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In Praise of Folly By Erasmus Book PDF Free Download
ERASMUS OF ROTTERDAM
To his Friend THOMAS MORE, Health:
AS I was coming to a while since out of Italy for England, that I might not waste all that time I was to sit on Horseback in foolish and illiterate Fables,
I chose rather one while to revolve with myself something of our common Studies, and another while to enjoy the remembrance of my friends, of whom I left here some no less learned than pleasant.
Amongst these you, my More, came first in my mind, whose memory, though absent your self, gives 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 met with anything more delectable.
And therefore, being satisfied that something was to be done and that that time was no wise I proper for any serious matter, I resolved to make some sport with The Praise of Folly.
But who the Devil put that in thy head? you say. The first thing was your surname of More, which comes so near the word Moria (Folly) as you are far from the thing.
And that you are so, all the world will clear you. In the next place, I conceived this exercise of wit would not be least approved by you; inasmuch as you are wont to be delighted with such kind of mirth, that is to say, neither unlearned,
if I am not mistaken, nor altogether insipid, and in the whole course of your life have played the part of a Democritus.
And though such is the excellence 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 men a man of all hours.
Wherefore you will not only with goodwill accept this small Declamation, but take upon you the defense of ‘t, forasmuch as being dedicated to you, it is now no longer mine but yours.
But perhaps there will not be wanting some wranglers that may cavil and charge me, partly that these toys are lighter than may become a Divine,
and partly more biting than may beseem the modesty of a Christian, and consequently exclaim that I resemble the Ancient Comedy, or another Lucian, and snarled at everything.
But I would have them whom the lightness or foolery of the Argument may offend, to consider that mine is not the first of this kind, but the same thing that has been often Prac’d even by great Authors:
when Homer, so many Ages since did the like with the battle of Frogs and Mice: Virgil, with the Gnat, and Puddings; Ovid, with the Nut; when Poly crates, and his Corrector Isocrates, extol’d Tyranny; Glauco, Injustice; Favorinus, Deformity, and the quartan Ague;
Synescius, Baldness; Lucian, the Fly, and Flattery; when Seneca made such sport with Claudius’s Canon izations; Plutarch, with his Dialogue between Ulysses and Gryllus;
Lucian and Apuleius, with the Asse; and some other, I know not who, with the Hog that made his last Will and Testament, of which also, even S. Jerome makes mention.
| Author | Erasmus |
| Language | English |
| No. of Pages | 188 |
| PDF Size | 7.7 MB |
| Category | Biography |
| Source/Credits | archive.org |
The Praise of Folly Book PDF Free Download