The Colloquies of Erasmus Part 41

_Ch._ What is to be done now?

_Au._ Now we must proceed to Translations, Similitudes and Examples.

_There is a Translation in these._

I have received your Letters, which were sweet as Honey. Your Writings seem to be nothing but meer Delight. Your Letters are a meer Pleasure; and a great many of the like Kinds. "But Care is to be taken not to make Use of harder Translations; such as this that follows,

_Jupiter hybernas cana nive conspuit Alpes._

such as this is." The Suppers of thy Writings have refreshed me with most delicious Banquets.

_A Comparison by Simile._

Thy Writings have been sweeter than either _Ambrosia_ or _Nectar_. Thy Letters have been sweeter to me than any Honey. Your kind Letter has excell'd even Liquorish, Locusts, and _Attic_ Honey, and Sugar; nay, even the _Nectar_ and _Ambrosia_ of the G.o.ds. "And here, whatsoever is enn.o.bled with Sweetness, may be brought into the Comparison."

_From Examples._

I will never be induc'd to believe, that _Hero_ receiv'd the Letters of her _Leander_, either with greater Pleasure, or more Kisses, than I received yours. I can scarce believe that _Scipio_, for the Overthrow of _Carthage_, or _Paulus aemylius_, for the taking of _Perseus_, ever triumphed more magnificently than I did, when the Post-man gave me your most charming Letter. "There are a thousand Things of this Nature, that may be found in Poets and Historians. Likewise Similitudes are borrow'd from Natural Philosophy; the Nature of a great many of which, it is necessary to keep in Memory. Now if you please, we will try in another Sentence."

_I will never forget you while I live._

I will always remember you, as long as I live. Forgetfulness of you, shall never seize me as long as I live. I will leave off to live, before I will to remember you.

_By Comparisons._

If the Body can get rid of its Shadow, then this Mind of mine may forget you. The River _Lethe_ itself shall never be able to wash away your Memory.

"Besides, by an Impossibility, or after the Manner of Poets by contraries.

_Dum juga montis aper, fluvios dum piscis amabit.

Ante leves ergo pastentur in athere cervi._

which is no hard Matter to invent." But lest I should seem tedious, at the present let these suffice: At another Time, if you please, we will talk more copiously of this Matter.

_Ch._ I thought, _Austin_, you had been quite exhausted by this Time.

But thou hast shewn me a new Treasure beyond what I expected, which if you shall pursue, I perceive you'll sooner want Time than Words.

_Au._ If I can perform this with my little Learning, and indifferent Genius, what do you think _Cicero_ himself could do, who is storied to have vy'd with _Roscius_ the Player? But the Sun is going to leave us; and the Dew rises; it is best to imitate the Birds, to go Home, and hide ourselves in Bed. Therefore, sweet _Christian_, farewell till to Morrow.

_Ch._ Fare you well likewise, most learned _Austin._

_The RELIGIOUS TREAT._

The ARGUMENT.

_This religious Treat teaches what ought to be the Table-Talk of Christians. The Nature of Things is not dumb, but very loquacious, affording Matter of Contemplation. The Description of a neat Garden, where there is a Variety of Discourse concerning Herbs. Of Marjoram, Celandine, Wolfs-Bane, h.e.l.lebore. Of Beasts, Scorpions, the Chamaeleon, the Basilisk; of Sows_, Indian _Ants, Dolphins, and of the Gardens of_ Alcinous. _Tables were esteemed sacred by the very Heathens themselves. Of was.h.i.+ng Hands before Meat. A Grace before Meat out of_ Chrysostom. _Age is to be honoured, and for what Reason.

The Reading of the Scriptures very useful at Meals. That Lay Persons may Discourse concerning the Scriptures. The 21st of_ Prov. _and 1st_ Ver. _ill.u.s.trated. How G.o.d hates Sacrifices, in Comparison of Mercy_, Hos. 6. _No Body is hurt but by himself. That Persons in Wine speak true.

