440 LUTHER'S CORRESPONDENCE AND Let 37^
live in a time when they can see a man like Luther and tiear his evangelic doctrine. There is nothing here at Wittenberg to keep anyone from studying; the place is pleasant, the peo- ple well-behaved, board is good, and drunkenness, so hurtful to the Muses, is here unknown. Even if my pupils desired to live a dissipated life, they would, I feel safe in affirming, be withheld by the example of others, both sons of the nobles and of commons, so perfect is the discipline and the love of the sciences at Wittenberg.
376. LUTHER TO STAUPITZ AT SALZBURG. Enders, iii. 70. Wittenberg, January 14, 1521.
Greeting. When we were at Augsburg, most reverend Father, while conversing of my cause you said to me : "Re- member, brother, that you have begun this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." I received this saying not as yours, but as given me through you, and I have kept it in my mind ever since.
Now I attack you with your own saying; remember that you said it to me. All hitherto has been child's play; now it begins to be serious, and, as you said, unless God accomplishes it, it cannot be accomplished, for everyone can see and no one can deny that it is in the hand of God. Who has planned it? What have men thought? There is such a tremendous com- motion that I do not think it can be quieted except by the last day. So great is the determination on each side.
The papacy is not now what it was yesterday and the day before. Even if it excommunicates me and bums my books and if it should kill me, something portentous is at the door. How happy would the Pope have been had he tried by good means to make peace, rather than by force and whirlwind to destroy Luther. I burned the Pope's -books and bull, at first trembling and in prayer, but now happier than any other deed of my whole life has made me, for they are more pestilent than I believed.
Emser has written against me in German* at the hcst of the raging Duke George, who in his court proposes to act
^Wider das unchristliche buck Martini Luthers Augustiners, an den TewUcken Adel, . . .
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