man upon any Point not doubting but to run him down with ;
as
noise,
though
the
were
Opponent
another
Stentor.
And next these come our Philosophers, so much reverenc d for their Fur d Gowns and Starcht Beards, that they look upon themselves as the onely Wise Men, and all others as
Shadows.
And
yet
how
pleasantly do they dote
while they frame in their heads innumerable worlds measure out the Sun, the Moon, the ;
Stars,
nay and Heaven
a pair of
Compasses
it
lay
;
self,
as it
down
were with
the Causes of
Lightning, Winds, Eclipses, and other the like and all this too without Inexplicable Matters ;
the least doubting,
as
Council of the Gods
Nature laughs conjectures.
at
if
they were Nature s us from the
down among
Secretaries, or dropt ;
while in the
them and
For, that they
all
mean time their
blind
know nothing, even
The Praise of
113
Folly
Argument, that they do nt agree amongst themselves, and are so indemon this
a sufficient
is
strable as to others touching every particular.
These, though they have not the
least
degree of
knowledge, profess yet that they have master d all ; nay, though they neither know themselves,
nor perceive
a
Ditch or Block that
lies
in their
most of them are half
way, for that perhaps
blind, or their wits a wooll-gathering, yet give
out that they have discovr d Ideas, Universali ties,
separated Forms,
first
Matters, Quiddities,
Ecceities, Formalities, and the like stuff things so thin and bodiless, that I believe even Lynceus ;
But himself were not able to perceive em. then chiefly do they disdain 1 the unhallow d Croud,
as
often as with their Triangles,
and
the
rangles,
Circles
Devices,
more confounded than
like
Quad
Mathematical a
Labyrinth,
and Letters dispos d one against t other, as it were in Battle-Array, they cast a mist before the eyes of the ignorant. Nor is there wanting of this kind some that pretend to foretell things
by the
Stars,
beyond
all
and make promises
things of 1
So;
of Miracles
Southsaying, and are so
prophanum I
vulgus,
Erasmus
ii4 fortunate
meet with people that believe
to
as
em.
But perhaps I had better pass over our Divines in silence 1 and not stir this Pool, or touch
this fair
men
of
that
and
parison,
em
but unsavoury Plant; are
to
supercilious
that
about
my
Troops, and force
me
setting
which
if I
too,
implacable
For
which they
this
is
fright those
not to favour.
And
lest
;
me by
to a Recantation-Sermon,
refuse, they streight
an Heretick.
beyond com
they attaque
ears,
kind
as a
pronounce
me
the Thunder-bolt with
whom
truly,
they are resolv d
though there are few
less willingly acknowledge the kind have done them, yet even these too stand fast bound to me upon no ordinary
others that nesses I
accounts
;
whil
Opinion, and
st
as
being happy in their own they dwelt in the third
if
Heaven, they look with Haughtiness on all others as poor creeping things, and could almost find in their hearts to pitie
em
whilst
;
hedg d in with so many Magisterial Definitions, Conclusions, Corollaries, Propositions Explicit
and Implicit, they abound with 1
KOI ro.vri]v
Kapapivav
pf} KtvcTv.
so
many
2
start -
2 Kpr)(f<pvyeTOis.
The Praise of ing-holes, that
Vulcan
1 1
Folly
Net cannot hold
s
5-
em
they ll slip through with their with which they so easily cut all knots asunder that a Hatchet could not have so
fast,
but
distinctions
done
it
;
better, so plentiful are they in their
new-found
Words
Besides, whil
st
Terms. prodigious the most hidden they explicate and
as, Mysteries according to their own fancie the World was first made how Original :
how Sin
;
deriv d to Posterity
is
how much room, and how in
lay
the
Virgin
s
in
;
Womb
what -manner,
long time, Christ how Accidents
;
without their Subject. But these are common and threadbare these
subsist in the Eucharist
;
are as
worthy
the world
fall a
and illuminated Divines,
of our great
thwart
calls
em
At
!
these,
em, they prick up
:
if
ever they
as,
whether
there was any instant of time in the generation of the Second Person ; whether there be more
than one Filiation in Christ a
possible
Proposition
hates the Son
;
or whether
Woman,
whether
it
the
it
be
Father
was possible that
upon Him the
Christ could have taken of a
;
God
that
likeness
or of the Devil, or of an Ass, or
of a Stone, or of a
Gourd i
2
;
and then how that
1 1
Erasmus
6
/ Gourd
should have Preach
or been
t,
hung on the Cross
;
wrought Miracles, and, what Peter
had Consecrated, if he had administred the Sacrament at what time the Body of Christ
hung upon the Cross
;
or whether at the same
time he might be said to be
Man
whether
;
after the Resurrection there will be
any eating and drinking, since we are so much afraid of hunger and thirst in this world. There are of
infinite
more
1
these
subtile
subtile than these
Instants,
;
Formalities,
and others
Trifles,
of Notions, Relations,
Quiddities,
which no one can perceive without his eyes, that
could look through
Ecceities, a
Lynceus
a stone-wall,
and discover those things through the
thickest
darkness that never were.
Add
to this those their other Determinations,
and those too
so contrary to
common Opinion
that those Oracles of the Stoicks, which they call
Paradoxes,
seem
blockish and idle
in :
comparison of these but tis a lesser crime to kill
as,
i/
a
thousand
man man
men
than to
set a stitch
on
a
poor shooe on the Sabbath-day ; and that a should rather chuse that the whole world
s
The Praise of with
all
Food and Raiment,
perish, than tell a lye, siderable.
are
And
117
Folly
they say, should though never so incon as
most subtile
these
subtilties
rendred yet more subtile by the several of so many Schoolmen, that one might
Methods
sooner wind himself out of
a
Labyrinth than
the entanglements of the ReaJists,^Nommalists,
Thomists, AlbertistSj jOccamists 1 Scotists. Nor have I nam d all the several Sects, but onely _
some
of the chief
;
Doctrine and so
in all
much
which there
is
much
so
that
difficultie,
I
may
well conceive the Apostles, had they been to deal with these to have pray
new kind
of Divines,
d in aid of some other
had needed Spirit.
Paul knew what Faith was, and yet when he Faith is the Substance of things hop d saith,
/
for,
and the Evidence
did not define
it
of things not seen
Doctor-like.
And
as
stood Charity well himself, so he did cally divide and define
it
And
devoutly,
he
as Illogi-
to others in his first
Epistle to the Corinthians,
teenth.
,
he under
no
Chapter the doubt,
did
thir
the
yet, had they been askt the question touching the Terminus a quo and the Terminus ad quern of Transub-
Apostles consecrate the Eucharist
;
*
1 1
Erasmus
8
stantiation;
of the
manner how the same body
can be in several places at one and the same time of the difference the body of Christ has ;
in
Heaven from that
Sacrament
;
stantiation it is, as
in
is,
of the Cross, or this in the
what punct
of time
Transub-
whereas Prayer, by means of which a discrete
being
quantity,
is
transient
;
they would not, I conceive, have answer d with the same subtilty as the Scotists Dispute and
Define
it.
which
of
how
strated sin, as
They knew the Mother of Jesus; but them has so Philosophically demon she was preserv d from Original
have done our Divines
Him
the Keyes, and from
have trusted them with
Peter receiv d
?
too that would not a
person unworthy
yet whether he had understanding or no, I not,
for
certainly
he never attain d to that
subtilty to determine
Key
of
knowledge
;
know
how he
that
himself.
could have the
had no knowledge and near, and yet
far
They Baptized taught no where what was the Formal, Material, Efficient,
made
and
final
cause
of
Baptisme
;
nor
the least mention of delible and indelible
Characters.
They
true, but
in
no other than that
of
worshipt,
Spirit, following herein
tis
The Praise of the Gospel,
God
is
a
119
Folly
and they that Spirit and Truth
Spirit,
; worship, must worship him in yet it does not appear it was at that time reveal d
them
to
with
Image sketcht on the Wall was to be worshipt with the same
that an
a Cole,
at least the
two
fore fingers be stretcht out, the hair long
and
as
worship
Christ Himself,
if
uncut, and have three Rayes about the Crown For who can conceive these of the Head. things, unless he has spent at least six
and thirty
the Philosophical and Supercoelestial of Aristotle and the Schoolmen ?
in
years
Whims
"
manner, the Apostles press to us Grace which of them distinguished between
In
like
but
man accept exhort us to good works, and yet They determine not 2 what is the work working, and
^free grace and grace that makes a able
?
what
a resting in
the work done.
They
incite
Charity, and yet make no difference between 3 Charity infus d and Charity wrought
us
to
by our own endeavours.
in us
declare whether
it
Nor do they be an Accident or a Sub-
1
gratiam gratis datam et gratiam gratificantem.
2
opus operans et opus operatum. infusam et acquisitam.
3
120
Erasmus
stance, a thing Created or Uncreated.
detest
and abominate
sin,
but
let
me
They
not
live
if
they could define according to Art what that
is
which we
inspir
call Sin, unless
d by the
perhaps they were Nor can
spirit of the Scotists.
be brought to believe that Paul, by whose learning you may judge the rest, would have so I
often
condemn d and,
words
if
,
;
1
as himself calls Strifes of em, he had throughly understood those especially when all the Debates and
logies,
subtilties
Genea
Questions, Disputes,
Controversies
of
those
times
were rude and
more than comparison Chrysippean subtilties of our Masters. Although blockish,
yet the
in
Gentlemen
of
the
are so modest, that
if
they
meet with any thing written by the Apostles not so smooth and even as might be expected a Master, they do not presently condemn but it, handsomly bend it to their own purpose so great Respect and Honour do they give,
from
;
partly to Antiquity and partly to the
And
name
of
truly twere a kind of injustice Apostle. to require so great things of them that never heard the least word from their Masters concern-
The Praise of ing
1
And so if the like happen in Chrysostome,
it.
Basil,
2
1
Folly
Jerome, they think
are not oblig d
The
by
also
Apostles
it
enough to
say,
They
t.
Heathen
the
confuted
and Jews, a people than whom but rather by their good and yet Lives and Miracles than Syllogisms
Philosophers
none more obstinate
;
:
there
em
was scarce one amongst
capable of understanding the least
that
was
Quodlibet
But now, where is that Heathen or Heretick that must not presently stoop to of the Scotists.
such Wire-drawn
subtilties,
thick-skul d that he can
t
unless
he be so
apprehend em, or
so
impudent as to hiss em down, or, being furnisht with the same Tricks, be able to make his party good with em ? As if a man should set a Con jurer on work against a Conjurer, or fight with one hallowed Sword against another, which
would prove no other than For my own part purpose. Christians
would do much
*
a I
better,
work to no conceive the if
instead of
those dull Troops and Companies of Souldiers,
with which they have manag d their War with such doubtful success, they would send the 1
Penelopes
tela.
