of a very injurious kind causing annoy- | there, indeed, any profit in the whole ance to every member of a household, not transaction? Probably, more is spent unfrequently arise from false notions of through absence on "particular busieconomy. Undue stress is laid upon trifles, ness," than is saved in the scullery at indulgence in which, however, conduces home. A lady of the penny-wise persuamaterially to the ease and pleasantness of sion arrays herself in her smartest to daily life, while the main causes constitut- make a morning call upon a friend, living, ing extravagance, that is to say, expendi- perhaps, at the distance of two or three ture to which our means are inadequate, miles. Overtaken by a sharp shower, are left out of sight. Heed is given to the midway on her return, she is invited by "anise and cummin " while mightier mat- the driver of a cab to shelter her sparkters are neglected, and thus, to borrow a ling apparel within it; but "cabs are so journalistic phrase just now in vogue, a expensive," she mentally exclaims, and "harassing legislation "is the order of hastens on to reach home in the guise of the home rule exercised. With some in- a misérable, but blind to the fact that flexible housewives it is a boast that they she has spoilt five pounds' worth of finery never allow fires in the sitting-rooms in order to save half-a-crown! There is after the oak-apple is formed on the tree; in truth nothing more tiresome or more and so in our crude spring seasons with pernicious than the results practically of an east wind blowing through every misconceptions respecting economy. As cranny, a family grow is doomed to shiver, and the result is influenza and a doctor's bill exceeding the cost of a ton of coal. But the lady, unconvinced of the fallacy of the dogmas, assigns the responsibility to the weather, "It is so inclement, you see."

There is, in some households, an especial observance of the twilight, at which hour a sort of curfew prevails, and a temporary cessation of employment is insisted on for the purpose of saving an inappreciable amount of gas or oil. The waste of that greatest treasure-time, is not considered. Within some other four walls, cold mutton is still a tradition, and persistently appears at that ill-starred juncture known as "washing-day." A neighbouring laundry and reasonable terms, will not induce a certain type of womanhood to rid her house of the steam and the scent of soapsuds; notwithstanding the remonstrance of her husband, and the fact that he invariably has particular business in town on those ominous occasions, the practice is continued. The domestic atmosphere is, in a twofold sense, made an offence instead of an attraction, and all this, because to have the "washing done at home," is economical. Does a wife gain by dissenting from so simple a wish of her husband's, and is

in a State, so in a household, which is government on a diminutive scale, lesser considerations should yield to greater, and "saving" at the expense of objects infinitely important, is a waste of that which is invaluable, and not to be atoned for. Instead of this, Lucullian luxuries of the palate are perhaps indulged in, and take precedence of all other requirements which should be represented in the expenditure of an income sufficient to cover all reasonable necessities, but not one excess. A shabby suit and a squalid abode are the results of disproportionate outlay. In some instances, a heavy rent is paid, and an irreproachable exterior of the "family mansion" is maintained to the detriment of health, abundance, and ease within. The nursery dinner consists of rice or bread-pudding only, beer is denounced as plebeian, a full glass of wine is an impropriety; and niggardliness at all points prevails. Consistency is disregarded for the sake of ostentatious display: but so long as we sacrifice matters of higher moment to the vanity of costly appointments in households, and outside show, so long shall we be losers, though practising a thousand mean contrivances which claim for them the merit of economizing.

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From The British Quarterly Review.
ERASMUS-HIS CHARACTER.*

-

prepos

even now he is only beginning to be correctly and candidly judged. It would be THE recent appearance of two new easy to point to books of recent date, lives of Erasmus - -one in French, which clearly prove that the partisan the other in English — naturally attracts spirit which prevented any just estimate fresh attention to perhaps the most re- of Erasmus from being reached in his markable personage on the whole field of own day still lives and works literary history. Many things conspire sesses authors in the opinion they are to to impart to the name of Erasmus an ex-form regarding him, and fatally distorts traordinary and imperishable interest. the image of the man which they think His strongly-marked personal character themselves warranted in presenting to and the stirring incidents of his life; the the world. position which he occupied at the moBut, even apart from the operation of mentous epoch of the Reformation; his such prejudiced feelings, there is anrelations to Luther on the one hand, and other very sufficient reason why but few to the Papacy on the other; his vast repu- have been able to form any just and accutation as a scholar; the unique and in-rate estimate of Erasmus. The only calculable service which he rendered to way of doing this is by mastering his Christendom as the editor of the first Greek New Testament ever published; the influence which, by means of his manifold writings, he exerted over his own and succeeding generations; his intimate and almost chivalrous friendship with Dean Colet and Sir Thomas More - these and other circumstances connected with his life and character have surrounded his name with an attractiveness amounting almost to fascination, which, of its kind, is probably unexampled by any other name in modern history.

Yet, until recently, Erasmus has been singularly unfortunate in his biographers. A very fragmentary and therefore inaccurate delineation of his conduct and achievements has in general been presented. Nor is there much difficulty in accounting for such a fact. In his own age it was, of course, impossible that any true estimate of him could be formed. Both in regard to Protestantism and Popery his life and writings offered too many points of antagonism to render a fair and impartial estimate of the man and his work a thing which could then, by any possibility, be produced. And

* (1.) Desiderii Erasmi Roterodami Opera omnia in decem tomos distincta, cura CLERICI. Lugduni Batavorum, MDCCIII.

