Charles VIII. stiled The Courteous,' at this time sat upon the throne of France, and by his patronage of the sciences had rendered Paris a place of general resort for men of eminence in every profession. Here Colet took up his first residence; and here he speedily became acquainted with Gaguin, the French historian, who had visited England on an embassy to Henry VII. This gentleman inspired him with an ardent desire to be introduced to Erasmus, by showing him, as a specimen of his skill in the Latin tongue, a complimentary letter, which he had received from him upon the publication of his History of France. Here likewise he formed an intimacy with the celebrated Budæus, who, by his honourable mention of Colet, in his correspondence with Erasmus, laid the foundation of his future friendship with that illustrious scholar.

From Paris Colet proceeded to Italy, where his acquaintance with men of learning became still more universal. At Rome he first knew the grammarian William Lilly, who had learned Greek at Rhodes, and was improving himself in Latin under John Sulpitius and Pomponius Sabinus. In Italy also he found two more of his countrymen, Grocyn and Linacre, who were perfecting themselves in the knowledge of the Greek tongue under Demetrius Politianus and Hermolaus Barbarus; and at Padua he had an opportunity of cultivating the acquaintance of Latimer, who with the same classical object had resided for some time in that university.

Upon his return to England in 1497, he had much difficulty (it is said) to resist his desire of appearing at court, where he might display his foreign accomplishments to the best advantage. Some of his natu

ral propensities, indeed, were less adapted to the confinement of a college, than to the activity of public life. He had a high spirit, impatient of the least injury and affront. His nature, likewise, inclined him to love and luxury; and an air of freedom and pleasantry characterised his whole demeanour. But he first conquered, and then commanded himself, by so far subjecting his passions to reason and philosophy, that he could bear a reproof even from his own servant's. His disposition to effeminate indulgences he restrained by continual abstinence, strict sobriety, close application, serious thinking, and religious conversation; and thus he preserved himself from the pollutions of the world. But whenever opportunities offered, either of jesting with facetious persons, of conversing familiarly with the female sex, or of appearing at feasts and entertainments, nature was sure to break forth; and hence he seldom associated with laymen, or visited public places. If however ne cessity carried him thither, he selected some learned person, with whom he conversed in Latin, to avoid the frivolous discourse of the table; and he usually confined himself to a single dish, and to one or two draughts of beer. "There never was," says Erasmus, "a more flowing wit; and, for that reason, he delighted in congenial society: but even there he chose such discourses as savoured most of religion; and it is a proof of his great good-nature, that he was a passionate lover of little children, whose innocence he admired of all things."

Immediately upon his return, he was ordained deacon, and shortly afterward priest. With his father and mother, who at that time lived in London, he resided a few months, and then retired

to Oxford; where, in compliance with the prevalent custom of delivering voluntary lectures, though he had neither taken nor desired any degree in divinity, he expounded without stipend or reward the Epistles of St. Paul. The novelty of these exercises occasioned crowded audiences, and admiration of the lecturer increased and continued them. There was scarcely a doctor in divinity or law, or any other dignitary of the church, who neglected to attend him, or withheld from him the applause which he deserved. By the bigots only, and those who were interested in maintaining the old ignorance and superstition, he was regarded as a heretic and a schismatic, because he openly avowed the necessity of a reformation.*

Things were in this situation at Oxford, when Erasmus, who had for some time resided at Paris as tutor to Lord Montjoy, was induced by his noble pupil to visit England: and having a recommendation to Richard Charnock, of the college of St. Mary the Virgin, he proceeded directly to that university.

Charnock, who was an acquaintance of Colet's, no sooner mentioned to him the name of his guest, than impatient to recommend himself to so eminent a character, he immediately addressed to him an elegant epistle, which proved the writer to be a scholar, a traveller, and a gentleman; concluding with these words, "I congratulate you upon your arrival in this island, and wish our country may be as pleasant to you, as I know you, by your great learning, must be useful to us. I am, Sir, and shall always be, devoted to one whom I believe to be the most learned and the best of men.” Erasmus instantly returned him an answer, equally

* See the Extract subjoined at the end of the Life.

polite and animated, observing, "If he could discover any thing commendable in himself, he should indeed be proud of the commendation of one, to whose judgement he paid such deference, that his silent esteem alone would have been preferable to all the applauses of a Roman theatre. Your country of England," he subjoins, "is most agreeable to me upon many accounts; but more particularly as it abounds with those blessings, which alone give all other blessings their relish, men of admirable attainments, among whom no one will repine that I reckon you the chief." He then praises the stile of his letters, as easy, smooth, and unaffected, flowing from a rich vein like water from a pure fountain, every part resembling itself; open, plain, and modest, without any thing turbid or intricate, so that he could clearly discern in it the image of his soul.

This epistolary correspondence, joined to the recommendations of Budæus, led to an intimacy, which continued with the greatest cordiality to the end of their lives.* They studied to improve each other, and to instruct mankind: and though they some

* It is delightful to observe the anxiety, with which Colet watched and forwarded the progress of his friend's first edition of the New Testament: "I am really astonished, my dear Erasmus (he observes in one of his epistles) at the fruitfulness of your talents; that without any fixed residence, and with a precarious and limited income, you continue to publish so many and such excellent works. As to the tranquil retirement which you sigh for, be assured that you have my sincere wishes for it's rendering you as happy and composed as you can wish it. Your age and erudition entitle you to such a retreat. I fondly hope indeed that you will choose this country for it, and come and live among us, whose disposition you know, and whose friendship you have proved."

times differed in opinion upon theological points, they always differed without any diminution of their mutual regard. On the contrary, in 1499, during their first conferences upon our Saviour's reluctances and terrors before his last passion, in which Colet rejected the common notion of divines, that Christ upon a prospect of his agonies shrunk from them in his human nature, Erasmus (who maintained the opinion of the schoolmen) pronounces himself a rash man and a raw soldier, for daring to enter the lists with such an experienced general. Colet also freely expressed to Erasmus his great dislike of the new theology, which had unhappily been introduced into the church, and was in effect nothing but the art of trifling and wrangling; told him that he had set himself against those quibbling and bickering divines, and would if possible restore the theological studies, which were founded upon the Sacred Records and the primitive fathers; and added, that with this view he had publicly expounded the Epistles of St. Paul, and should be glad of a partner in the labour of searching the Scriptures.

When Erasmus left England, Colet still remained at Oxford, where he proceeded with his usual exposition of the Apostolical Epistles; his sole object being the destruction of that idol of ignorance, the scholastic divinity, and the exaltation of the Scriptures and Jesus Christ in it's room. Hence the schoolmen looked upon him with a jealous eye. He continued however, in conjunction with his friend Erasmus, greatly to promote the Reformation, by successfully attacking the Scotists and the Thomists, who had divided between them the Christian world;