How much Sir Thomas More was pleased with the writings of Hutten we may
gather from the opening of a letter which Erasmus addressed to Hutten,
giving an interesting account of his illustrious friend, in August,
1519:
"Quod Thomae Mori ingenium sic deamas, ac pene dixerim deperis,
nimirum scriptis illius inflammatus, quibus (ut vere scribis)
nihil esse potest neque doctius neque festivius; istue mibi
crede, clarissime Huttene tibi cum multis commune est, cum Moro
mutuum etiam. Nam is vicissim adeo scriptorum tuorum genio
delectatur, ut ipse tibi plopemodum invideam."
The Dialogue (Mire Festivus), which in the edition of 1710 occurs
between the first and second parts of the _Epistolae_, bears especial
marks of Hutten's manner, and is doubtless by him. The interlocutors are
three of the illustrious obscure, Magisters Ortuinus, Lupoldus, and
Gingolphus, and the first act of the comedy consists in their
observations upon the promoters of learning, Reuchlin, Erasmus, and
Faber Stapulensis, who afterwards make their appearance, and the
discussion becomes general, but no impression can be made upon the
stupid and prejudiced monks. The theme is, of course, the inutility of
the new learning, Hebrew and Greek and correct Latinity. One short
passage seems to me admirable:{122}
"_M. Ging_. Et Sanctus Ambrosius, Sanctus Augustinus, et alii
omnes zelossimi doctores non sciebant ipsi bene tot, sicut iste
Ribaldi? _M.
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