Plate 68

"Jeremiah"

 

Moriae Encomium

Illustrated by Hans Holbein the Younger

 

 

 

Single Greeting Card (with matching Envelope)

Code: H ME68 SGC
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Reproduction on 8x12" sheet

Code: H ME68 8x12
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Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: H ME68 12x18
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Holbein's illustration shown in Plate 68 from Moriae Encomium is associated with the following text drawn from

John Wilson's 1668 translation:

 

But to the point under a fortunate direction. Ecclesiastes says in his first chapter, "The number of

fools is infinite;" and when he calls it infinite, does he not seem to comprehend all men, unless

it be some few whom yet 'tis a question whether any man ever saw? But more ingeniously does

Jeremiah in his tenth chapter confess it, saying, "Every man is made a fool through his own

wisdom;" attributing wisdom to God alone and leaving folly to all men else, and again, "Let

not man glory in his wisdom." And why, good Jeremiah, would you not have a man glory in

his wisdom? Because, he'll say, he has none at all. 

 

 

The associated French text from L'Eloge de la Folie (1728) follows:

 

L'Ecclésiaste, Chapitre premier, verset ... attendez, verset ... Oh! je l'ai oublié, aussi bien que la

page, la ligned & c. (car pour citer théologiquement, il ne faut rien omettre.) L'Ecclesiaste donc,

a écrit, LE NOMBRE DES FOUS EST INFINI. Or ce nombre infini n'embrasse-t-il pas généralement

tous les homme? excepté peut-être quelques-uns; encore doutai-je fort qu'on les ait jamais vus.

Mais Jeremie avoue le chose plus ingénûment: Tous les hommes, dit-il, Ch. 10. sont devenus

fous, à force de Sagesse. Ill attribue la Sagesse à Dieu seul, & laisse à tous les hommes la Folie en

partage. Une peu plus haut, il dit, Que l'homme ne se glorifie point dans sa Sagesse! Pourquoi

cela, saint & divin Oracle de l'avenir? Cest, répondra-t-il, parce que l'homme n'a point de

Sagesse.