Erasmus
122
hauling Scotists, the most obstinate Occamists,
and invincible Albertists to war against the Turks and Saracens and they would see, I guess, ;
most pleasant Combate, and such a Victory as was never before. For who is so faint whom
a
their devices will not enliven
whom
?
who
so stupid
t quicken ? or who so before whose quick-sighted, eyes they can t cast
a
mist
such spurrs can
?
But you
Nor
are ye without Divines themselves amongst
say, I jest.
l
cause, since even
there are some that have learnt better, and are
ready to turn their stomacks at those foolish subtilties
detest
em
of t
There
others.
as a
are
some that
kind of Sacriledge, and count
it
the height of Impiety to speak so irreverently of such hidden things, rather to be ador d than explicated
;
to dispute of
and Heathenish
niceties
;
em
with such profane
to define
em
so arro
gantly, and pollute the majestic of Divinity with such pithless and sordid terms and opinions.
Mean
time the others please, nay hug themselves and are so taken up with
in their happiness,
these pleasant
much
leisure
trifles,
as
that
they have not so
to cast the least eye on the
The Gospel or
S.
Praise of Folly
123
And
while they
Paul
s
Epistles.
play the fool at this rate in their Schools, they make account the Universal Church would
otherwise perish, unless, as the Poets fancy d of Atlas that he supported Heaven with his
And how
Syllogistical Buttresses.
ness
is
were
a
it
this, think ye
Nose
according
of
their
pleasure
own
require that their
great a happi
holy Writ
while, as if
?
they fashion and refashion
Wax,
to
other with their
t
shoulders, they underpropt
;
while
they
Conclusions, subscrib d
Schoolmen, be accounted greater than Solon s Laws, and prefer d before
by
two or three
the Papal Decretals
world,
they
force
tion, that differs least of
tions.
while, as Censors of the
;
every
one to
but a hair
s
Oracles.
Irreverent
those
too
they
Recanta
bredth from the
their Explicit or Implicit
And
a
Determina
pronounce
This Proposition is scandalous this has a smatch of Heresie ;
no very good sound
:
so
like
;
this
;
this
that neither
Bap-
tisme, nor the Gospel, nor Paul, nor Peter, nor St.
Jerome, nor
Aristotelitotical
St.
Augustine, no nor
1
most
Thomas himself, can make a man ipse
Thomas.
Erasmus
124 a Christian,
without these Batchelours too be
pleas d to give him is
his
grace.
their subtilty in judging
;
And the like for who would
think he were no Christian that should say these
two Speeches Matula Putes and matulaPutet or
and
Ollae fervere
ollam fervere
,
were not
both good Latine, unless their wisdomes had taught us the contrary ? who had deliver d the
Church from such Mists of Errour, which yet no one e re met with, had they not come out with some University Seal for t ? And are they not most happy while they do these things ? Then for what concerns Hell, how exactly they describe every thing, as if they had been conversant in that of their time
their fancy
Common-wealth most
Again,
!
new
how do
Orbes, adding to those
already an eighth
a
!
part
they frame in
we have
goodly one, no doubt, and
spatious enough, lest perhaps their
happy Souls
might lack room to walk in, entertain their friends, and now and then play at Foot-ball.
And with these and
a
thousand the
their heads are so full stufft I
believe Jupiter
when,
being
in
s
and
like fopperies
stretcht, that
brain was not near so bigg
labour
with
Pallas,
he was
The
Praise of Folly
125-
beholding to the Midwifery of Vulcan s Axe. 1 therefore ye must not wonder if in their
And
publique Disputes they are so bound about the head, lest otherwise perhaps their brains might leap out. self,
Nay,
em
to see
when they
have sometimes laught my so towre in their own opinion I
speak most barbarously
and when
;
they Humh and Hawh so pitifully that
none but
one of their own Tribe can understand em, they call it heights which the Vulgar can t reach ;
beneath the dignity of Divine be crampt and ty d up to the Mysteries to from whence narrow Rules of Grammarians
for they say
tis
:
we may
conjecture
the great Prerogative
of
Divines, if they onely have the priviledge of speaking corruptly, in which yet every Cobler thinks himself concern
d
they look upon themselves
for his share.
Lastly,
somewhat more than
as
Men, as often as they are devoutly saluted by in which they fancy the name of Our Masters ,
there lyes as
much
as in
and therefore they reckon noster
and
the Jews it a
1(
crime
Jehovah
if
be written other than in Capital Letters any one should preposterously say Noster ;
(
if
;
Magister
126
Erasmus
magister
body
he has
,
once overturn d the whole
at
of Divinity.
And
next these come those that commonly themselves the Religious and Monks.: most
call
false
of
both Titles, when both a great part from Religion, and no men
in
em
swarm
are farthest
thicker in
Nor can
I
miserable, did not
wayes.
all
I
support
For whereas
all
height, that they take
one of
than themselves.
places
think of any thing that could be
em by
men it
em
for
chance, yet such
it
many em to
is
luck to
t
that
meet
their happiness
For
first,
one of the main Points of Piety
are so illiterate that they can
And
ill
more
several
detest
that they flatter themselves.
reckon
so
so
much
if
they they
as read.
then when they run over their Offices, tale than
which they carry about em, rather by
understanding, they believe the Gods more than ordinarily pleas d with their braying. And some there are
among em
that put off their trumperies
at vast rates, yet roave
bread they eat
Waggon, to the
;
or Ship into
And
is
for the
scarce an Inne,
which they intrude not,
no small damage
of Beggars.
up and down
nay, there
of the
yet, like
Common-wealth
pleasant fellows, with
The Praise of all
this
Vileness,
Ignorance,
Rudeness
Yet what
the lives of the Apostles.
more pleasant than that they do Rule and,
and
they represent to us, for so they
Impudence, call it,
127
Folly
as it
were,
a
all
is
things by
kind of Mathematicks,
the least swerving from which were a crime as, how many knots their beyond forgiveness ti d with, of what colour every thing is, what distinction of habits, of what :
shooes must be
stuffe
made,
how many
broad
straws
Girdles and of what fashion,
how many
their
bushels
wide their Cowle, how many fingers long their which exact Hair, and how many hours sleep ;
how disproportionate it is, among such variety of bodies and tempers, who is there that does not perceive it ? And yet by reason of these equality,
fooleries they
not onely
set
but each different Order,
slight
men
fessing Apostolical Charity, despise
and tis
for the different
by others,
otherwise pro
one another,
wearing of a habit, or that
darker colour, they put all things in And amongst these there are
of
combustion.
some
so
Garment Linnen
;
rigidly is
Religious
that
their
upper
hair-Cloth, their inner of the finest
and,
on the contrary, others wear
.
128
Erasmus
Linnen without,
and hair next
Others, agen, are
as affraid
poyson,
and
neither
yet
dallying with
Women.
their
to touch
a
mony
as
Wine nor
forbear
In
skins.
tis
word,
their
onely care that none of em come near one another in their manner of living, nor do they endeavour how they may be like Christ, but
how they may differ among themselves. And another great happiness they conceive their
Names, while they
in
themselves Cor-
call
and among these too, some are Colletes, some Minors, some Minims, some Crossed diliers,
;
and agen, these are Benedictines, those Bernardines
;
these
those
Carmelites,
Augustines
these Williamites, and those Jacobines it
were not worth the while to be
tians.
And
call
;
as
;
if
d Chris
of these, a great part build so
much
on their Ceremonies and petty Traditions of Men, that they think one Heaven is too poor a
reward for so great merit
that the time will
ing any of these
Trough
tumble ye out
little
dreaming
trifles,
Christ, not regard will call em to account
for His precept of Charity. a large
;
come when
full of all
so
One
shall
kinds of Fish
many
bushels
of
;
shew ye another Prayers
;
The Praise of another reckon ye so
em up
129
Folly
many myriads
of Fasts,
and
one dinner by eating till agen he cracks agen another produces more bundles fetch
in
;
Ceremonies than seven
of the stoutest Ships another brags he has not toucht a penny these three score Years without two pair of Gloves at least upon his of
would be able
hands
;
to carry
another wears
;
a
Cowl
so
stoop to take liv
d these
it
up
;
fifty five
another will Years
like a
his daily
ye he has
tell
Spunge, con another is
tinually fastned to the same place
grown hoarse with
d with
lin
would not
grease that the poorest Tarpaulin
;
chanting
;
another
has contracted a Lethargy by his solitary living ; and another the Palsie in his Tongue for want of speaking. their
will ask I
But Christ, interrupting them in which otherwise were endless,
vanities,
em,
Whence
this
new kind
of
Jews
?
acknowledge one Commandment, which is mine, of which alone I hear nothing.
truly
I promist, tis true, my Father s heritage, and that without Parables, not to Cowls, odd
Prayers, and Fastings, but to the duties of Faith
and Charity. least
Nor can
acknowledg
1507
I
acknowledge them that
their faults.
K
They
that
would
Erasmus
130 seem
holier than 1
to
possess
sixty five
my
themselves
Heavens
invention,
self,
em
let
those
if
hundred
three
Heretick
of Basilides the
command them whose
or
list
they
s
foolish
Traditions they have prefer d before ceps, to erect
them
a
new one
my PreWhen they shall common ordinary .
hear these things, and see persons preferr d before em, with what coun
tenance, think ye, will they behold one another?
In
the
mean time they
hopes, and to
for
this
also
are
in
happy
they are
their
beholding
me.
And as it
yet these kind of people, though they are
were of another Common-wealth, no
dares despise
because they are privie to
means
all
men
of Confessions, as they call
yet were no
man
especially those begging Friars,
;
s
secrets
em.
by
Which
than treason to discover, unless, being got drunk, they have a mind to be pleasant, and then all comes out, that is to say by hints less
and conjectures, but suppressing the names. But if any one should anger these Wasps, they ll sufficiently
revenge themselves in their publique so point out their enemy by
Sermons, and 1
Abraxasiorura coelos.
The Praise of circumlocutions that there stands
whom
And now
tell
l
no one but under
s
they mean, unless he under nor will they give over
tis
stand nothing at their barking
1 3 i
Folly
all
;
you throw the Dogs a bone. me, what Jugler or Mountebank till
you had rather behold than hear them rhetori cally play the fool in their Preachments, and yet most sweetly imitating what Rhetoricians have written touching the Art of good speaking ?
Good God
How
they
what
!
several postures they have
shift their voice, sing
!
out their words,
and anon making such new faces, that they confound all things and yet this Knack of theirs is no with noise skip
up and down, and
are ever
!
