ERASMUS was born on the 28th of October 1467, at Rotterdam. Ho was the illegitimate son of a citizen of Gouda, named Gerrit (Gerard), which, according to a pedantic fashion of the day, he trans lated doubly into Desiderine Erasmus ; and in future years he found time to lament his carelessness in calling himself Erasmus instead of by the more accurate form Erasmius. During his father's life he was well and tenderly educated ; but at the ago of fourteen he fell into the hands of dishonest guardians, who wasted his patrimony, and to conceal their peculation/I, drove him, very unwillingly, into a menu tory. He took the vows at Stein in 1486. Fortunately his skill in Latin caused him to be employed as private secretary to the bishop of Cambral, who in 1496, at the end of their connection, authorised him to proceed to Paris to coutinue his studies, instead of returning to the monastic life, which he hated. At Paris Erasmus barely supported himself, by taking pupils, in sickness and poverty. For many years he led a wandering life, relying on the bounty of those patrons who were attracted by his learning and sprightly wit, sometimes in France, sometimes in the Netherlands, sometimes in England, to which he was a frequent visitor. In England he became intimate with More, Colet, dean of St. Paul's, and other learned mou, of whom he has spoken in high terms of praise ; and England, if any permanent establishment had been offered, would have been the home of his choice. For seve ral years ho applied himself diligently to the study of Greek, which, after ages of general neglect, was just beginning to bo an object of attention. lie was 'autodidactos' (self-taught) ho says ; and one of his favourite employments was the translation of short Greek treatises into Latin, which answered the doublet purpose of itnproving hitusolf, and furnishing him with a number of books to dedicate to his wealthy friends; for in those days the honour of a dedication was generally acknowledged by a handsome present. Careless however of economy, and not averse to pleasure, Erasmus was continually in want ; and in one of his letters (xii. 21) he duns Colet for fifteen angels, promised as the price of the dedication of his treatise ' De Copia Verborum.' In 1506 Erasmus paid his first visit to Italy, during which ho obtained from Pope Julius II. a dispensation from his monastic vows. At Bologna, Venice, and l'sdua, ho improved his knowledge of Greek under the instructiou of the best Greek and Italian scholars. At
Rome he met with a flattering reception, and promises of high advancement ; but having engaged to return to England ho did so in 1510, in the expectation 'that the recent accession of Henry V1 II., with whom he had for some time maintained a correspondence, would ensure to him an honourable provision. During this visit ho resided for some time at Cambridge, where he was appointed Lady Margaret professor (in divinity), and also lectured on Greek. His lodging was in Queen's College, in the grounds of which Erasmus's Walk is still ehown. But not finding his expectations likely to be fulfilled, ha accepted an invitation from the archduke, afterwards Charles V., and went to Brabant in 1514, with the office of councillor, and a salary of 200 florins. After this we find him resident sometimes in the Nether lands, sometimes at Basel, where the great work in which he had been many years engaged, the first edition of the New Testament in Greek, was published in 1516, accompanied by a new Latin translation. Some amusing specimens of the objections made to this undertaking by the ignorant clergy will be found in his 'Letters' (vi. 2).
At the dawn of the Reformation, Erasmus, who in his witty writings had exposed many abuses of the Roman Catholic Church, especially those connected with the monastic system, was much embarrassed. It is clear that at heart he went a long way with the reformers, whose tenets he cautiously abstains from censuring, even in letters to dignitaries of the church, where he speaks of Luther him self in no very friendly terms. But he was of a timid temper, disinclined to sacrifice either life or comfort to his opinions, for he says of himself, in a letter to Pace, dean of St. Paul's, "Even if Luther had spoken everything in the most unobjectionable manner, I had uo inclination to die for the sake of truth. Every man has not the courage to make a martyr ; and I sin afraid, if I were put to the trial, I should imitate St. Peter." This backwardness brought on him some harsh rebukes from Luther, who nevertheless had an esteem for his person as well as a regard for his talents; and calla him, in a letter written in 1519 (vi. 3), "Decus nostrum et apes noatra" (" our glory and our hope"). Neither did tho zealots of the other side regard him with more favour. Erasmus, it was said, laid the egg, and Luther hatched it ; and no doubt the pungency of his satire had its effect in opening men's eyes, and preparing for the graver warfare of the great reformer.