he Diet of Worms in 1521; taken prisoner and
confined in the Wartburg, he there translated the New
Testament; later translated the Old Testament, and published
a hymn-book; in 1525 married a nun; published numerous
polemical pamphlets against the Church; had great influence
in the formation of the present literary language of
Germany.

SOME OF HIS TABLE TALK AND SAYINGS[13]

"Before I translated the New Testament out of the Greek all longed
after it; when it was done, their longing lasted scarce four weeks.
Then they desired the books of Moses; when I had translated these,
they had enough thereof in a short time. After that, they would have
the Psalms; of these they were soon weary, and desired other books. So
will it be with the Book of Ecclesiasticus, which they now long for,
and about which I have taken great pains. All is acceptable until our
giddy brains be satisfied; afterward we let things lie, and seek after
new."

[Footnote 13: Luther's "Table Talk" found English translators soon
after it appeared in German. A notable later version was made by
William Hazlitt.]

Dr. Luther discust at length concerning witchcraft and charms. He said
that his mother had had to undergo infinite annoyance from one of her
neighbors, who was a witch and whom she was fain to conciliate with
all sorts of attention, for this witch could throw a charm upon
children which made them cry themselves to death. A pastor having
punished her for some knavery, she cast a spell upon him by means of
some earth upon which he had walked, and which she bewitched. The poor
man hereupon fell sick of a malady which no remedy could remove, and
shortly after died.

Dr. Luther said he had heard from the Elector of Saxony, John
Frederic, that a powerful family in Germany was descended from the
devil--the founder having been born of a succubus. He added this
story: "A gentleman had a young and beautiful wife, who, dying, was
buried. Shortly afterward, this gentleman and one of his servants
sleeping in the same chamber, the wife who was dead came at night,
bent over the bed of the gentleman as tho she were conversing with
him, and after a while went away again. The servant, having twice
observed this circumstance, asked his master whether he knew that
every night a woman clothed in white stood by his bedside. The master
replied that he had slept soundly, and had observed nothing of the
sort. The next night he took