Mystery that runs in succession from one brother to another which though it be
less
than
a
;
not lawful for
me
to
know, however
And
I
ll
venture
they invoke what ever they have scrapt from the Poets ; and in the next place, if they are to discourse at
it
by conjectures.
first
of Charity, they take their rise
from the
river
out the Mystery of the Cross, Nilus or to dispute of from Bell and the Dragon twelve the from signs of the Zodiack ; Fasting, ;
or to set
;
1
quam
in os
offam objeceris.
K 2
Erasmus
132
being to preach of Faith, ground their matter on the square of a Circle. or,
I
have heard
I
was mistaken,
my
self I
one, and he no small fool,
would have
said Scholar,
Famous Assembly explaining the the Mystery Trinity, that he might both let em see his Learning was not ordinary, and that being in a of
withal
satisfie
new way,
a
some Theological ears, he took from the Letters, Syllables,
to wit
and the Word
it self
;
then from the Coherence
Nominative Case and the Verb, and the and while most of Adjective and Substantive of the
:
wonder
the
and
d, Auditory mutter d that of Horace,
Trumpery matter to
*
some
what does
em
of
this
all
he brought the that he would demonstrate head,
drive at this
1
?
at last
that the Mystery of the Trinity was so clearly exprest in the very Rudiments of Grammar, that the best Mathematician could not chalk
out more plainly. 2
this
And
t
in this Discourse did
most Superlative Theologue beat his brains whole moneths, that at this hour he s
for eight as
blind as a Beetle, to wit,
all
the sight of his
eyes being run into the sharpness of 1
Quorsum haec
tarn putida tendunt
?
*
his wit.
But
OeoXoyuTaros
ille.
The Praise of
i
Folly
3 3
for all that he nothing forthinketh his blind
same for too cheap a price he wan thereby. besides him I met with another, some
ness, rather taking the
of such a glory as
And
eighty years of age, and such a Divine that you d
have sworn Scotus himself was reviv d in him.
He, being upon the point of unfolding the Mystery of the name Jesus, did with wonderful subtilty demonstrate that there lay hidden in
those Letters what ever could be said of for that
he
it
said, it
him
;
was only declin d with three Cases, was a manifest token of the Divine
and then, that the first ended in S, Trinity the second in M, the third in U, there was in ;
it
x
an ineffable Mystery, to wit, those three 2 the Begin
Letters declaring to us that he was ning, Middle, and
End
was yet more abstruse
;
of
all.
for
he
Nay, the Mystery so
Mathematically
split the word Jesus into two equal parts, that he left the middle letter by it self, and then told
us that that letter in Sin,
Hebrew was
Schin or (>)
and that Sin in the Scotch tongue,
remember
d,
signified
2
as
much
as
summum, medium
Sin
et
;
as
he
from
ultimum.
Erasmus
134
whence he gather d that
it
was Jesus that took At which new
away the sins of the world.
Exposition the Auditory were so wonderfully intent and struck with admiration, especially the Theologues, that there wanted little but that Niobe-like they had been turn d to stones
whereas the
like
had almost happen d to me,
befell the Priapus in
when were
cause, for
Horace.
And
;
as
not without
the Grecian Demosthenes
Roman
Cicero e re guilty of the like ? They that Introduction faulty that was wide thought of the Matter, as if it were not the way of or
Carters and Swinheards, that have no more wit
than
God
sent
em.
But these learned men
think their Preamble, for so they call it, then when it has least Coherence
chiefly Rhetorical
with the
rest of the
Argument, that the admiring
Auditory may in the mean while whisper to 1 What will he be at now ? In the themselves, third place, they bring in instead of Narration
some
Texts
of
Scripture,
but
handle
em
were by the bye, when yet cursorily, it is the onely thing they should have insisted on. And fourthly, as it were changing a Part
and
1
as it
Quo nunc
se proripit ille ?
The
Praise of Folly
in the Play, they bolt out
i
3
y
with some question
and many times 1 relating neither to Earth nor Heaven, and this they look upon in Divinity,
as a piece of Art.
logical Crests,
Here they
Theo
erect their
and beat into the people
s
ears
those Magnifical Titles of Illustrious Doctors, Subtile Doctors, most Subtile Doctors, Seraphick
Doctors, Cherubin-Doctors, Holy Doctors, Un and then questionable Doctors, and the like ;
throw abroad among the ignorant people Syllo gisms, Majors, Minors, Conclusions, Corollaries,
Suppositions, and those so weak and foolish that
they are below Pedantry. There remaines yet the fifth Act, in which one would think they should shew their Mastery. bring
in
some
foolish
And
insipid
here
Fable
they out of
Speculum Historiale or Gesta Romanorum, and
Expound
it
Allegorically,
And
Anagogically.
Tropologically, and
after this
manner do they
end their Chimera, and such as Horace despair d when he writ Humano capiti,
of compassing,
&c.
But they have heard from some body, not
whom, 1
that
the
beginning of
ovTf yrjs ovTf ovpavov
a
I
know
Speech
1
3
Erasmus
6
should be Sober and Grave, and least given to
And
noise.
therefore they begin theirs at that
rate they can scarce hear themselves,
as
if
it
were no matter whether any one understood em. They have learnt some where that to move the lowder voice
affections a
is
they that otherwise
upon
Mouse
Where
requisite.
would speak
like
a
in a Cheese, start out of a suddain into
downright fury, even there too, where there
a
the least need of
A man
it.
s
would swear they
were past the power of Hellebor, so little do they consider where tis they run out. Again, because they have heard that as a Speech comes up to something, they,
how
a
man
should press
more
it
earnestly,
ever they begin, use a strange conten
tion of voice in every part, though the Matter it self
be never so
as
they d
if
run
and end in that manner
flat,
themselves
out
of
breath.
Lastly, they have learnt that among Rhetori cians there is some mention of Laughter, and
therefore they study to prick in a jest here and there
;
but,
O
Venus
!
so void of wit
so
to the purpose, that it may be truly call d an Asses playing on the Harp. And sometimes
little 1
and
1
Qvov
irpos
rty \vpav.
The
Praise of Folly
1
3
7
they use somewhat of a sting, but so never nor theless that they rather tickle than wound
also
;
do they ever more truly flatter than when they would seem x to use the greatest freedom of speech.
Lastly, such
is
their
whole action that
man would swear they had learnt it from our common Tumblers, though yet they come short of em in every respect. However, they are both so like, that no man will dispute but that either a
from them, or they And yet they light on some
these learnt their Rhetorick theirs
from
that,
when they hear em,
these.
conceive they hear
of which sort very Demosthenes and Ciceroes Merchants and Women, whose chiefly are our :
Ears onely they endeavour to please, because as to the first, if they stroake em handsomely, some part or other of their ill-gotten goods fall
And
to their share.
the
is
wont
to
Women, though
many other things they favour this Order, this is not the least, that they commit to their
for
breasts their
what ever discontents they have against And now, I conceive me, ye
Husbands.
see
how much
to
me,
that
this
kind of people are beholding
with
their
Petty
Ceremonies,
Erasmus
138
Ridiculous Trifles, and Noise, exercise
a
kind of
believing themselves
Tyranny among mankind, very Pauls and Anthonies.
But that
I
willingly give over these Stage-players,
such
are
courtesies
I
pretenders
And now
dissemblers
ingrateful
have
I
a
mind
in reverence,
Gentlemen,
above-board and,
frankly.
And
some small
to give
whom
touches of Princes and Courts, of
had
the
of
have done em, and such impudent to Religion which they ha n t.
truly,
if
as it
I
am
becomes
they had the
sound judgment, what life were more unpleasant than theirs, or so much least
proportion of
For who ever did but truly weigh great a burthen lies upon his
to be avoided
?
with himself
how
shoulders that would truly discharge the duty of a Prince,
he would not think
while to make his
and Parricide.
way
to a
He would
takes a Scepter in his
worth
his
consider that he that
hand should manage the
Publick, not his Private Interest
but the
it
Crown by Perjury
common good
;
;
study nothing
and not
in the least
go contrary to those Laws whereof himself is both the Author and Exactor that he is to :
take an account of the
good or
evil
administra-
The Praise of tion
of
his
all
magistrates
though he are Eyes upon him, and Officers
that,
;
either like a
to
Comet
subordinate
but one,
in
his
good Planet to give
mankind by
a fatal
is
139
Folly
and
to send mischief
men
it
power and
life
his harmless influence,
that the vices of other
men
all
s
is,
safety
or like
and destruction
:
are not alike felt,
and that a nor so generally communicated Prince stands in that place that his least devia ;
Honesty and Honour reaches farther than himself, and opens a gap
tion
to
from the Rule
many men
of Princes
s
of
Besides, that the fortune
ruine.
has
are but tee apt
many t
things attending
train
em
and
set
a
watch o
be led aside and
fail
more
in his duty.
nothing
ill
;
diligently
re himself, lest
of Treasons,
that
out of the way,
Pleasure, Liberty, Flattery, Excess
cause he should the
it
will
for
as
which
endeavour perhaps he
Lastly, to say
and such other
s in jeopardy of, that that True over his head, who in a short time will
Mischiefs he
King him is
cal
to account for every the least trespass,
so much the more severely, by how much more mighty was the Empire committed
and that
to his charge.
These and the
like if a
Prince
1
Erasmus
40
should duly weigh, and weigh it he would if he were wise, he would neither be able to sleep nor take any hearty repast.
But now by
my
courtesie they leave
care to the Gods, and are onely taken
all this
up with
themselves, not admitting any one to their eare but such as know how to speak pleasant things,
and
not
em with
trouble
believe they have discharg d
Prince
if
they
Hunt
business. all
every day, keep
fine Horses, sell Dignities
They
the duty of a a
Stable of
and Commanderies, and
new wayes of draining the Citizens Purses and bringing it into their own Exchequer but under such dainty new-found names, that though
invent
;
the thing be most injust in
some
face of equity
;
adding to this
be secure of the
common
suppose some one, such
man
carries yet
some
little
what ever happens, they may
sweetnings, that
a
it self, it
people.
