I have chosen the chronological method because it serves best to illustrate the development of the man in his relation to his time. Such selections from Erasmus' writings have been chosen for detailed examination as bear most directly upon the main objects of the book. It has seemed wiser to make them long enough to show their true meaning rather than to use a greater number of mere scraps, which might in almost every case be contradicted by other scraps. So far as possible the merely controversial has been avoided. For example, I have barely alluded to the prolonged discussions with Archbishop Lee, the Frenchman Bedda, the Spaniard Stunica, and the Italian prince of Carpi. The detail of these controversies tends rather to confuse than to illuminate the point of chief interest to us. Yet no treatment of Erasmus could escape entirely the tone of controversy. He set that tone himself and the student of his writings inevitably falls into it. The translations have been kept as close to the originals as was consistent with a freedom of style somewhat corresponding to Erasmus' own. It would be hopeless to attempt, by any paraphrasing whatever, to improve upon the freshness and vivacity of the author. My thanks are due to many friends for kind assistance and suggestion, but especially to my colleague, Professor Albert A. Howard of the Latin department of Harvard University, to whose careful revision the accuracy of the translations is chiefly due. References to the Leyden edition of Erasmus' works in 1703-1706 are given simply by volume, page (column), and division of the column, as, _e. g._, iii.¹, 157-B. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE iii INTRODUCTION xiii BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE xxiii CHAPTER I. SCHOOL AND MONASTERY. 1467-1490 1 CHAPTER II. PARIS AND HOLLAND. 1492-1498 26 CHAPTER III. FIRST VISIT TO ENGLAND. 1498-1500 62 CHAPTER IV. PARIS--THE "ADAGIA"--THE "ENCHIRIDION MILITIS CHRISTIANI"--PANEGYRIC ON PHILIP OF BURGUNDY. 1500-1506 87 CHAPTER V. RESIDENCE IN ITALY--THE "PRAISE OF FOLLY." 1506-1509 122 CHAPTER VI. ENGLAND (1509-1514)--THE NEW TESTAMENT--THE "DE COPIA VERBORUM ET RERUM." 179 CHAPTER VII. BASEL AND LOUVAIN--THE "INSTITUTIO PRINCIPIS CHRISTIANI." 1515-1518 218 CHAPTER VIII. BEGINNINGS OF THE REFORMATION--CORRESPONDENCE OF 1518-1519 268 CHAPTER IX. DEFINITE BREACH WITH THE REFORMING PARTIES--HUTTEN'S "EXPOSTULATIO" AND ERASMUS' "SPONGIA." 1520-1523 336 CHAPTER X.