Praise of Folly

For nearly 500 years, the satire and wit of Erasmus have not only furnished delectation for the reader, but have also exerted a stimulating influence of writers and thinkers. The profundity of the Renaissance scholar's thoughts are seen in Hoyt Hudson's translation of this Erasmian text which examines the function of learning in the religious life and criticises what Erasmus saw as the shortcomings of religious institutions.