And now
they sometimes are, less than an of little Laws, ignorant enemy
to the publique good,
as
and minding nothing but
own, given up to Pleasure, a hater of Learning, Liberty, and Justice, studying nothing less than
his
the publique safety, but measuring every thing
by
his
own
will
and
profit
;
and then put on
The Praise of
141
Folly
him
a golden Chain, that declares the accord of a Crown set Vertues linkt one to another
all
;
with Diamonds, that should put him in mind how he ought to excell all others in Heroick Vertues Justice
besides
;
a
and an untainted heart
Badge Common-wealth. All which
em
compare
with
this
his
own
asham d
believe be clearly afraid lest
Emblem and
;
of that Charity he
a
Purple Robe,
all
the
Scepter,
if
of
lastly,
a
owes the
Prince should
a
life,
he would
of his bravery,
I
and be
some or other gibing Expounder turn Furniture into a ridiculous
Tragical
Laughing-stock. And as to the Court-Lords, what
should
whom
though
more indebted, more
servile,
I
mention them
?
there be nothing
more
witless,
than most of
more contemptible, yet they would
seem
as
And
yet in this only thing no
they were the most excellent of
all
others.
men more
modest, in that they are contented to wear about em Gold, Jewels, Purple, and those other marks of
Vertue and Wisdome, but for the study of
the things themselves, they remit thinking
can
call
it
to others
;
happiness enough for them that they the King Master, have learnt the cringe it
Erasmus
142.
know when and where
a la mode, Titles of
cence; in
can flatter pleasantly.
man
that speak a
But
Courtier. life
you
to use those
Your Grace, My Lord, Your Magnifi a word that they are past all shame and
find
ll
if
For these are the Arts
Noble and an exact
truly
ye look into their manner of
em meer
Sots,
1
as
debaucht
as
of the verse,
you know the other part which the Echo will better tell ye
than
They sleep
Penelope
I
s
Wooers
can.
;
till
noon, and have their
mercenary Levite come to their bed side, where he chops over his Mattins before they are half
Then
up.
to Break-fast,
but Dinner
staies for
which
is
scarce
done
From thence they
em.
go to Dice, Tables, Cards, or entertain themselves with Jesters, Fools, Gambolls, and Horse-tricks. In the
mean time they have one
and then Supper, and
or
two Bevers,
that a Banquet,
after
and twere
well, by Jupiter, there were no
than one.
And
in this
manner do slide
Dayes, Moneths, Years, Age the least irksomeness.
gone 2
away
speak bigg words 1
Nay,
Inches
many ;
sponsos Penelopes, &c.
I
more
their Hours,
away without
have sometimes
fatter,
to
see
em
whiles each of the Ladies
The Praise of believes her self so
much
143
Folly
nearer to the Gods, by
how much
the longer train she
whiles one
Nobleman edges out another,
may
trails after
em
how
massier
shoulders, as
he meant to shew
and
;
more by
the Chain he swaggs
is
if
pleases, himself the
;
that he
get the nearer to Jupiter himself
every one of
her
on
his
his strength as
well as his wealth.
Nor
are
manner
of
Princes
themselves
by
since
life,
Popes,
in
their
Cardinals,
and
Bishops have so diligently follow d their steps, that they ve almost got the start of em. For if
any of
should put life
;
em would consider what their Albe em in mind of, to wit a blameless
what
is
meant by
whose each point wee ll suppose it
Old and
New
is
a
their
forked Miters,
held in by the same knot, perfect knowledge of the
Testaments
;
what those Gloves
on their Hands, but a sincere administration of the Sacraments, and free from all touch of worldly
business
;
what
their
careful looking after the Flock their charge
;
committed
a
to
what the Cross born before em,
but victory over I say,
Crosier, but
all
earthly affections
and many of the
like
:
these,
kind should any one
Erasmus
144
would he not
truly consider,
live
a
sad
and
Whereas now they do well and enough while they feed themselves onely troublesome
life
?
;
for the care of their Flock, either
to Christ or lay
they so
call
much
on
all
it
remember
over
their Suffragans, as
em, or some poor Vicars. as
put
it
Nor do they
name, or what the to wit, Labour, Care
their
word Bishop
signifies
and Trouble.
But
;
in racking to gather
they truly act the part of Bishops,
l
moneys and herein
acquit themselves to be no blind Seers. In like manner Cardinals, if they thought themselves the successours of the Apostles, they
would
likewise imagine that the same things the other did are requir d of them, and that they are not Lords, but Dispensers of Spiritual
which they must shortly give an exact account. But if they also would a little of
things,
Philosophize on their Habit, and think with themselves what s the meaning of their Linen
Rochet
;
is
it
not
a
remarkable and singular
what that inner Purple integrity is it not an earnest and fervent love of God ? of
or
life
?
what that outward, whose 1
ovS
;
loose Plaits
and
The Praise of long Train are large
round
fall
his
Folly
Reverence
enough
s
Camel
to cover a
Mule, and ;
is
it
not
Charity, that spreads it self so wide to the succour of all men ? that is, to Instruct, Exhort,
Comfort, Reprehend, Admonish, compose Wars, wicked Princes, and willingly expend, not
resist
onely their Wealth but their very Lives for the Flock of Christ though yet what need at :
all
them
of wealth to
that supply the
room
of
These things, I say, did but they duely consider, they would not be the poor Apostles
?
so ambitious of that
they would careful
Dignity
willingly leave
life,
such
it
;
or, if
and
they were,
live a laborious,
was that of the antient
as
Apostles.
And
for Popes, that supply the place of Christ,
they should endeavour to imitate His Life, to wit His Poverty, Labour, Doctrine, Cross, and contempt of Life, or should they consider
if
what the name Pope, that is Father, or Holiness, imports, who would live more disconsolate than themselves
with
all his
?
or
who would
substance
?
with Swords, Poisons, and so great a profit 1507
purchase that Chair
or defend all
would the L
it
so purchast,
force imaginable access of
?
Wisdom
Erasmus Wisdom did I say ? nay, the deprive him of corn of that Salt which Christ speaks of ;
least
:
much Honour, so much much Wealth, Riches, so many Victories, so many Offices, so many Dispensations, so much Tribute, so many so
so
such Horses, such Mules, such Guards, and so much Pleasure would it lose them. You
Pardons
see
;
how much
have comprehended in
I
instead of which
it
would bring
Fastings, Tears, Prayers, Sermons, ours, Sighs, and
Exercises.
a
Nor
thousand the is
this
least
a little
:
in Watchings,
good Endeav
like
troublesome
considerable
:
so
many Copying Clerks, so many Notaries, many Advocates, so many Promooters, so many Secretaries, so many Muletters, in short, so many Grooms, so many Bankers that vast multitude of men that overcharge the Roman See I mistook, I meant honour Scribes, so
many
so
:
,
beg their bread.
might A most inhumane and abominable thing, and
more
to be execrated, that those great Princes
of the
Church and true Lights
should be reduc d to
Whereas now,
if
a
Staff
of the
and
a
World Wallet.
there be any thing that requires
their pains, they leave that to Peter
and Paul
The Praise of that have leisure
thing of
Honour
themselves.
;
there be any
if
or Pleasure, they take that to
By which means that
courtesie,
enough
147
Folly
but
scarce
any more voluptuously or with
it
is,
kind
yet by
my
men
live
of
less
trouble
;
as
believing that Christ will be well if
in their Mystical
ficalibus,
the
like,
enough pleas d, and almost mimical Ponti-
Ceremonies, Titles
Holiness and
of
and Blessing and Cursing, they play
the parts of Bishops.
To_work Miracles
and antiquated, and not
in fashion
instruct the people, troublesome
;
is
now
;
old to
to interpret
the Scripture, Pedantick ; to pray, a sign one has little else to do ; to shed tears, silly and
womanish
;
to be poor, base
;
little
scarce admits even
Kings to
and
lastly, to dye,
on
Cross, infamous.
a
to be vanquisht,
becoming him that
dishonourable, and
uncouth
;
kiss
his
Slipper
;
and to be stretcht
Theirs are only those Weapons and sweet Blessings which Paul mentions, and of these truly they are bountiful tions,
Hangings,
enough
:
as
Heavy Burthens,
Interdic
Reproofs,
Anathemas, Executions in Effigie, and that terrible Thunder-bolt of Excommunication, with L 2
Erasmus
148
the very sight of which they sink men s Souls which yet these beneath the bottom of Hell :
most holy Fathers
in Christ
and
his Vicars hurl
with more fierceness against none than against such as, by the instigation of the Devil, attempt
em
to lessen or rob
of Peter
s
Patrimony. When, We have
though those words in the Gospel, and follow d Thee, were
left all,
his
Patrimony Lands,
Riches
;
his,
Cities, Tribute, imposts,
for which, being enflam
of Christ, they
and not without
yet they call
d with the love
contend with Fire and Sword, losse of
much
Christian blood,
and believe they have then most Apostolically defended the Church, the Spouse of Christ,
when
the enemy, as they call em, are valiantly As if the Church had any deadlier routed.
who not onely run out of request for want of his spreading by their preaching him, but hinder multitudes of Laws, meerly contriv d for their enemies than wicked Prelates,
suffer Christ to
own
him by their forc d Exposi and murder him by the evil example of
profit,
tions,
corrupt
their pestilent
life.
Nay, further, whereas the Church of Christ was founded in blood, confirm d by blood, and
The Praise of
149
Folly
Christ, who augmented by blood, now, after his wonted manner defends his people, as
were
lost,
whereas
they govern
War
is
by the Sword.
all
a
so
if
thing that
it
And rather
Savage than Men, so outragious that the very Poets feign d it came from the Furies, so befits Beasts
pestilent
that
so injust that of
men,
make
they
you of
ll
corrupts
it is
;
and
this
all
men
s
manners,
best executed by the worst
wicked that
so
with Christ
it
it
has no agreement
yet, omitting all the other,
their
onely
business.
Here
see decrepit old fellows acting the parts
young men, neither troubled
at their costs
nor weari d with their labours, nor discourag d any thing, so they may have the liberty of
at
turning Laws, Religion, Peace and else
quite topsie turvie.
Nor
all
things
are they destitute
of their learned Flatterers that call that palpable
Madness Zeal,
and Valour, having found out a new way by which a man may kill his brother without the least breach of that Charity Piety,
command of Christ, one Christian And here, in troth, I m a little at a stand whether the Ecclesiastical German Electors gave em this example, or rather took which, by the owes another.
Erasmus
i^o it
em
from
the a
part
mean
the
Ceremonies, so act
like
that they think
it
thing, and least beseeming a Bishop,
to
shew the
it
be in a battle.
And
all
Commanders
of
aside their Habit,
who, laying
;
Benedictions and
as
courage to God-ward unless
least
to
they account
common Heard
the a
it
of
Priests,
crime to degenerate from
the Sanctity of their Prelates.
Heidah
!
how
Souldier-like they bussle about the jus divinum of Titles,
and how quick-sighted they are to
pick the least thing out of the Writings of the Antients, wherewith they may fright the common
people, and convince em, a
Tenth
least
comes
than it
are every
is
due
!
if
possible, that
more
Yet in the mean-time
in their heads
how many
things
where extant concerning that duty
which they owe the people. Nor does their Crown in the least admonish em that
shorn
a Priest
and
should be free from
think
of
nothing
but
all
worldly desires,
heavenly
Whereas on the contrary, these
jolly
things.
fellows
say they have sufficiently discharg d their Office if they but any-how mumble over a few odd
Prayers, which, so help me, Hercules
!
