Utopia published at Louvain.
With this bold and honest introduction the ‘Utopia’ was published at Louvain by Thierry Martins, with a woodcut prefixed, representing the island of Utopia, and with an imaginary specimen of the Utopian language and characters. It was in the hands of the public by the beginning of the new year.[614]
Such was the remarkable political romance, which, from its literary interest and merit, has been translated into almost every modern language—a work which, viewed in its close relations to the history of the times in which it was written, and the personal circumstances of its author when he wrote it, derives still greater interest and importance, inasmuch as it not only discloses the visions of hope and progress floating before the eyes of the Oxford Reformers, but also embodies, as I think I have been able to show, perhaps one of the boldest declarations of a political creed ever uttered by an English statesman on the eve of his entry into a king’s service.[615]
CHAPTER XIII.
I. WHAT COLET THOUGHT OF THE ‘NOVUM INSTRUMENTUM’ (1516).
Having traced the progress and final publication of these works by Erasmus and More, the enquiry suggests itself, how were they received?
And first it may naturally be asked, What did Colet think of them, especially of the ‘Novum Instrumentum’?