Page:Readings in European History Vol 2.djvu/174

 136 Readings in European History Erasmus de- scribes Colet. 265. More's own account of his busy life (1516). (Slightly- condensed.) of your friendship, — then set down Erasmus as completely your own. Your England is delightful to me for many reasons, but most of all because it abounds in that which pleases me more than anything else, — I mean in men most proficient in good letters, among whom, by general consent, I reckon you the chief. Such is your learning that, even without the recommendation of your high character, you deserve to be universally admired ; and such is the holiness of your life that, even if you had no learning to commend you, you could not fail to be held in love, respect, and vener- ation by all. More writes to a friend of how he spends his days. Whiles I do daily bestow my time about law matters. . . whiles I go one way to see and visit my friend, another way about my own private affairs ; whiles I spend all the day abroad among others, and the residue at home among mine own, — I leave to myself — I mean to my book — no time. For when I am come home, I must commune with my wife, chat with my children, and talk with my servants. All the which things I reckon and account among business, forasmuch as they must of necessity be done; and done must they needs be, unless a man will be a stranger in his own house. And in any wise a man must so fashion and order his condition, and so appoint and dispose himself, that he be merry, jocund, and pleasant among them whom either nature hath provided, or chance hath made, or he himself hath chosen, to be the fellows and companions of his life. Among these things now rehearsed stealeth away the day, the month, the year. When do I write, then ? And all this while have I spoken no word of sleep, neither yet of meat, which among a great number doth waste no less time than doth sleep, wherein almost half the lifetime of man creepeth away. I therefore do win and get only that time which I steal from sleep and meat. Which time, because it is very little, and yet somewhat it is, therefore I have at last, though it be long first, finished my Utopia.