I
wonder
The Praise of any God do neither themselves
ifi
Folly
either hear or understand, since they
if
especially when they out in that manner they are wont. But this they have in common with those of the ;
em
thunder
Heathens, that they are vigilant enough to the harvest of their profit, nor is there any of em that
is
not better read in those Laws than the
Scripture.
Whereas
if
be
there
any
thing
burthensome, they prudently lay that on other
men s shoulders, and shift it from one to t other, as men toss a Ball from hand to hand following herein the example of Lay Princes, who commit ;
Government
the
Grand leave
In
to
Kingdoms
their
Ministers, and they again to others, and
all
like
their
of
study of Piety to the
common
manner the common people put
to those they call Ecclesiasticks, as
if
people.
over
it
themselves
were no part of the Church, or that their
vow
in
Baptism had
the Priests that
lost its obligation.
call
Again, themselves Secular, as if
they were initiated to the world, not to Christ, the Regulars lay the burthen on the Regulars ;
on the Monks liberty,
;
the
Monks
on those that have
on the Mendicants
;
less
that have ;
and
all
more of
em
the Mendicants on the
i
Erasmus
f2
whom,
Carthusians, amongst
this
any where,
buried, but yet so close that scarce
lies
Piety
if
any one can perceive it. Popes, the most diligent of in the Harvest of
In all
manner the
like
others in gathering
refer all their Apostolical the Bishops to the Parsons the Vicars to their the Parsons to the Vicars
work
mony,
to the Bishops
;
;
;
and they again throw back the care of the Flock on those that take
brother Mendicants
;
the Wooll.
But
it is
not
my
business to
sift
too narrowly
the lives of Prelates and Priests, for fear
I
seem
to have intended rather a Satyr than an Oration,
and be thought to tax good Princes while I praise the bad. And therefore, what I slightly taught before, has been to no other end but that it might appear that there s no man can live pleasant unless
me
and have it
be
propitious to him.
otherwise,
Directress of
he be initiated to
all
when
Humane
Fortune, Affairs,
my
Rites,
For how can the
and
great
my
self
one that she was always an enemy to those wise men, and on the contrary so favourable are so
all
to Fools
luckly to
and
em
careless fellows, that all things hit ?
The Praise of You have heard
of that
15-3
Folly
Timotheus, the most
fortunate General of the Athenians, of
came that Proverb,
x
His Net caught
fish,
whom though
he were asleep and that, 2 The Owl flies whereas these other hit properly, Wise men 3 born ;
;
moneth
in the fourth s
Sejanus
his horse
;
and again, 4 He rides and 5 gold of Tolouse ;
,
signifying thereby the extremity of
But
I
lest I
forbear
6 the
ill
further threading of Proverbs,
seem to have
pilfer
d
my
friend Erasmus
Fortune loves those that have
Adagies.
fortune.
and most confidence, and such as of Caesar, 7 The Dye is thrown
like .
s
least wit
that saying
But Wisdome
makes men bashful, which is the reason that those Wise men have so little to do, unless it be with Poverty, Hunger, and Chimny-corners
;
that
they
hated
lives
such neglected, unknown and whereas Fools abound in money,
live :
have the chief
Commands
the
in
Common
wealth, and in a word, flourish every way. if it
1
3 5 7
be
H
a
happiness
8
to please Princes,
cvdovros Kvpros at pei.
a
Iv rcrpdSi ycvvrjOevTcs*
*
Aurum Tolosanum.
6
Jacta est alea.
TA.ai5
For
and to be
iTrrarai.
Equum
habet Sejanum.
irapoiiJuakaOai. 8
Principibus placuisse
viris.
Erasmus conversant
among
Gods, what or
what
is it
justly be censur
how if
little
Diamond
those Golden and
more unprofitable than Wisdom, these kind of men have, may more
is
good
d
If
?
at it
is
Wealth
that
to be got,
is
Merchant
following the Precepts of
like to do,
Wisdom he
should
or being taken in a lie, boggle at Perjury blush or in the least regard the sad scruples of those Wise-men touching Rapine and Usury. ;
;
if
Again,
man
a
sue for
Honours or Church-
Oxe
Preferments, an Ass or wild
em
get a
than
a
Wise man.
young Wench, none
this
Comedy,
and are
If a
man
shall s
of the least
sooner
in love
with
Humors
in
they are wholly addicted to Fools,
Wise man, and flie him as Scorpion. Lastly, whoever intend
afraid of a
they would
a
merry and frolique, shut their doors Wise men, and admit any thing sooner. against to
live
In brief, go whither ye
will,
among
Prelates,
Princes, Judges, Magistrates, Friends, Enemies,
from highest to lowest, and you ll find all things done by money which, as a Wise man con ;
temns it, him.
so
it
What
or end of
my
takes a special care not to shall I say?
praises,
There
and yet
is
tis fit
come near
no measure
my
Oration
The Praise of And
have an end. off
and
;
therefore
yet, before I
do
it,
i^f
Folly
ev n break
I ll
twill
not be amiss
been briefly shew ye that there has not me that have made Authours even wanting great I
if
famous, both by their Writings and Actions, lest perhaps otherwise I may seem to have foolishly
d
pleas
me
my
that
I
self only,
or that the Lawyers charge
have prov d nothing.
example, therefore, will that
is
to say,
And
After their
alleadge
my
proofs,
nothing to the point.
man allows this Proverb, man wants matter, he may best And to this purpose is that Verse
every
first,
That where frame some
*
I
.
a
which we teach Children, 2 Tis the greatest wisdome to know when and where to counterfeit the Fool
.
And now
excellent thing this feit
judge your selves what an Folly is, whose very counter
and semblance only has got such praise from But more candidly does that fat
the Learned.
plump he
calls
Folly 1 2
3
3
Epicurean bacon-hogg Horace, for so 4 mingle our purposes with ,
himself ? bid us ;
and whereas he adds the word brevem,
Ovbtv npos 7roy. Stultitiam simulare loco prudentia summa est. 4 Misce stultitiam consiliis. Epicuri de grege porcus.
Erasmus
if 6
short, perhaps to help out the Verse, he
well have let
as
pleasant
alone
it
;
and agen,
might
l
a
tis
thing to play the fool in the right
and in another place, he had rather 2 be accounted a dottrel and sot, than to be wise and
season
;
made mouths
at
And Telemachus
.
in
Homer,
whom
the Poet praises so much, is now and then called ^rJTrtoy, Fool and by the same name, :
as
were some good
there
if
wont
Striplings. Iliads
foolish
how
Besides, gives of
who
it
diffusive
it is,
please,
in
t,
of
and
Kings
call
counter-scuffle
foolish
People ? that praise that Cicero
is
All things are full of fools
know by
But perhaps
among
to
kind
a
absolute
3 !
does not
credit
but
contain,
between
fortune
Boyes and that sacred book of And what does
the Tragedians
are
so
much
the better
it is
For
.
that every good, the
more
?
their authorityjnay ...hfi-.ojLsmall
Wee
Christians.
l
therefore,
if
you
support our praises with some Testi
monies of holy Writ
also
;
in the
first
place,
neverthelesse, having forespoke our Theologues 1 2
Dulce est desipere in loco. Delirus inersque videri, .
3
.
.
Quam
Stultorum plena sunt omnia.
sapere et ringi.
The Praise of that
they
ll
give
And
offence.
in
leave
us
if?
Folly
do
to
it
without
the next, forasmuch
as
we
attempt a matter of some difficulty, and it may be perhaps a little too sawcy to call back agen the Muses from Helicon to so great a journey, especially in a
matter they are wholly strangers
more sutable, perhaps, while I and make my way through such the Divine play prickly quiddities, that I entreat the Soul of to
;
will be
it
Scotus, a thing
more
bristlely
than either Por
to leave his Scorbone a while
cupine or
Hedg-hog, and come into my brest, and then
whither he pleases,
x
let
him go
or to the dogs. I could wish
might change my countenance, or that I had on the square Cap and the Cassock, for fear some or other should impeach me of also that I
theft, as
if I
had
privily rifled our Masters Desks,
in that I have got so
much
Divinity.
But
it
ought not to seem so strange, if after so long and intimate an acquaintance and converse with
em,
I
have pickt up somewhat
;
when
as that
Fig-tree-god Priapus, hearing his owner read Greek words, took so much notice of em,
certain
that he got
em by 1
heart
;
vel Is KoaKas.
and that Cock in
Erasmus
y8
i
by having liv d long amongst men, master of their Language. But to the point l under a fortunate direction.
Lucian,
became
at last a
Ecclesiastes saith
number
of fools
in
his
first
infinite
is
;
Chapter,
2
and when he
The calls
does he not seem to comprehend all men, unlesse it be some few, whom yet tis a
it infinite,
question whether any man ever saw ? But more ingenuously does Jeremiah in his tenth Chapter 3
confess
his
through to
God
1
saying,
it,
Every man
own wisdome
is
made
a fool
attributing wisedom
;
and leaving folly to all men else Let not man glory in his wisdome
alone,
and agen,
4
:
.
And why, good Jeremiah, would st thou not have a man glory in his wisedom Because, ?
he
ll
say,
he has none
Ecclesiastes,
Vanities,
at
all.
who, when he
all is
vanity
!
But to return to
cries out,
Vanity of
what other thoughts had
he, do ye believe, than that, as I said before, the life
of
Folly
?
man
is
nothing else but an enterlude of 5 he has added one voice more
In which
to that justly receiv d praise of Cicero
s,
which
1
bonis avibus.
2
Stultorum infinitus numerus.
3
Stultus omnis, &c. Album addidit calculum.
*
Nee
5
glorietur
homo, &c.
The Praise of I
quoted before,
things are full of
All
viz.
1^9
Folly
Agen, that wise Preacher that said, fool changes as the Moon, but a wise man fools
permanent at in
the
C
.
it,
name
the Sun
as
but that
,
mankind
all
is
did he hint
else
are fools,
Wise onely proper to God
of
Moon
by the
what
A
and -For
?
humane only Foun
Interpreters understand
Nature, and by the Sun, God, the of light with which agrees that which
tain
;
Christ himself in the Gospel denies, that any
one
is
God.
good but one, and that
to be call d
And
then
if
he
is
that
a fool
is
is
not wise,
and every good man according to the Stoicks is a wise man, it is no wonder if all mankind be
concluded
Chap. 15, the Fool without
which
under Folly.
