Introduction to the Literature of Europe Volume 1; In the Fifteenth, Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1847 Excerpt: ...at Leipsic ' like a heavenly causa me compellit dicere, longe alia res messenger: " every one was proud of est. Epist. ucexxxviii. knowing him, of paying whatever he ment, in 1516 or 1517, established a similar foundation at Louvain. From this source proceeded many men of conspicuous erudition and ability; and Louvain, through its Collegium trilingue, became in a still higher degree than Deventer had been in the fifteenth century, not only the chief seat of Belgian learning, but the means of diffusing it over parts of Germany. Its institution was resisted by the monks and theologians, unyielding though beaten adversaries of literature.t 29. It cannot be said, that many yet on this side of the Alps wrote Latin well. Budseus is harsh and un-Lalin stJle polished; Erasmus fluent, spirited, and never at a in France' loss to express his meaning; nor is his style much defaced by barbarous words, though by no means exempt from them; yet it seldom reaches a point of classical elegance. Francis Sylvius (probably Dubois), brother of a celebrated physician, endeavoured to inspire a taste for purity of style in the university of Paris. He had, however, acquired it himself late, for some of his writings are barbarous. The favourable influence of Sylvius was hardly earlier than 1520. t The writer most solicitous about his diction was Longolius (Christopher de Longueil, a native of Malines, the only true Ciceronian out of Italy; in which country, however, he passed so much time, that he is hardly to be accounted a mere Cisalpine. Like others of the Ciceronian denomination, he was more ambitious of saying common things well, than of producing what was intrinsically worthy of being remembered. 30. We have the imposing testimony of Erasmus himself, that neither France nor...