That it was unlawful for the_ aegyptian _Priests to drink Wine. The_ I Cor. 6. _opened. All Things are lawful for me. The Spirit of Christ was in the Heathens and Poets._ Scotus _is slighted in Comparison of_ Cicero _and_ Plutarch. _A Place is cited out of_ Cicero _and_ Cato Major, _and commended;_ dare omni petenti, give to every one that asketh, _how it is to be understood. We ought to give to Christ's Poor, and not to Monasteries. The Custom of burying in Churches blam'd. That we ought to give by Choice, how much, to whom, and to what End. We ought to deny ourselves of something that we may give it to the Poor_. No Body can serve two Masters, _is explained. A Grace after Meat out of St._ Chrysostom.

EUSEBIUS, TIMOTHY, THEOPHILUS, CHRYSOGLOTTUS, URANIUS, SOPHRONIUS, EULALIUS, THEODIDACTUS, NEPHALIUS.

_Eu._ I admire that any Body can delight to live in smoaky Cities, when every Thing is so fresh and pleasant in the Country.

_Ti._ All are not pleased with the Sight of Flowers, springing Meadows, Fountains, or Rivers: Or, if they do take a Pleasure in 'em, there is something else, in which they take more. For 'tis with Pleasure, as it is with Wedges, one drives out another.

_Eu._ You speak perhaps of Usurers, or covetous Traders; which, indeed, are all one.

_Ti._ I do speak of them; but not of them only, I a.s.sure you; but of a thousand other Sorts of People, even to the very Priests and Monks, who for the Sake of Gain, make Choice of the most populous Cities for their Habitation, not following the Opinion of _Plato_ or _Pythagoras_ in this Practice; but rather that of a certain blind Beggar, who loved to be where he was crowded; because, as he said, the more People, the more Profit.

_Eu._ Prithee let's leave the blind Beggar and his Gain: We are Philosophers.

_Ti._ So was _Socrates_ a Philosopher, and yet he preferr'd a Town Life before a Country one; because, he being desirous of Knowledge, had there the Opportunity of improving it. In the Country, 'tis true, there are Woods, Gardens, Fountains and Brooks, that entertain the Sight, but they are all mute, and therefore teach a Man nothing.

_Eu._ I know _Socrates_ puts the Case of a Man's walking alone in the Fields; although, in my Opinion, there Nature is not dumb, but talkative enough, and speaks to the Instruction of a Man that has but a good Will, and a Capacity to learn. What does the beautiful Face of the Spring do, but proclaim the equal Wisdom and Goodness of the Creator? And how many excellent Things did _Socrates_ in his Retirement, both teach his _Phaedrus_, and learn from him?

_Ti._ If a Man could have such pleasant Company, I confess, no life in the World could be pleasanter than a Country Life.

_Eu._ Have you a Mind to make Tryal of it? If you have, come take a Dinner with me to Morrow: I have a pretty neat little Country House, a little Way out of Town.

_Ti._ We are too many of us; we shall eat you out of House and Home.

_Eu._ Never fear that, you're to expect only a Garden Treat, of such Chear as I need not go to Market for. The Wine is of my own Growth; the Pompions, the Melons, the Figs, the Pears, the Apples and Nuts, are offered to you by the Trees themselves; you need but gape, and they'll fall into your Mouth, as it is in the _fortunate Islands_, if we may give Credit to _Lucian_. Or, it may be, we may get a Pullet out of the Hen-roost, or so.

_Ti._ Upon these Terms we'll be your Guests.

_Eu._ And let every Man bring his Friend along with him, and then, as you now are four, we shall be the just Number of the Muses.

_Ti._ A Match.

_Eu._ And take Notice, that I shall only find Meat, you are to bring your own Sauce.

_Ti._ What Sauce do you mean, Pepper, or Sugar?

_Eu._ No, no, something that's cheaper, but more savoury.

_Ti._ What's that?

_Eu._ A good Stomach. A light Supper to Night, and a little Walk to Morrow Morning, and that you may thank my Country House for. But at what Hour do you please to dine at?

_Ti._ At ten a Clock. Before it grows too hot.

_Eu._ I'll give Order accordingly.