Foolishnesse
thereby
,
folly there
is
plainly
c
is,
there
in x
is
plainly
much is
*
He ;
that
and in .
much, where sadness as
but the heart of fools follows mirth 1
To
life.
indignation
confess
of the wise
that
confessing
no pleasure
other, pertinent encreaseth knowledge, encreaseth grief
much understanding And does he not Chap. 7, The heart
joy to
is
he,
that
is
Solomon,
Again
saith
Quis apponit scientiam, &c.
?
by
160
Erasmus he thought it not enough to have wisedome, without he had added the
which you learnt
knowledge
see,
of
me
And
also.
ye will not
if
own words, Chap. 1, 1 I gave know wisdome and knowledge,
believe me, take his
heart
my
to
madnesse and
Where, by the way, tis worth your remark, that he intended me some what extraordinary, that he nam d me last.
A
Preacher writ
order
.
folly
and
it,
this
among Church-men,
in Dignity
comes
last in place, as
doubt,
what ever they do
herein
at
to
least
you know
that he that
the
first
mindful no
other
in
observe
the
is
is
things,
Evangelical
precept. Besides,
that
Folly
Wisdom, the Son clearly witnesseth,
is
more
of Sirach,
excellent
who
than
ever he were,
Chap. 44, whose words,
so
I shall not once utter help me Hercules before you meet 2 my Induction with a sutable !
answer, according to the manner of those in Plato that dispute with Socrates.
more proper
What
things
up with care, such as are rare and precious, or such as are common and of no account ? Why do you give me no are
1
to be laid
Dedi cor meum, &c.
The Praise of
161
Folly
Well, though ye should dissemble, the Greek Proverb will answer for ye, l Fowl
answer?
Water
man let
thrown out
is
shall
be
him know
Masters
Is
.
so
of
ungratious Aristotle
tis
to
as
any
contemn,
the god of our
and Gold in the
think not
I
s,
if
which,
;
there any of ye so very a Fool as
to leave Jewels troth,
of doors
your Houses
in
;
nor
;
is
street
In
?
the most secret part that enough, if there
any Drawer in your Iron private than other, there ye lay be
more
Chests
em
but dirt
;
And therefore, if ye ye throw out of doors. so carefully lay up such things as you value, and throw away what
s vile and of no worth, is it not plain that Wisdom, which he forbids a man to hide, is of less account than Folly, which he
commands him 4
Better
is
the
he that hideth
when he
to cover ? Take his own words, man that hideth his Folly than his Wisdom Or what is that, .
attributes an upright
Craft or Malice to
while thinks no
a
understand that in walking 1
cTTi
1507
by
Fool,
man
the
his
like
when
mind without a
wise
himself
?
Tenth Chap.,
way,
being a
Ovpcus vfjpiav.
M
a
fool
man
For 2
A
the
so
I
Fool
himself,
In via stultus, &c.
1
Erasmus
62
And is it supposes all men to be fools like him not a signe of great integrity to esteem every man as good as himself, and when there is no one .
that leans not too
much
ther way, to be so
to
frank yet as to divide his praises with another
Nor was when he
this great
the
he
says of himself that
than any man. of
King asham d
Nor
Gentiles,
?
of the
Name,
more
foolish
is
did Paul, that great Doctor the
writing to
unwillingly acknowledge^
I
;
Corinthians, saith he,
speak
As if it could be any like a fool. I am more. dishonour to excel in Folly. But here I meet with a great noise of some that endeavour is,
l
Crows
to peck out the
eyes
to blind the Doctors of our times,
out their eyes with
whom my sake
I
new Annotations
friend Erasmus,
whom
often mention, deserves,
place, yet certainly the second.
2
;
that
and smoak
for
among
;
honour
if
not the
O
most
s
first
foolish
and well becoming Folly her Apostle s meaning was wide enough
instance, they cry, self
The
!
he spake it not sense, that he would have them believe but when he fool than the rest
from what thou dream in this
him 1
st
;
for
a greater
Cornicum oculos
:
2
configere.
si
non Alpha,
certe Beta.
The Praise of had
*
said,
They
Folly
are Ministers of Christ,
the
am
I , and by way of boasting herein, had d himself with to thers, he added this by equal
same
way of more
correction or checking himself, as
;
I
am
meaning that he was not onely equal work of the
to the rest of the Apostles in the
Gospel, but somewhat superiour. And there fore, while he would have this receiv d as a
Truth,
might not relish their with too much Arrogance, Argument with the Vizard
lest nevertheless it
eares as being spoken
he foreshorten d his of Folly,
I
speak like a fool
;
because he
knew
was the Prerogative of fools to speak what they Whatever list, and that too without offence. it
he thought when he writ
them fat,
to discuss
fleshie,
with
whom
;
for
my own
this,
I
part, I
leave
it
to
follow those
and vulgarly approv d Doctours, l
a great part of the by Jupiter learned had rather err than follow them that !
understand the Tongues, though they are never
much
in the right. Not any of em make 2 account of those smatterers at Greek greater than if they were Dawes. Especially when a no so
small Professor, whose 1
vr)
rov Ata.
2
name
I
wittingly conceal,
Graeculos istos
M
2
quam
graculos.
1
Erasmus
64
lest
those
Asse at
a
have
I
Harp
,
so often
that
mentioned,
lc an
am more
,
at
discoursing Magisterially and
Theologically on this Text, I
me
Choughs should chatter
Greek Proverb
drew
speak as a fool,
I
new Thesis
a
and, which
;
without the height of Logick he could never have For I ll give done, made this new Subdivision ye his own words, not onely in matter also , I speak like a fool
you look self
upon me
with those
a greater fool
as a fool for
:
form
but
that
is, if
comparing my seem yet
false Apostles, I shall
by esteeming
my
self
em
before
;
though the same person a little after, as for getting himself, runs off to another matter.
But why do self
I
thus staggeringly defend
with one single instance
not the
common
?
As
if
it
my
were
priviledg of Divines to stretch
Heaven, that is Holy Writ, like a Cheverel and when there are many things in St. Paul ;
that
thwart
themselves,
which yet
in
their
proper place do well enough, if there be any credit to be given 2 to St. Jerom, that was Master of five Tongues. Such was that of his at Athens,
when having
casually espi d the inscrip2
1 "Ovos
\vpas.
Illi
irevTaykuTTy Hieronymo.
The Praise of tion of that Altar, he wrested
it
into an
6f
1
Folly
Argument
to prove the Christian Faith,
and leaving out
the other words because they
made
all
against him,
took notice onely of the two last, viz. x To the unknown God and those too, not without ;
some thus
whole Inscription was Asia, Europe, and
alteration, for the :
Africa
;
To To
the the
And according
Gods
of
unknown and
strange
Gods
.
2 example do the Sons of the Prophets, who, forcing out here and there four or five Expressions and if need be corrupting the
sense, wrest
it
to his
to their
own purpose; though what
goes before and follows after,
make nothing
to the
matter in hand, nay, be quite against it. Which yet they do with so happy an impudence, that oftentimes the Civilians envie them that faculty.
For what
is it
for success in,
in a
when
manner they may not hope this great Doctour (I had
almost bolted out his name, but that
I
once
agen stand in fear of the Greek Proverb) has made a construction on an expression of Luke, so agreeable to the
mind
of Christ as are Fire
and Water to one another.
For when the
last
point of danger was at hand, at which time 1
Ignoto Deo.
2
of
rwv OtoXoycav
1
66
Erasmus
retainers special
and dependants are wont in a more
manner
to attend their Protectours, to
examine what strength they have, and prepare 1
for the encounter;
out of his Disciples
dence in such
like
Christ, intending to take
minds
all
defence,
trust
and confi
demands
of
them
whether they wanted any thing, when he sent
them
forth so unprovided for a journey, that neither shoes to defend their feet from had they the injuries of stones and briers, nor the pro vision
of a scrip to preserve
em from
hunger.
And when
they had denied that they wanted any But now, he that hath a bagg, he adds, thing, and he let him take it, and likwise a scrip ;
that hath none, let a all
sword
.
him
sell his
And now when
that Christ taught
coat and
the
summe
buy of
2
prest onely Meekness, and Suffering Contempt of life, who does not clearly perceive what he means in this place ?
to wit,
that he might
the
more disarm
his
Ministers, that neglecting not onely Shoos and
Scrip but throwing
away their very Coat, they manner naked, the more readily
might, being in a and with less hindrance take in hand the work of 2
inculcet.
The Praise of
167
Folly
the Gospel, and provide themselves of nothing but a sword not such as Thieves and Murtherers :
go up and down with, but the Sword of the inward parts, and Spirit, that pierceth the most so cuts off as
that
affections,
were
it
one blow,
at
all
earthly
they mind nothing but
their
duty to God. But see, I pray, whither this famous Theologue wrests it. By the Sword he interprets defence against persecution
and
;
by the Bagg sufficient provision to carry it on. As if Christ having alter d his mind, in that he sent out his Disciples not so royally attended as
he should have done, repented himself of former instructions
had
said,
when ye
are evil spoken
and persecuted, &c.
to resist evil
;
his
or as forgetting that he
Blessed are ye
of, despised,
em
:
for that the
,
and forbad
meek
in Spirit,
not the proud, are blessed or, lest remembring, I say, that he had compar d them to Sparrows :
and
Lillies,
thereby minding them what small
care they should take for the things of this
was so out
a
life,
now from having them go forth with Sword, that he commanded em to get far
one, though with the sale of their Coat, and had rather they should go naked than
want
a brawl-
1
Erasmus
68
ing-iron by their sides. And to this, as under the word ( Sword , he conceives to be compre
hended whatever appertains to the repelling of injuries so under that of Scrip he takes ;
whatever
in
And
necessary to the support of
is
so does this
deep
life.
Interpreter of the divine
meaning bring forth the Apostles to preach the Doctrine of
a crucified Christ,
but furnisht at
points with Launces, Slings, Quarter-staffs, and Bombards lading em also with bag and lest baggage, perhaps it might not be lawful all
;
for
em
to leave their Inn unlesse they were
empty and
fasting.
Nor
does he take the least
notice of this, that he that so will d the to be bought, reprehends
commands
never heard
that
the
a little
it
to be sheath d
it
;
Sword after and
and that
Apostles
ever
it
was
us d
or
swords or bucklers against the Gentiles, though tis
likely
intended,
There
they had don as this is
Doctor
t,
if
Christ had ever
interprets.
another, too, whose
man
name out
of
no small repute, who respect from those Tents which Habbakkuk mentions, I pass
1
The Tents
by, a
of
of the land of 1
Turbabuntur
Midian shall tremble pelles, &c.
