ry never tired, his intellect was true to itself, and no worldly
motives ever tempted him into insincerity."

The great mass of the writings of Erasmus are only of interest to
scholars. His two popular books are the _Colloquies_ and the _Praise of
Folly_, both written in Latin, but translated into most of the European
tongues. The _Colloquies_ were rendered into fine, nervous English by N.
Bailey, the old lexicographer. The _Praise of Folly_, illustrated with
Holbein's drawings, is also to be read in English, in the translation
of Sir Roger L'Estrange; a writer who, if he was sometimes coarse and
slangy, had a first-rate command of our language, and was never lacking
in racy vigor.

Erasmus wrote the _Praise of Folly_ in the house of Sir Thomas More,
with whom he lodged on his arrival in England in 1510. It was completed
in a week, and written to divert himself and his friend. A copy being
sent to France, it was printed there, and in a few months it went
through seven editions. Its contents were such, that it is no wonder, in
the words of Jortin, that "he was never after this looked upon as a
true son of the Church." In the orthodox sense of the term, it would be
difficult to look upon the writer of this book as a true Christian.

Folly is made to speak throughout. She pronounces her own panegyric She
represents herself as the mainspring of all the business and pleasure
of this world, yes, and also of its worship and devotion. Mixed up with
capital fooling, there is an abundance of wisdom, and shrewd thrusts are
delivered at every species of imposture; nay, religion itself is treated
with derision, under the pretence of buffoonery.

Long before Luther began his campaign against the sale of Pardons and
Indulgences, they were satirically denounced by Erasmus. He calls them
"cheats," for the advantage of the clergy, who promise their dupes in
return for their cash a lot of happiness in the next life; though, as to
their own share of this happiness, the clergy "care not how long it be
deferred." Erasmus anticipated Luther in another point. Speaking of the
subtle interpreters of the Bible in his day, who proved from it anything
and everything, he says that, "They can deal with any text of scripture
as with a nose of wax, and knead it into what shape best suits their
interest." Quite as decisively as Luther, though with less passion
and scurrility, he condemns the adoration of saints, which he calls a
"downright folly." Am