Page:Luther's correspondence and other contemporary letters 1507-1521.djvu/259

 254 LUTHER'S CORRESPONDENCE AND Let an

would see that it is beyond the power of one master alone to administer the school.^ Secondly, if both Quintilian and Aristotle cannot be read on natural history, it is better to omit Aristotle, especially as Pliny will easily supply his place. Quintilian is the only author who will make the best youths^ or rather men. But above all I beg that whether Fach* or Hess' is made teacher of this subject, at least they should have the same method. For myself, I prefer Quintilian to almost all authors, because, while instructing, he also teaches eloquence; that is, he teaches the subject and style most happily. Everything else is all right. Farewell.

Brother Martin Luther, Augustinian.

201. LUTHER TO JEROME DUNGERSHEIM AT LEIPSIC

Enders, i. 437. (Wittenberg, near December i. 1519^)

In the years 1519-20, Dungersheim engaged in a long-winded priTate controversy with Luther, which he himself printed in 1531. The first letter is placed by Enders (i. 355) on January 18, 1519, but shoiAl rather be dated October 7, 1519. See Knaake in Theologische Studii* und Kritiken, 1900, p. 269; Kostlin-Kawerau, i. 258. Luther's reply came soon after this, Enders. i. 365. Dungersheim wrote again, late in November, Enders, i. 373 (placed in January, 1519), and Luthef replied with the letter part of which is here translated.

Greeting. Behold, excellent Sir, I have received your sec- ond letter, in which you write again about the papacy, and among other things again review the case of Athanasius and the statutes of the Nicene Council. Pray take a brief reply, for I am still waiting for Eck's answer,* which, having again poured forth insane words, he bombastically promises. Pray, what ought I to confess more than I have done? For I al- low that the Roman Pontiff is superior to all in dignity, and is to be reverenced, from which it follows that he is con- sulted in crises, although I do not know how I can defend even this opinion against the Greeks. Nor have you showed

^This doubtless refers to the boys' school connected with the monastery, of which Luther was at one time master.

'Balthasar Fabricius von Fach, matriculated at Wittenberg 150a. Rector of the University 1517 and 15J2, Dean 1528. Married in 1530, died July 4, i54X> C/. Enders, xiv. aSff.

1 52 1. He died, in the position of Chancellor of the University of Marburg, in 1558. Enders, ii. 424.
 * John Hess, also called Montanus, of Wittenberg, was Rector of the University


 * Suprtt, no. 198, note; Luther received it on December 3.

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