Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/332

328 FAMILIAR COLLOQUIES. these times that the world is near at an end. Ca. There is so much the more reason for you to make haste to repent. Po. I hope Christ will give nie His helping hand. Ca. But do you see that you render yourself fit matter to work upon. But from whence do they gather that the world is so near an end? Po. Because, they say, people are now doing just as they did before the flood ; they are eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage ; they whore, they buy, they sell, they pawn and lend upon usury, and build ; kings make war, and priests study to increase their revenues ; schoolmen make syllogisms, monks run up and down the world ; the rabble makes mobs, and Erasmus writes Colloquies ; and, in fine, no miseries are wanting hunger, thirst, robberies, hostilities, plagues, seditions ; and there is a great scarcity of all that is good. And do not all these things argue that the world is near an end ? Ca. But of all this mass of mischiefs, which of them is it that troubles you most 1 Po. Guess. Ca. That spiders, perhaps, make cobwebs in your empty pockets. Po. As I hope to live you have hit it. I am just now come from drinking hard ; but some other time, when I am sober, if you will, we will have another touch at the gospel. Ca. And when shall I see you sober? Po. When I am so. Ca. And when will you be so 1 Po. When you see me so. And, my dear Cannikin, in the meantime all happiness attend you. Ca. And, by way of requital, I wish you may be what you are called. Po. And that you may not outdo me in courtesy, I wish the can from whence you have borrowed your name may never fail Cannius.   An. I was told that you were at Pancratius' and Albina's wedding. Lu. 1 never had a more unhappy voyage in my life than at this time. An. What say you 1 Was there such a power of company then ? Lu. I never would have taken less for my life than at that time. An. See what it is to be rich ; now I had but a few at my wedding, and they were poor folks too. Lu. We were scarce put to sea, but a great storm arose. An. Why, you are talking of an assembly of the deities ; were there so many noblemen and ladies there 1 Lu. Boreas tore the sail in pieces and blew it quite away. An. I know the bride, she is a perfect beauty. Lu. Presently a wave comes and tears off the rudder. An. It is everybody's dpinion. And her bridegroom does not come much short of her in beauty, according to common report. Lu. What do you think we thought of the matter? An. It is very rare now-a-days for any to be maids when they are married. Lu. We were obliged to sail back again. An. You talk of an incre- dible portion. Lu. Presently we had another misfortune befel us. An. Why did they venture such a tender girl to such a boisterous fellow ? Lu. We espied a pirate ship. An. In truth, it is so in many cases ; naughtiness makes amends for want of age. Lu. There we had a double engagement, one with the sea and another with the pirates. 