title: The Essential Erasmus: Includes the Full Text of The Praise of Folly (Essentials)
author: Desiderius Erasmus
description: Text: English (translation)<br> Original Language: Latin
zlib_text: **From the**[ **Christian Classics Ethereal Library**](http://www.ccel.org)
  
   **In Praise of Folly**
  
   **By**
  
   **Desiderius Erasmus**
  
   **Copyright 2010 Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL)**
  
  All rights reserved. For permission to reproduce these works please contact
  CCEL at ccel@calvin.edu.
  
  **In Praise of Folly**
  
   **Desiderius Erasmus**
  
   **Translated by John Wilson**
  
   **1688**
  
  * * *
  
  ERASMUS OF ROTTERDAM
  
  to his friend
  
  THOMAS MORE, health:
  
  As I was coming awhile since out of Italy for England, that I might not waste
  all that time I was to sit on horseback in foolish and illiterate fables, I
  chose rather one while to revolve with myself something of our common studies,
  and other while to enjoy the remembrance of my friends, of whom I left here
  some no less learned than pleasant. Among these you, my More, came first in my
  mind, whose memory, though absent yourself, gives me such delight in my
  absence, as when present with you I ever found in your company; than which,
  let 