The Westminster Review (119)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 edition. Excerpt: ... of Thomas a Kempis and Father of German Humanism, spends seven years in Italy, studying the classical languages. In autumn, writes Erasmus, I shall, if possible, visit Italy, and take my doctor's degree; see you, in whom is my hope, that I am provided with the means. I have been giving my whole mind to the study of Greek, and as soon as I get money I shall buy first Greek books, and then clothes. Reuchlin, afterwards the great champion of German Humanism, learns Greek from two exiles, one in Basel and the other in Paris. To the Latin was then added the Greek. he writes, the knowledge of which is absolutely necessary for a finer education. Thereby we are led back to the philosophy of Aristotle, which can first be really grasped when its language is understood. In this way we so won the mind of all those who, not yet wholly saturated with the foolish old doctrines, longed for a purer knowledge, that they streamed to us and deserted the trifling of the schools. The old dried-up sophists, however, were enraged; they said, that what we taught was far from Romish purity, it was forbidden to instruct anybody in the learning of the Greeks, who had fallen away from the Church. Such opinions sufficiently mark the connection between the Humanists and the study of Greek. They show, too, how the new culture must ultimately step into open antagonism with the old scholasticism. These Humanists will soon discover a truth in classical literature which cannot be subordinated to Catholic theology. For the first time in the history of culture, Hebraism and Hellenism will step out as conflicting truths. Men will for the first time become dimly conscious that they owe as much to the Greek as to the Jew. They will begin to feel with Erasmus that many...