272 THE REFORMATION IN FRENCH SWITZERLAND.
TRIBUTES OF CONTEMPORARIES (Sixteenth Century).
Martin Luther (1483-1546).
From a letter to Bucer, Oct. 14, 1539.
"Present my respectful greetings to Sturm and Calvin [then at Strassburg], whose books I have perused with singular pleasure (quorum Hbellos singulari cum voluptale legi)."
Martin Bucer (1491t1551).
" Calvin is a truly learned and singularly eloquent man (vere doctus mireque facundus vir), an illustrious restorer of a purer Christianity (purioris Christianismi instaurator eximius)."
Theodore Beza (1519-1605). From his Vita Calvini (Latin) at the close (Opera, XXI. 172).
"I have been a witness of Calvin's life for sixteen years, and I think I am fully entitled to say that in this man there was exhibited to all a most beautiful example of the life and death of the Christian (longe pulcherrimum vere chrisliance turn vitce turn mortis exemphnii), which it will be as easy to calumniate as it will be difficult to emulate."
Compare also the concluding remarks of his French biography, vol. XXI. 46 (Aug. 19, 1564).
John Sturm of Strassburg (1507-1589).
"John Calvin was endued with a most acute judgment, the highest learning, and a prodigious memory, and was distinguislied as a writer by variety, copiousness, and purity, as may be seen for instance from his Institutes of the Christian Beligion. ... I know of no work which is better adapted to teach religion, to correct morals, and to remove errors."
Jerome Zanchi (1516-1590).
An Italian convert to Protestantisna. Professor at Strassburg and Heidelberg.
From a letter to the Landgrave of Hesse.
"Calvin, whose memory is honored, as all Europe knows, was held in the highest estimation, not only for eminent piety and the highest learning (prcestanti pietate et maxima eruditione), but likewise for singular judgment on every subject (singulari in rebus omnibus judicio clarissimus)." ' ■
Bishop Jewel (1522-1571). " Calvin, a reverend father, and worthy ornament of the Church of God."
Joseph Scaliger (1540-1609).
" Calvin is an instructive and learned theologian, with a higher purity and elegance of style than is expected from a theologian. The two most eminent
§ 68. TRIBUTES TO THE MEMORY OF CALVIN. 273
theologians of our times are John Calvin and Peter Martyr ; the former of whom has treated sound learning as it ought to be treated, with truth and purity and simplicity, without any of the scholastic subtleties. Endued with a divine genius, he penetrated into many things which lie beyond the reach of all who are not deeply skilled in the Hebrew language, though he did not himself belong to that class."
" 0 how well Calvin apprehends the meaning of the Prophets ! No one better. ... O what a good book is the Institutes! . . . Calvin stands alone among theologians (Solus inter theologos Calviuus)."
This judgment of the greatest scholar of his age, who knew thirteen languages, and was master of philology, history, chronology, philosophy, and theology, is all the more weighty as he was one of the severest of critics.
Florimond de R.5CMOND (1540-1602).
Counseiller du Roy au Parleraent de Bordeaux. Roman Catholic.
From his L'histoire de la naissanse, progrez, et decadence de I'heWsie de ce siecle, div'tse' en huit livres, dedie'a notre saint Pere le Pape Paul cinquieme. Paris, 1605. Bk. VII. ch. 10.
" Calvin had morals better regulated and settled than N., and shewed from early youth that he did not allow himself to be carried away by the pleasures of sense (jilaisirs de la chair et du ventre). . . . With a dry and attenuated body, he always possessed a fresh and vigorous intellect, ready in reply, bold in attack ; even in his youth a great faster, either on account of his health, and to allay the headaches with which he was continually afflicted, or in order to have his mind more disencumbered for the purposes of writing, studying, and improving his memory. Calvin spoke little ; what he said were serious and impressive words (ce n'estoit que propos serieux et qui portoijent coup) ; he never appeared in company, and always led a retired life. He had scarcely his equal ; for during twenty-three years that he retained possession of the bishopric {Vevesche') of Geneva, he preached every day, and often twice on Sundays. He lectured on theology three times a week ; and every Friday he entered into a conference which he called the Congregation. His remaining hours were employed in composition, and answering the letters which came to him as to a sovereign pontiff from all parts of heretical Christendom {qui arrivoi/ent a luy de toute la Chre'tiente' he're'tique, comme au Souveraine Poniife). . . .
"Calvin had a brilliancy of spirit, a subtlety of judgment, a grand memory, an eminent erudition, and tlie power of graceful diction. ... No man of all those who preceded him has surpassed him in style, and few since have attained that beauty and facility of language which he possessed."
Etienne Pasquier (1528-1615).
Roman Catholic. Conseiller et Avocat General du Roy en la Chambre des Comptes de Paria.
From Les Recherches de la France, p. 769 (Paris, 1633).
... "He [Calvin] wrote equally well in Latin and French, the latter of which languages is greatly indebted to him for having enriched it with an