Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/365

THE SSSMOJf. 361 merit, for Horace denies that himself was to be called happy in that he was adopted into the number of Maecenas's friends. Hi. Why so ] Le. Because it was the effect of judgment, and not mere favour. Maecenas rendered this to him because he adjudged it due to his merit. Hi. And to the same purpose is that which follows : " For He that is mighty hath done to me great things, and holy is His name." She has said holy instead of glorious. By how much we arrogate to our own merits, by so much we detract from the glory of the divine beingi For, as St. Paul says, " His power is made perfect in our weakness." And immediately, in the same verse, "He hath deposed the mighty from their seats, and exalted the men of low degree." Not Tairtiv6 poor ; those who in one place are called mighty, are here called rich men. In the next verse there is mention made of mercy diffusing itself through all the nations of the world. In the last verse she makes mention of her confidence in God's promises, " As He hath spoken," &c. Throughout the whole song there is a setting forth the glory that is, the power, the goodness, and truth of God. There is no mention at all made of merits.

Le. But as pride commonly accompanies power and riches, so poverty teaches modesty. Hi. I do not deny that it sometimes so falls out; but you may oftentimes see poor men that are very proud. If you deny that, I shall instance to you the many Merdards that there are in the world. But, for once, suppose I allow it, though it is not always so. The question is not here, what sort of person the most holy mother of Christ was, but what she says of herself in this song? Le. I admire at the obstinacy of those persons who have been so often refuted and laughed at for their folly, and that they are not brought to a recantation. Hi. How often have they been told that declama- tion is the treating on a fictitious theme wont to be made use of to exercise the faculty of speaking, and yet their sermons are nothing else but declamations 1 How often have they been told that he is a bachelor that has no wife, though he keeps six hundred concubines ? and yet they will have it that celibacy is only continency and chastity. It is the same as to humility, and a great many other things. Le. Whence proceeds this obstinate stupidity ? Hi. 1 answer you, I say it proceeds from the Merdards that are in the world. They never would be at the pains to learn when they were young, nor have they any books nor opportunity to learn ; and if they have wherewithal to furnish themselves with learning, they had rather lay it out upon their bellies. They think the sanctity of their garment is enough in conscience to gain them a reputation for piety and learning. And, in the last place, they think it is some part of religion to know as little Latin as St. Francis did himself. Le. In truth, I know a great many that are like their patron in that, who say cape.ro for galerus, and, as I think, vestimenta for vestes. But St. Francis always refused the honour of a presbyter, and so I think St. Benedict and Dominic did likewise. But now-a-days they, with their vestimenta at their arse, will not refuse