These matters are more your concern than mine.  For this man’s manners invite much discredit upon your order, while the mass of the people judge of you all by this one sample.  Unjustly so, I admit; but so the world wags.  And the harshness of your brother estranges no small number from the study of divinity.  I know that the man is utterly disliked by you, with the exception of two or three boon companions, and one old hand, who abuses the man’s folly in the interests of his own lusts.  But all would definitely understand that you disapprove of him, if, since he cannot be restrained, you were to expel him from your table.  I well know such a step will be very difficult to take.  For men of his stamp are reluctantly torn away from the smell of stated, sumptuous, and free repasts.  Nevertheless this concerns the honour of your Order, towards which I have good reason to be well-disposed.  Farewell.

Supposed to have been written in 1531.

ALL THE

#Familiar Colloquies#

OF

_#Desiderius Erasmus#_,

OF

#ROTERDAM,#

Concerning Men, Manners, and Things, translated into English.

* * * * *

By N. BAILEY.

* * * * *

  Unlike in Method, with conceal’d Design,
  Did crafty Horace his low Numbers join;
  And, with a sly insinuating Grace,
  Laugh’d at his Friend, and look’d him in the Face: 
  Would raise a Blush, when secret Vice he found;
  And tickled, while he gently prob’d the Wound: 
  With seeming Innocence the Crowd beguil’d;
  But made the desperate Passes, when he smil’d.

Persius Sat.  I. Dryden.

* * * * *

LONDON

1725.

#THE PREFACE.#

There are two Things I would take some Notice of:  The first relates to my Author, and the second to myself, or the Reasons why I have attempted this Translation of him.  And in speaking of the first, I presume I shall save myself much of what might be said as to the second.  Tho’ Erasmus is so well known, especially to those versed in the Latin Tongue, that there seems to be but little Occasion to say any Thing in his Commendation; yet since I have taken upon me to make him an English-man, give me Leave to say, that in my Opinion, he as well deserves this Naturalization, as any modern Foreigner whose Works are in Latin, as well for the Usefulness of the Matter of his Colloquies, as the Pleasantness of Style, and Elegancy of the Latin.

They are under an egregious Mistake, who think there is nothing to be found in them, but Things that savour of Puerility, written indeed ingeniously, and in elegant Latin. For this Book contains, besides those, Things of a far greater Concern; and indeed, there is scarce any Thing wanting in them, fit to be taught to a Christian Youth design’d for liberal Studies.