Lost Erasmus book returns to Rotterdam after 400 years

A book by Dutch Renaissance philosopher Desiderius Erasmus, long believed to be lost, has been returned to Rotterdam after being recognized by a collector in the United States. The work, titled "La civilité puérile" (The Civility of Children), is a concise compilation of insights on proper conduct among young individuals, originally published in French in 1609.

The volume includes guidance such as: "It is utterly preposterous to produce trumpet-like noises with one's nose; reserve that for trumpeters and elephants." Other recommendations include "always express well wishes for the health of someone who sneezes" and "refrain from sitting down at the table until you have thoroughly washed your hands and trimmed your nails."

John Tholen, a curator at the Rotterdam Library, expressed the significance of the book's return, stating that it represents "a very special event" as "we have uncovered an unknown fragment of the story surrounding Erasmus's ideas and their impact." The UNESCO Erasmus Collection in Rotterdam houses over 3,000 editions of the philosopher's works, in addition to 3,000 more books and articles authored about him post-1900.