In Praise of Folly is a satirical essay written by the Dutch humanist and theologian, Desiderius Erasmus, in 1509. The essay is presented as a speech given by Folly, the goddess of foolishness, who praises herself and her followers for their ability to bring joy and pleasure to life. Erasmus uses this platform to critique the religious and social institutions of his time, including the Catholic Church, the clergy, and the nobility. He argues that many of these institutions are corrupt and hypocritical, and that they have lost sight of their true purpose. Throughout the essay, Folly makes witty and humorous observations about human nature and society, highlighting the absurdity of many of our beliefs and practices. She also offers a defense of folly, arguing that it is essential to human happiness and creativity.In Praise of Folly is considered one of the most important works of the Renaissance, and it had a significant impact on the intellectual and cultural life of Europe. It is a masterful example of satire, and it continues to be read and studied by scholars and students around the world.This is a new release of the original 1925 edition.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.