The Praise of Madness by Desiderius Erasmus Originally intended for private circulation, The Praise of Madness, by Desiderius Erasmus, castigates the abuses and follies of the different classes of society, in particular the Church. . This is a deliberate, cold-blooded attempt to discredit the Church, and its scathing satire and comments on ecclesiastical conditions are intended not to be a curative medicine but a deadly poison. The Praise of Madness, by Desiderius Erasmus, takes a very diverse form. of life in Europe in the 16th century. In 1509, the author Desiderius Erasmus turned his literary talents toward ridicule and denunciation of monastic vice, immorality, and wickedness. He was considered the "Prince of the Humanists" [1] because he was one of the most important men in Europe during the Reformation period. The historical and cultural references contained in his book prove that In Praise of Madness could not have been written during any other time period except 16th century Europe. Erasmus is one of the most fascinating and inscrutable characters in history. There is no doubt that he was a genius. He was also a bon vivant, but his tastes ran toward good conversation and good food rather than conspicuous consumption. He constantly complained about his troubles and shamelessly begged his customers for more money. But he was one of the “most far-sighted individuals to have walked this planet” [2]. Above all others, he saw how the corruption and misdeeds of the Church would lead to danger, and when Martin Luther hijacked Erasmus's reform efforts and turned them into outright revolt, Erasmus understood that this split in Christendom would lead to disaster; a catastrophe that came true a century later. Erasmus, from his childhood, wanted to read, study, learn and know. He spent his life as a scholar and writer. He was a man of quick and keen wit. He had touched a sensitive chord when he wrote In Praise of Madness. But it should be noted that although Erasmus found the wickedness of priests repugnant, he did not disapprove of Roman Catholic doctrine. He prided himself on being a citizen of the world, not attached to any particular country but feeling at home in European countries where culture and humanism flourished. The two societies to which he claimed to belong were both the Republic of Letters and the Christian Church. In Roman Catholic doctrine, he only wanted a reform of morals and priestly conduct, not of Roman theology, and he disapproved of the doctrinal revolution initiated by Luther..