Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/382

378 FAMILIAR COLLOQUIES. But besides, I did not so much dislike the quantity of our provision as the quality of it. Two eggs had been enough for a meal for me, if they had been fresh-laid ; one glass of wine had been enough, if we had not had nasty lees given us instead of wine ; half the bread would have served me, if it had not been mixed with chalk. Ja. Lord ! that Antronius should be such a sordid wretch amidst so much wealth ! Gi. I believe verily he was worth 80,000 ducats ; and to speak within compass, he never got less than 1000 ducats a year besides. Ja. But did those young sparks for whom he scraped all this together live at the same sparing rate 1 Gi. Yes, at home they did, but it was only there ; for when they g6t abroad they would eat, drink, whore, and game notably ; and while their old father thought much to spend six- pence at home to treat the best friend he had, these sparks would make nothing to lose sixty ducats in a night at gaming. Ja. This is the usual fate of estates that are got by miserly living ; they are commonly thus spent. But now you are got safe out of these great difficulties, whither are you steering your course ? Gi. I -am going to an old club of merry cocks, to endeavour to fetch up what I have lost.  Ph. Why, where have you been, Theotirnus, with that new- fashioned religious look ? Th. Why so 1 Ph. You look so stern, methinks, with your eyes fixed upon the ground, your head lying upon your left shoulder, and your beads in your hand. Th. Why, my friend, if you must'needs 'be made acquainted with that which does not concern you, I have been at a show. PA. What, have you been seeing the rope-dancers, 'or high German artist, or something of that nature ? Th. Something pretty like them. 'Ph. In short, you are the first man I ever saw come from a show with such a countenance. Th. But let me tell you, this was such a spectacle that if you yourself had been a spectator, perhaps you had been more melancholy than I am. Ph. But, prithee, tell me what has made you so religious all on a sudden 1 Th. I come from the funeral of a seraph.

Ph. What say you ? why, do the angels die 1 Th. No, but angels' fellowfc do. But not to keep you any longer in suspense, I suppose you know that famous learned man Eusebius of Pelusium. Ph. What, do you mean him that was degraded of his authority from a prince to the state of a private man, and of a private man made an exile, and of an exile made little better than a beggar I had like to have said some- thing worse 1 Th. You have hit very right, that is the man. Ph. Why, what is come to him? Th. He was buried to-day, and I am just come from his funeral. Ph. Stire it must have been a very dole- ful sight indeed, to put you into this dismal mood. Th. I am afraid I shall never be able to telljyou what I have seen without weeping. Ph. And I am afraid I shall not be able to hear it without laughing. But, however, let us have it.

Th. You know that Eusebius has been in a very weak condition a long time. Ph. Yes, yes, I know that his body has been worn out 