vol. I., 1841, pp. 188 sqq., 261 sqq., 2d ed. 1868. Döllinger: Reformation, vol. I., 161–174. D.
F. Strauss: Ulrich von Hutten, 4th ed., Bonn, 1878, pp. 118 sq.; 227–235; 514–518. Lochner:
Lebensläufe berühmter und verdienter Nürnberger, Nürnb., 1861. Rud. Hagen: W. P. in seinem
Verhältniss zum Humanismus und zur Reformation, Nürnberg, 1882. Lic. P. Drews: Wilibald
Pirkheimer’s Stellung zur Reformation, Leipz., 1887 (138 pp.).
About this time, and after the Peasants’ War, the most eminent humanists withdrew from the
Reformation, and followed Erasmus into the sheepfold of the mother church, disgusted with the
new religion, but without being fully 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.^546
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.^547
Wilibald Pirkheimer (1470–1530), the most distinguished and influential of them, was
descended from an ancient, rich, and noble family of Nürnberg, 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 Nürnberg 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, and all the discoveries
and sciences of the time. He collected 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.^548 He was called "the Nürnberg
Xenophon," for his account of the rather inglorious Swiss campaign (1499) in which he took part
as an officer.^549 He carried on an extensive correspondence with the leading humanists, especially
Reuchlin, Ulrich von Hutten, and Erasmus, and also with the Reformers, Melanchthon, Zwingli,
Oecolampadius, and Luther. He was the Maecenas of Germany, and a gentleman of striking and
(^546) See his letter to Caspar Börner, 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.
(^547) Döllinger 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.
(^548) On his literary labors, see Karl Hagen, l.c., I. 280 sqq.
(^549) He tells in his narrative the following anecdote of a brave and quick-witted 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?" — "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. Münch, W. P.’s Schweizerkrieg und Ehrenhandel. Basel, 1826. Drews, l.c., p. 10.