Page 77 [77]
326 | TO THE READER 55
in length ; from the third, which is also very long, I have selected two passages
as suitable for inclusion in this edition.
The original manuscripts of the first and third prefaces are in a packet of
papers belonging to the Basle University Library, together with a great number
of the scholia on Jerome in Erasmus’ hand. Besides Erasmus’ autograph for
this preface (a) the packet contains also a manuscript copy by Conrad Fonteius
(p. 67), which seems from notes and marks on it to have been made for use in
the press (81). In illustration of the critical standards of the age it may be
remarked that even £! does not reproduce a with minute fidelity, and that in £?
the printers followed the established orthography of their press rather than that
of Erasmus as represented by Fonteius. These differences of orthography are,
however, too numerous to be shown here in detail. The insignificant variants
in the revised edition of 1524-6, vol. iv. pp. 407 and 412 (y), are doubtless due
to the printers. In Chevallon’s edition, Paris, 1533-4 (see p. 211), the text of
this preface, vol. iv. f. 138 v°, follows the variants of y.
It is noticeable that the second extract, ll. 63-130, is not found in the first
drafts of either a or 81, but forms part of a passage inserted later ; clearly after
the receipt of Ep. 304, to which it is a reply resembling Ep. 337, and thus (ef.
Ep. 337- 1) after the visit to England on which Erasmus determined to dedicate
the New Testament to Leo x instead of to Warham.
The date given is unquestionable. |
ERASMVS ROTERODAMVS DIVINARVM STVDIOSIS LITTERARYM S. D
Haud me fallit, optime lector .
(f. 189) Sunt rursum quibus non omnino deest iudicium, sed vix
est credibile quantum valeat imaginatio persuasioque, si prior animum
occuparit ; idque non solum in vulgo verum etiam in eruditissimis
magnique iudicii viris. Sic cotidie falluntur oculi, sic populi totius
aures olim Parmenonis suem requirebant; quae quidem res et in 5
prouerbium deinde cessit. Non pigebit fabulas aliquot hoc referre
loco, quo magis quod dico fiat perspicuum. Fuit olim iuueni mihi
cum Petro Santeramo Siculo, homine non minus festiuo quam
aerudito, familiaritas in edibus inclyti viri Henrici, vulgari cogno¬
mento de Bergis, episcopi Cameracensis. Is, vti referebat, cum 10
Parisiis ageret, ludens huiusmodi scripserat epigramma, veluti Tv
mx referens :
Tempora fatalis quoniam sic limitis itis,
Tristia concentu funera solor olor.
Affinxerat titulum, Cygnus moriens pro specu. Sub id adhibuit 15
scribendi pulchre peritum artificem, qui distichon hoc quam maxime
posset ad imitationem antiquitatis pingeret, litteris aliquot data
opera relictis mutilis ceu iam oblitteratis vetustate. Carmen
adornatum exhibuit Fausto Andrelino, qui multos iam annos illic
poeticen profitetur. Addidit eam schedulam inter vetustissimas 20
antiquitatis reliquias sibi repertam fuisse, videlicet quod sciret |
hominem aspernaturum, si dixisset nudius tercius apud sese natam.
9. erudito 8.
8. Santeramo] Cf. Ep. 71 introd. and App. 5.