(2.) Erasme, Précurseur et Initiateur de l'Esprit Moderne. Par H. DURAND DE LAUR. Paris, 1873. (3.) Erasmus: his Life and Character as shown in kis Correspondence and Works. By ROBERT BLACKLEY DRUMMOND, B.A. London, 1873.

works, and that is a Herculean task indeed. Let any one glance at the ten huge folios of which Le Clerc's edition consists, and he will soon understand why it is that, for the most part, only a corner of Erasmus' character has been seen even by some of those who have professed to know him best. Great has been the temptation to read merely the "Colloquies," or the " Praise of Folly," and then from these to express an opinion respecting the writer, as if no further line from his pen existed at the present day. But this is about as fair as it would be to judge of a vast cathedral by a glance into its chapter-house, or to express a positive opinion as to the general character of a continent, after travelling through one or two of the smallest kingdoms which it contains. To do Erasmus justice, his works as a whole must be studied; and that, as we have already hinted, is truly a stupendous task. If any one wishes work to last him a lifetime, let him set about the enterprise of mastering the mighty tomes now lying before us. The question has often been propounded, what single author would best supply

This is generally spoken of as the Leyden edition, from the place where it was published. It is very excellent and complete, but unfortunately does not contain Erasmus' introductions to the works of Jerome. which are worthy of being ranked among the best of his writings, nor the brilliant dialogue "Julius Exclusus," which there is no small reason for ascribing to him. These pieces will be found in the Appendix to Jortin's "Life of Erasmus."

guage which rushes from his pen - as if there were no reason why he should not go on forever. All this, of course, tells heavily on the patience of the reader. And then, so minute and multifarious was his classical learning, that his references, often of a metaphorical kind, to obscure passages in Greek or Latin au

zling even by well-read scholars. Instead of expressing a thought in simple prosaic language, he delights to wrap it

mental pabulum to the inhabitant of a solitary island, who, on being banished to it, should be allowed to make choice of one favourite writer, and no more? Some have named Plato, others Cicero, and others Shakespeare; but to our mind no one can for a moment compare with Erasmus. Here, in these endless pages of his, there is reading and there is think-thors will not unfrequently be felt puzing which it seems scarce possible to exhaust. And, withal, the variety is as wonderful as the mere bulk seems overwhelming. The one unfailing character-up in a phrase borrowed from some anistic of Erasmus' writings is erudition. But with that everywhere present, they treat of the most diverse topics, and exhibit the most changeful styles. There are few things in human life on which he does not touch, and none of which he treats that are not illuminated by the play of his wit, or illustrated and made plain through means of that practical wisdom by which he was pre-eminently distinguished.

cient writer, with whose pages few at the present day are much acquainted. Readers of the "Encomium Moria" will easily verify this statement by a reference to almost any page of that work, perhaps now the most popular of all the writings of Erasmus.*

As already said, the only satisfactory means of knowing what sort of a man Erasmus really was, is by studying his character as revealed in such a collection The works of Erasmus are by no means of his writings as that named at the head very easy reading. Portions of them, of this article. More than almost any indeed, such as his devotional writings other man, Erasmus lives in his works. and his letters, are simple enough, and We see in these all the phases of his will be easily and agreeably got through mind and heart; his points of weakness by any passable Latin scholar. But there as well as strength are fully revealed, and are two things that render most of his his inward man is as vividly depicted by writings toilsome to all ordinary readers. his own pen as his outward man was The first thing is their terrible prolixity,* pourtrayed by the cunning pencil of Holand the second is the recondite allusions bein. It is to this sort of information to classical authors with which they regarding him that we shall look in seekabound. Erasmus was a literary impro-ing to bring out the leading features of visatore. He wrote with amazing flu- his character; and before proceeding to ency; he never paused to correct or condense what he had produced; his stock of words never failed him; and it really seems in some of his pieces manifold are the ramifications which spring from the subject in hand, and so continuous the stream of elegant lan

SO

* Jortin, indeed (Vol. II. 72), after remarking "that though it is a common thing for those who have been great writers so to spin out their materials that the reader rather loses his time than gains knowledge the farther he proceeds in their books," adds, "Erasmus, on the contrary, despatches his argument with conciseness as well as clearness," but we fear there are not many even of the admirers of Erasmus that will admit the justice of this compliment. Erasmus himself confesses in a letter to Longolius, -"Effundo verius quam scribo omnia, ac molestior est recognoscendi quam cudendi labor.'

A word may here be said as regards the style of Erasmus. We have described it above as being "clegant," and we believe that, upon the whole, it may be justly so characterized. But it makes no pretension to Ciceronian refinements. As will be noticed further on, Erasmus, with great good sense and equal raillery, poured contempt on those in his day who sought in their writings to be servile echoes of the great master of Roman eloquence. It is to be regretted, however, that he did not take more pains to keep his own style free from a kind of mannerism far from agreeable to the reader. Envious cavillers nicknamed him, in his own day, Porrophagus, from the frequency with which the adverb "porro" occurs in his writings. We confess to having felt his constantly recurring use of "siquidem," in the sense of "assuredly," still more disagreeable. So fond was Erasmus of this word (used, no doubt, also by others), that he even interpolates it into a line of Juvenal, quoting Sat. II. 83, thus, "Nemo siquidem repente fuit turpissimus." (OA II. 955.)