Honestly, Erasmus had some good takes, such as: "I don't think anyone should consider himself a Christian simply because he can carry on a dispute about instances, relations, quiddities, and formalities, involving the question in a thicket of thorny abstractions--but only if he holds to the lessons that Christ taught and exemplified, holds to them, and exemplifies them himself."

VANITAS VATITATUM ET OMNIA VANITAS

THE GRIEF HAS GOT A PLACE IN SAGE'S HEART
THE PLEASURE HAS GOT A PLACE IN MAD ONE'S HEART....

I've been wanting to read Erasmus for quite a while now. I'm glad I've finally gotten around to it. I was actually gifted this for Christmas this year. Well, technically I was gifted The Praise of Folly alone, without the Other Writings. But as I cannot seem to find The Praise of Folly alone on Goodreads for some reason, I will be posting the review here.

I deeply enjoyed it. It was not at all what I was expecting, however. I don't know why, but I thought this was going to read like a play; something similar to Shakespeare. But what I found was an essay on the various faults of humanity. There are some insights here that are really impressive, as they predict the ridiculous behavior of the masses that we all still witness today.

Humanity truly is a strange thing. We think we are so original and independent, but we only live our lives following the same basic patterns that any group of civilized, or even uncivilized, people did in times long gone. The same hateful patterns can be seen. The same self-loathing and prejudice. The same anger. The same hypocrisy.

A lot of wisdom in here. I can finally scratch this off my list. So many books I still need to read. I'll most likely die before I reach them all. There's a depressing thought.

A tricky read in places but I loved the narrative style, both comical and thought provoking