,
The Praise of
169
Folly
drew
this Exposition, that it was prophesied the skin of Saint Bartholomew, who was
of flay
d
And why,
alive.
forsooth, but because
those Tents were cover d with skins lately
my
self at a
?
was
I
Theological dispute, for I
often there, where
am
when one was demanding,
What authority there was commands Hereticks to be
holy Writ that convinc d by Fire
in
rather than reclaim d by Argument, a crabbed old fellow, and one whose supercilious gravity
him
Doctor, answered in a great fume that Saint Paul had decreed it, who said, spake
at least a
Reject him that twice admonition
1
is
a
Heretick, after once or
And when
he had sundry times, one after another, thundred out the same thing, and most men wondred what ailed the .
man, at last he explain d it thus, making two words of one 2 A Heretick must be put to :
death
.
others to
Some
laught, and yet there
whom
Theological
;
this
which,
wanted not
Exposition seem d plainly
when some, though
very few, oppos d, they cut off the dispute, 1
as
we
Haereticum hominem post unam et alteram correptionem 2 Devita, hoc est de vita, tollendum haereticum. Tenedia bipenni.
devita. 3
those 3
Erasmus
170
say, with a Hatchet, and the credit of so uncontroulable an Author. Pray conceive me , said he it is written, Thou shalt not suffer i
"
;
a
witch to
live
But every Heretick bewitches
".
And now, as many were present admir d the man s wit, and consequently submitted to his decision of the the people
therefore, &c.
;
as
Nor came
Question. that that
Law
it into any of their heads concern d onely Fortune-tellers,
Enchanters, and Magicians, call in their
Tongue
or Sorcerers
same reason
:
it
for
l
whom
the Hebrews
Mecaschephim
,
Witches
otherwise, perhaps, by the well have extended to
as
might
fornication and drunkenness.
But yet
I foolishly
there
are
run on in these matters, though
so
em
of
many
neither
that
Chrysippus nor Didymus s Volums are large enough to contain em. I would onely desire ye to consider this, that
be
allow d
this
liberty,
reasonably pardon effeminate Divine,
even if
so exactly as I should.
to Paul.
3
Ye
so great
if
I
Doctors the
you may
me
2
also,
may more
a
raw,
quote not every thing
And
willingly
so at last I return
saith he, 3
c
suffer
my
Libenter, &c*
The foolishness
Praise of Folly
and again,
;
and further, I speak as it were foolishly * .;
it
;
*
Take me
1
71
as a fool
;
not after the Lord, but
and
another place,
in
We are fools for Christ s sake
You have heard an Author how great praises .
from how great of Folly and to what other end, but that without doubt he look d upon t as that one ;
thing both necessary and profitable.
be
seem to be wise,
saith he,
amongst ye
a fool, that
he
Jesus cal d those
be wise
may two
any one
If
.
And
Disciples, with
joyn d himself upon the way,
fools
.
him
let
in
Luke,
whom
he
Nor can
when
ye any reason why it should seem so strange, Saint Paul imputes a kind of folly even to
God
himself.
I give
14
The
foolishness of
wiser than men.
he,
is
fess
that Origen
Though
yet
God I
saith
must con
upon the place denies that
this
may be resembled to the uncertain men of which kind is, that 2 the judgment foolishness
of
f
;
preaching of the cross foolishness
is
to
them
that perish
.
am I so careful to no purpose, that thus run on to prove my matter by so many testimonies ? when in those mystical Psalms, But why
I
1
Quod stultum
est Dei, &c.
2
Verbum
crucis, &c.
Erasmus
172 Christ
speaking
to
the
Thou knownest my
1
without ground that
The
God.
Father sayes openly,
foolishnesse
Nor
.
is
it
fools are so acceptable to
reason perhaps
may
Princes carry a suspicious eye
be
this,
upon
that as
those that
and consequently hate em as Caesar did Brutus and Cassius, when he fear d are over-wise,
not in the least drunken Antony so Nero, and Dionysius, Plato , and on the Seneca ;
;
contrary are delighted in those blunter and unlabour d wits ; in like manner Christ ever
abhors and condemns
2
those wise men, and such
put confidence in their own wisdome. Paul makes clearly out when he said, 3
as
this
And God
hath chosen the foolish things of this world and when he saith, It pleased God by foolish
;
as well knowing it had world been impossible to have reform d it by wisdome. Which also he sufficiently declares himself,
ness to save the
,
mouth of his Prophet, I will of the wise, and cast away the wisedom destroy the understanding of the prudent
crying out by the
.
And 1
Tu
agen,
scis
when
insipientiam 3
Quae
Christ gives meam.
stulta sunt
Him 2
mundi, &c.
thanks that crotyovs istos.
The Praise of
173
Folly
he had conceal d the Mystery of Salvation from the wise, but revealed it to babes and sucklings, that
For the Greek word for
to say, Fools.
is
Fools, which he opposeth to the word 2 Wise men. To this appertains that throughout
Babes
the
is
1
Gospel you find him ever accusing the and Pharisees and Doctors of the Law,
Scribes
but diligently defending the ignorant multitude Woe to ye Scribes and (for what other is that Pharises
than woe to ye,
,
ye
wise
men
?),
but seems chiefly delighted in little Children, Women, and Fishers. Besides, among brute Beasts he
is
em
best pleas d with those that have
Foxes subtilty. And there fore he chose rather to ride upon an Asse, when, if he had pleas d, he might have bestrid the least in
of the
And
Lion without danger.
came down
in the shape of a
Eagle or Kite. there
is
Lambs
;
the Holy Ghost
Add
Dove, not of an
to this that in Scripture
frequent mention of Harts, Hinds and and such as are destin d to eternal life
are called sheep, than
which creature there
not any thing more foolish that Proverb of Aristotle 1
;
we may
ffotpois.
is
believe
sheepish manners 3
a
VT)iriois.
3<
if
irpo&areiov
rjOos.
,
Erasmus
174 which he
us
tells
is
taken from the foolishness
and
of that creature,
is
us d to be apply d to
people and
dull-headed
And
lack-wits.
yet
Christ professes to be the Shepheard of this Flock, and is himself delighted with the name of
Lamb according to Saint John, Behold the Of which also there is much Lamb of God mention in the Revelation. And what does all i
a
;
!
but that
this drive at,
nay, even the very best
And relieve
mankind
are fools
?
Christ himself, that he might the better this
Folly,
Father, yet in taking
all
being the wisdome of the
some manner became
upon him the nature
in shape as a
man
;
as in like
a fool,
when
man, he was found manner he was made
of
might heal sinners. Nor did he work this Cure any other way than by the foolishness of the Cross, and a company of fat Sin, that he
Apostles, not fully
much
recommended
better, to folly,
whom also
but gave
em
a
he care caution
against wisdome, and drew em together by the Example of little Children, Lillies, Mustard-
seed and Sparrows, things senseless and incon siderable, living only by the dictates of Nature
and without either
craft or care.
Besides,
when
The Praise of em
he forbad
17?
Folly
to be troubled about
what they
Governors, and straightly not to enquire after times and seasons, to wit, that they might not trust to should
before
say
em
charg d
their
own wisedom but wholly depend on him.
And
to the
same purpose
is
it
that that great
man
Architect of the World, God, gave his
Injunction against
Knowledge, happinesse dis-allows also St.
;
eating
knowledge were the bane of according to which also, St. Paul
it as
puffing
up and destructive whence ;
fixt his
my
that
interprets
Lucifer had
an
the Tree of
as if
Bernard seems in
when he
of
opinion to follow,
mountain whereon
habitation, to be the
moun
tain of knowledge.
Nor perhaps ought ment, that folly errors
never.
are
is
I to
omit
this other
only pardoned, those of wise
Whence
argu
so gracious above, that her
it is
men
that they that ask forgive
though they offend never so wittingly, cloak it yet with the excuse of folly. So Aaron,
ness,
in
Numbers, if I mistake not the book, when he unto Moses concerning his Sister s leprosie,
sues 1
I
beseech thee,
my
Lord, not to lay
\0bsecro, Domine mi, &c.
this sin
Erasmus
i7# upon
us,
which we have "foolishly committed
So Saul makes saith he,
I
his excuse to
did
it
O
.
,
And again, David God, And therefore I
foolishly
.
*
himself thus sweetens
beseech thee,
David,
For behold
Lord, to take away the trespass have done foolishly as
of thy Servant, for I
;
he knew there was no pardon to be obtain d unlesse he had colour d his offence with folly
if
And
and ignorance.
stronger
is
that of Christ
upon the Cross when he pray d for his enemies, Father forgive them nor does he cover their t
;
crime with any other excuse than that of unbecause, saith he, they know not wittingnesse
what they do to
.
Timothy,
for that I did
And what but that
what I
of,
I
In
like
manner
But therefore it
Paul, writing
obtain d mercy, ignorantly through unbelief I
.
the meaning of I did it ignorantly did it out of folly, not malice ? And
is
Therefore
had not obtain d
I
it,
receiv d
had
I
mercy
not been
,
but that
made more
allowable through the covert of folly ? For us also makes that mystical Psalmist, though I
remembred
not in
its
l
right place,
Remember
my youth nor my ignorances see what two things he pretends, to wit,
not the
You
it
sins of
.
.
The Praise of
17 7
Folly
Youth, whose companion I ever am, and Ignor ances, and that in the plural number, a number
whereby we are to understand that there was no small company of em.
of multitude,
But not
To
to run too far in that
speak briefly,
all
which
is
infinite.
Christian Religion seems to
kind of allyance with folly, and in no Of respect to have any accord with wisedom. which if ye expect proofs, consider first that boyes,
have
a
men, women and
old
fools are
more delighted
with religious and sacred things than others, and to that purpose are ever next the Altars ; they do by meer impulse of Nature. And in the next place, you see that those first founders
and
of
this
it
were
plain, simple persons,
and most bitter
enemies of Learning. Lastly there are no sort of fools seem more out of the way than are these whom the zeal of Christian Religion has once swallow d up
;
so that
they waste their estates,
neglect injuries, suffer themselves to be cheated,
put no difference between friends and enemies, abhor pleasure, are cram d with poverty, watchings, tears, labours, reproaches, loathe life,
wish death above senseless to 1507
all
things
common
;
in short, they
understanding, N
and
seem
as if their
1
Erasmus
78
minds
liv
bodies
;
d elsewhere and not in their own
which, what
else
is it
than to be
mad
?
For which reason you must not think it so strange if the Apostles seem d to be drunk with new wine, and
if
Paul appear d to Festus to be mad.
But now, having once gotten on l the Lion s skin, go to, and/ I ll shew ye that this happinesse toil, is
which they pursue with so much nothing else but a kind of madnesse and
folly
far
of Christians,
;
be
it
that
words should give any
my
offence, rather consider
my
matter.
the Christians and Platonicks do in this, that the Soul
it is
so ty
first,
as
agree
good plung d and
is
in the prison of the body,
which
And
as
fetter
d up and hinder
d, that it
cannot
take a view of or enjoy things as they truly are
and
;
for that cause their master defines Philosophy
to be a contemplation of death, because off
d
by the grossnesse of
the
mind from
visible
takes
it
and corporeal objects,
than which death does no more.
