ὃ 14. WILIBALD PIRKHEIMER. 488
reconciled to the old, and dying at last of a broken heart. In this respect, the apprehension of Erasmus was well founded; the progress of the Reformation arrested and injured the progress of liberal learning, although not permanently. Theology triumphed over classical culture, and fierce dogmatic feuds took the place of satirical exposures of ignorant monks. But the literary loss was compensated by a religious gain. In the judgment of Luther, truth proved mightier than eloquence, faith stronger than learning, and the foolishness of God wiser than the wisdom of men}
Among the pupils, friends and admirers of Erasmus, who were first attracted and then repelled by the Reformation, are Wilibald Pirkheimer, Crotus Rubeanus, Mutianus Rufus, Ulrich Zasius, Vitus Amerpach, Georg Wizel, Jacob Strauss, Johann Wildenauer (Egranus), Johann Haner, Heinrich Loriti Glareanus, and Theobald Billicanus.?
Wilibald Pirkheimer (1470-1530), the most distinguished and influential of them, was descended from an ancient, rich, and noble family of Nurnberg, and received a liberal military and diplomatic education. He spent seven years in Italy (1490-1497), and became a leader in the Renaissance. He occupied also a high social position as senator of Nirnberg and imperial counsellor. He was honored by important diplomatic missions, and fulfilled them with great ability. He was not an original genius, but the most learned and most eloquent layman in Germany. He mastered philology, jurisprudence, geography, astronomy, music, painting, botany,
1 See his letter to Caspar Bérner, professor of literature in Leipzig, May 28, 1522, in De Wette, II. 199-201. The letter was intended also for Erasmus, and printed under the title, “ Judicium D. M. Lutheri de Erasmo Roterodamo. Epistola ad amicum 1522." He says that he would not provoke Erasmus, but was not afraid of his attack.
2 Dollinger gives, from the R. Catholic standpoint, a full account of these scholars in the first volume of his work on the Reformation (Regensburg, 1846). On Wizel we have an interesting university program of Neander: Commentatio de Georgio Vicelio. Berlin, 1840, Strauss notices several of them from the rationalistic standpoint, in his Ulrich von Hutten.
436 THE GERMAN REFORMATION. A.D. 1517 To 1530.
and all the discoveries and sciences of the time. He col. lected a rare library of books and manuscripts and a cabinet of coins, and gave free access to visitors. He translated writings of Xenophon, Plato, Plutarch, Euclid, Ptolemy, Lucian, Gregory Nazianzen, and Nilus, into Latin.’ He was called “the Nirnberg Xenophon,” for his account of the rather inglorious Swiss campaign (1499) in which he took part as an officer.2. He carried on an extensive correspondence with the leading humanists, especially Reuchlin, Ulrich von Hutten, and Erasmus, and also with the Reformers, Melanchthon, Zwingli, Gicolampadius, and Luther. He was the Mecenas of Germany, and a gentleman of striking and commanding presence, social culture, charming manners, and princely liberality.2 He constantly entertained distinguished strangers at his hospitable board. Nurnberg was then the first German city in politics, industry, and commerce. He made it also a centre of literature and illumination. At Venice there was a proverb: “ All German cities are blind, except Nurnberg, which has one eye.”
Pirkheimer hailed the beginnings of the Reformation with patriotic and literary enthusiasm, invited Luther to his house
1 On his literary labors, see Kar] Hagen, l.c., I. 280 sqq.
2 He tells in his narrative the following anecdote of a brave and quickwitted Swiss maiden. When asked by the imperial soldiers, *‘ What are the Swiss guards doing on their post ?’’ she replied, ‘‘ Waiting for you to attack them.’’ — ‘‘ How strong is their number ?”’ — ‘* Strong enough to throw you all back.’’ — ‘‘ But how strong ?”’ — ‘* You might have counted them in the recent fight, but fright and flight made you blind.’’ — ‘* What do they live of 3 - “Of eating and drinking.’”’ The soldiers laughed, but one drew his sword to kill her. ‘‘ Verily,’ she said, ‘‘you are a brave man to threaten an unarmed girl. Go and attack yonder guard, who can answer you with deeds instead of words.’? Comp. Miinch, W. P.’s Schweizerkrieg und Ehrenhandel. Basel, 1826. Drews, l.c., p. 10.
8 Unfortunately his moral character was not free from blemish. He became a widower in 1504, and lived in illicit intercourse with his servant, who bore him a son when he was already past fifty. Christoph Scheurl wrote: ‘‘I wish Melanchthon knew Pirkheimer better: he would then be more sparing in his praise. With the most he is in bad repute.”’ See K. Hagen, l.c., I. 347, and Drews, l.c., 14 sq.