could devour not one cousin
only, but the whole German people and nation. "For three hundred
years," said he, "the Pope and the schoolmen have been covering the
teachings of Christ with a mass of superstitious ceremonies and wicked
books." These feelings were poured out in an appeal to the German
rulers to shake off the yoke, and no longer send their money to "Simon
of Rome."

Hutten's friends tried to quiet him. He was a man not of free thought
only, but of free speech, and knew no concealment. Milder men in those
times, as later Melancthon and Erasmus, were full of admiration of
Hutten, and valued his skill and force. But they were afraid of him,
and fearful always that the best of causes should be wrecked in his
hands.

At this time, at the age of twenty-five, Hutten is described as a
small, thin man, of homely features, with blonde hair and black beard.
His pale face wore a severe, almost wild, expression. His speech was
sharp, often terrible. Yet with those whom he loved and respected his
voice had a frank and winning charm. He had but few friends, but they
were fast ones. His personal character, so far as records go, was
singularly pure, and not often in his writings does he strike a coarse
or unclean note.

In these days, the two most learned men in Germany were Erasmus and
Reuchlin. They were leaders of the Humanists, skilled in Greek, and
even in the Hebrew tongue, and were called by Hutten "the two eyes of
Germany." A Jew named Pfefferkorn, who had become converted to
Christianity, was filled with an unholy zeal against his fellow-Jews
who had not been converted. Among other things, he asked an edict from
the Emperor that all Jewish books in Germany should be destroyed.
Reuchlin was a Hebrew scholar. He had written a Hebrew grammar, and
was learned in the Old Testament, as well as in the Talmud, and other
deposits of the ancient lore of the rabbis. The Emperor referred
Pfefferkorn's request to Reuchlin for his opinion. Reuchlin decided
that there was no valid reason for the destruction of any of the
ancient Jewish writings, and only of such modern ones as might be
decided by competent scholars to be hostile to Christianity.

This enraged Pfefferkorn and his Obscurantist associates. Pamphlets
were written denouncing Reuchlin, and these were duly answered. A
general war of words between the Humanists and Obscurantists began,
which, in time, came before the Pope and the Emperor. Reuchlin wa