And
therefore,
as long as the Soul useth the Organs of the Body in that right manner it ought, so long it but is said to be in good state and condition ;
when, having broke 1
its fetters, it
T^V \COVTTJV.
endeavours to
The Praise of
179
Folly
get loose, and assayes, as it were, a flight out of that prison that holds it in, they call it madness ;
and
if
this
happen through any distemper, or
indisposition of the organs, then,
by the common
consent of every man, tis down-right madnesse. And yet we see such kind of men foretell things to come, understand
Tongues and Letters they
never learnt before, and seem, a
Nor
kind of Divinity.
as it
were, big with
to be doubted but
is it
proceeds from hence, that the mind, being somewhat at liberty from the infection of the that
it
body, begins to put forth it self in its native vigour. And I conceive tis from the same cause that the like often happens to sick
men
a little
before their death, that they discourse in strain
above mortality, if
this
as if
they were inspir the
happens upon
though perhaps madness, yet
men would
it
tis
judge
may
of
d.
Agen,
Religion,
not be the same kind of
so near it
score
it
that a great
no better,
especially
many when a
few inconsiderable people shall differ from the rest of the world in the whole course of their life.
And
therefore
it
fares
with them,
as,
according
to the Fiction of Plato, happens to those that
being coopt up in
a
cave stand gaping with
N 2
1 8
Erasmus
o
admiration at the shadows of things and that fugitive who, having broke from em and return ;
ing to
em
agen, told
em he had seen
things truly
they were, and that they were the most mistaken in believing there was nothing but
as
For
pitiful shadows.
as this
wise
man
pitty d
and bewail d their palpable madness that were possest with so grosse an error, so they in
him as a doating fool, and cast out of their company. In like manner the
return laught at
him
common
sort of
men
chiefly
admire those things
that are most corporeal, and almost believe there
nothing beyond em. Whereas on the con trary, these devout persons, by how much the
is
nearer any thing concerns the body, by so much the more they neglect it, and are wholly hurry d
away with the contemplation of things invisible. For the one give the first place to riches, the next to
their
corporal
place to their soul
pleasures, ;
scarce believe, because they can their eyes.
On
the
leaving
which yet most t
of
see
last
em do it
the contrary, the others
with first
the most unchangeable of rely wholly on God, next and all things him, yet on this that comes ;
nearest him, they bestow the second on their
The soul
and
;
Praise of Folly
their body, they neglect
lastly, for
contemn and
fly monies as super or if they are be well may spar d to meddle with any of these things, they
that care, and fluity that
forc
do
t
it
;
and much against their wills, they had it not, and possessing as
carelesly as
having if
i 8 i
if
it
they possessed
There
not.
are also in each several things several
degrees wherein they disagree among themselves. And first as to the senses, though all of em have
more some
or lesse affinity with the body, yet of these
more
are
and blockish,
gross
hearing, seeing, smelling, touching
remov d from the body, and the the
will.
mind
And
applies
as
;
as
memory,
intellect,
therefore to which of these
its self,
in that lyes its force.
But holy men, because the whole bent minds
tasting,
some more
of their
taken up with those things that are most repugnant to these grosser senses, they seem is
brutish and stupid in the
common
use of them.
Whereas on the contrary, the ordinary sort people are best at these, and can do least to ther
;
from whence
it
that some of these holy
drunk
oil for
wine.
is,
as
men
we have
of at
heard,
have by mistake
Agen, in the affections of
Erasmus
2
1 8
commerce with
the mind, some have
a
the body than others,
as lust, desire of
greater
meat and
with which holy men sleep, anger, pride, envy are at irreconcilable enmity, and contrary, the ;
common people think there s no living without em. And lastly there are certain middle kind of affections, as
and
as it
the love of one
were natural to every man,
s
Country, Children, Parents, the common people which to and Friends, attribute no small matter whereas to ther strive ;
to pluck as
em out of their mind
unlesse
:
insomuch
they arrive to that highest part of the soul,
that they love their Parents not as Parents
what did they get but the body owe it to God, not them but
women, and
in
whom
?
though yet we
as
good men or
the
shines
for
Image
of
that highest wisdom, which alone they call the chiefest good, and out of which, they say, there is
nothing to be belov d or desir d. And by the same rule do they measure
things
else, so
whatever
is
that they
visible,
make
unlesse
all
lesse
account of
be
altogether
it
contemptible, than of those things which they cannot see. But they say that in Sacraments and other religious Duties there
is
both body and
The Praise of As
Spirit.
for a
not enough eating, which the
in fasting they count
man to abstain from
common
take
people
1 8 3
Folly
an
for
it
absolute
Fast,
unlesse there be also a lessening of his deprav affections
as
that he be
:
lesse
than he was wont, that the clog d with its bodily weight, intent
upon heavenly
things.
angry,
less
Ceremonies, yet of
its self
hurtful, unless thpt it,
to wit, that
visible
signes.
which
which
may In
like
abolishing and,
as it
is
manner,
it is
not to
administer d with
of little effect, if not
tis
the
which
it,
tis
proud,
being less be the more
spiritual be
added to
represented under those
is
Now
represented by
affections,
that
d
Spirit,
in the Eucharist, though, say they,
be esteem d the
less
death of Christ
all
is
men, vanquishing,
were, burying their carnal
ought to express in their
lives
and
may grow up to a new and be one with life, him, and the same one amongst another. This a holy man does,
conversations, that they ness of
and in
this
is
his
only
meditation.
Whereas
on the contrary, the common people think there s no more in that Sacrifice than to be present at the Altar,
of
and crow d next
it,
to have a noise
words and look upon the Ceremonies.
Nor
Erasmus
184 in this alone, of
which we onely propos d by way all his life, and without
example, but in
hypocrisie, does a holy
man
fly
those things that
have any alliance with the body, and is wholly ravisht with things Eternal, Invisible, and For which cause there s so great Spiritual. contrariety of opinion between
em, and that
too in every thing, that each party thinks the other out of their wits ; though that character, in
judgment, better agrees with those holy than the common people which yet will
my
men
:
be more clear
if,
as I
promis
d, I briefly
that that great reward they so
nothing
And
else
but
a
much
shew ye fancy
is
kind of madness.
therefore suppose that Plato dreamt of
somewhat
like it
when he
call
d the madness of
Lovers the most happy condition of all others. For he that s violently in Love lives not in his
own body, but in the thing he loves and by how much the farther he runs from himself into another, by so much the greater is his pleasure. And then, when the mind strives to rove from its body, and does not rightly use its own organs, ;
without doubt you may say tis downright madnesse and not be mistaken, or otherwise what s
The Praise of
1 8
Folly
the meaning of those does not dwell at 6
He
s
his
his
(
,
,
?
perfect and true his love is
y
common sayings, He home Come to your self own man again Besides, the more x
And
madness. after
hereafter,
the
is,
more pleasant
what
that
life
which these holy minds
so
therefore,
is
pantingly breathe, like to be ? To wit, the Spirit shall swallow up the Body, as conqueror and more
durable
and
;
this it shall
ease because heretofore, in
cleans d
and thinn d
it
do with the greater its life-time, it had
into such another nothing
And
then the Spirit agen shall be d up by that highest mind, swallow wonderfully as being more powerful than infinite parts ; so as its self.
that the whole
man
to be otherwise
is
happy
to be out of himself, nor in
any respect, but that
being stript of himself, he shall participate of
somewhat draws
all
from that
ineffable
things into
chiefest
And
its self.
this
good that happiness
though tis only then perfected when souls being joyn d to their former bodies shall be made immortal, yet forasmuch as the life of holy men is nothing but a continu d meditation and, as it
were, shadow of that 1
Non
est
apud
se
:
Ad
life, it
te redi
:
so
happens that
Sibi redditus est.
i 8
Erasmus
6
at length they
have some taste or
which, though
it
be but
as
relish of it
;
the smallest drop in
comparison of that fountain of eternal happiness, yet
it far
surpasses all worldly delight,
the pleasures of
all
together.
all
much
So
mankind were
all
though joyn d
better are things spiritual
than things corporal, and things invisible than things visible
the
;
which doubtless
Prophet promiseth
:
The
seen, nor the ear heard, nor has
the heart of
man
to
that
Mary
s
eye hath not
entred into
it
consider what
provided for them that love is
that which
is
Him
better part, which
.
is
God And
has this
not taken
of life, but perfected. therefore they that are sensible of
away by change
And
and few there are to ^a
kind of somewhat
whom
this
little differing
it,
happens, suffer
from madness
;
jfor they utter many things that do not hang together, and that too not after the manner of
men, but make a kind of sound which they neither heed themselves, nor is it understood by and change the whole figure of their countenance, one while jocund, another while others,
dejected, sighing.
now weeping, then laughing, and agen And when they come to themselves,
The Praise of tell
187
Folly
know not where they have been,
ye they
whether in the body or out of the body, or nor do they remember what they have sleeping ;
heard, seen, spoken or done, and only
know
this,
dream, that they were the most happy while they were so out of their
as it
were
in a mist or
And therefore
wits.
they are sorry they are come
nothing more kind of madnesse, to be perpetually And this is a small taste of that future agen, and desire
to themselves
than
this
mad.
v
happiness.
But
I
.bounds.
f orgejL
.my._lJLand
Though
yet,
I
if
*
run beyond my seem to have
shall
spoken any thing more boldly or impertinently than I ought, be pleas d to consider that not only Folly but a Woman said it remembring ;
in the
mean time
times a fool
may
perhaps you I see
speak
a
word
in season
say this concerns not
you expect an Epilogue, but give
to tell ye I
ll
that Greek Proverb,
you
are
much
remember any thing
of
mistaken
what
foolishly bolted out such a 1
2
virip TO. fffKdfjifjifva
UoXXaKi
TOI
I
if
have
2
,
Women. me leave
you think
said,
hodg podg
Some unlesse
having
of words.
irqfiSj.
/cat fjiupbs
avrjp KaraKaiptov ciirfv.
>
Erasmus
1 8 8
Tis an old Proverb,
what of
s
l
hate one that remembers
done over the Cup 2
my own making:
what he hands,
lt
hears.
live,
I
hate
This
.
a
new one
man that remembers
a
Wherefore
and drink
is
your most excellent
farewell, clap
lustick,
my
Disciples of Folly.
TEAO2.
1
Mtaw
FINIS
8
fAvdfJiova.
Oxford
:
ov^iiorav.
Mtaw
/ivayuova
Horace Hart M.A. Printer to the University
ET