Moriae Encomium: Or, the Praise of Folly. Made in English from the Latin of Erasmus.

ERASMUS, Desiderius; Translated by Harry Carter.

Item Number: 145198

New York: Joh. Enschedé en Zonen, Haarlem, Netherlands for The Heritage Press, 1953.

Heritage Press exclusive edition of Dutch Renaissance theologian Erasmus’ classic satire which influenced the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation. Octavo, original pictorial half cloth, orange top stain, illustrated with woodcuts by Franz Masereel, Introduction by Hendrik Willem van Loon. In near fine condition. Housed in a near fine pictorial slipcase.

Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and social critic Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus first conceived of Praise of Folly in 1509, written as a satirical attack on the Western Church. He later revised and extended the work during a visit with Sir Thomas More at his home in London with the title "Moriae Encomium, In Praise of More In Praise of Folly." The book became one of the most popular works of the Renaissance and Erasmus' sharp critique of the practices of the Church played a role in the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation. This is an exclusive publication planned to be issued by 1941, but with the intervention of the Second World War was instead published in 1953 with woodcuts by Franz Masereel instead of the proposed Lynd Ward.