Pierre Bayle’s Erasmus

Abstract

Desiderius Erasmus (1466?-1536) and Pierre Bayle (1647–1706) are two of the most respected figures in the Republic of Letters. Their names are often joined due to similarities in their thinking and concerns, their ties to Rotterdam, their coincidental circumstances, and Bayle’s own praise of Erasmus. Bayle read Erasmus carefully, quoted him often, cited him more often still, and noted his flaws. This paper tracks Bayle’s explicit references to Erasmus in his journalism, books, and letters. It indicates what he read and what he apparently preferred among Erasmus’ writings. It observes Bayle’s rare ensemble of Erasmian affinities, his contributions to Erasmus scholarship, and his uses of Erasmus in his own work.