Page 621 [621]
OCR
LETTERS TO SERVATIUS, FRANOIS, AND SASBOUD 585 no evidence by which a precise date can be arrived at for these letters, but they may be assigned conjecturally to the earliest years of Erasmus’ residence at Steyn, and arranged in the following order: Ep. 4. Something oceurs to separate Erasmus and Servatius. Erasmus proposes that they should solace their separation by writing letters. Servatius replies in a melancholy tone and promises to continue writing. (The letter is lost.) Ep. 5. Erasmus seeks to comfort Servatius ; he asks the reason of the change that has come over him and invites his confidence. Ep. 6. Servatius does not write ; Erasmus again asks for his confidence. Ep. 7. Servatius will not respond to Erasmus’ advances ; Erasmus accuses him of feigning friendship. Ep. 8. Servatius is still silent ; Erasmus writes more warmly and repeats the charge of insincerity. Servatius replies kindly and protests against the charge. (The letter is lost.) Ep. 9. Erasmus replies in great delight, and explains what had made him suspect insincerity. It seems from Ep. 8. 6 that the separation had not been long continuing at the time when these letters were written. Ep. 10 stands alone by itself, as an exhortation to study addressed to a friend, who is afterwards associated with Servatius in Erasmus’ affection. The second group, Epp. 11-16, shows Erasmus in the attitude of a teacher encouraging his pupils to the studies in which his own interests were concentrated. Epp. 11 and 12 may be placed together from a certain similarity of language, and so also Epp. 13, 14 and Epp. 15, 16; but the tone of all is very much the same. There is an indication of date in Ep. 15, in which four years are said to have elapsed whilst Servatius had been hesitating to devote himself to learning. But this does not necessarily imply that Erasmus had then been four years at Steyn; and I have therefore thought it better to keep this whole series of letters together, rather than place the last group in the autumn of 1491, after the series to Cornelius in which a different tone prevails. If the letters are assumed to be genuine, it may be suggested that the attachment began in the early days of Erasmus’ monastic life ; and for a time the two friends may have been able through the liberty allowed to Erasmus to read together, just as Erasmus had read with Cornelius of Woerden* But Servatius was not an eager student, and after a time obstacles to their intercourse arose ; whereupon Erasmus began to write letters to which Servatius tardily replied. Subsequently the relation between the two was discovered, the authorities were displeased‘, and Servatius came in for some rebuke ° ; after which Erasmus recovered his balance and reverted to a more solid basis for what was no doubt a genuine affection, in an attempt to encourage Servatius’ studies. The ‘ pear-tree’ incident of Erasmus’ monastic life is related by * Lond. xxiv. 5, LB. App. 442; and 5 Epp. 11. 7, 8 and 12, 10-2. cf. Ep. 296. 14 n. € Ep. 13. 40, I. ALLEN Q q
