did not come up to his expectation and appeared to be of less practical worth than the suggestions of Comenius. Comenius modestly replied that he had done what he could in this branch of reform and was now busy with his Pansophic schemes. To which Oxenstierna rejoined that he was aware of this, as he had read the Prodromus, and that he would discuss the subject on the following day.
The morrow’s interview was far less pleasing to Comenius. The hard-headed Chancellor was not nearly so disposed to be enthusiastic over the Pansophia and the visionary schemes connected with it as were Hartlib and his circle. “Can you stand contradiction?” he asked. Comenius replied that the one object of publishing the Prodromus had been to obtain criticism of any kind, while that of a man like Oxenstierna would be doubly valuable. The Chancellor then began to bring forward objections to the whole scheme of regenerating the world by means of Pansophia. Some of these objections were political, others rested on the Scriptural assurance that darkness rather than light was to be man’s lot on earth, but to all Comenius gave such satisfactory replies that he imparted some of his enthusiasm even to the sceptical critic, who exclaimed, “I do not believe that any one ever had ideas like yours. Continue to build on the foundations that you have laid.” Wiser judgment then returned, and he strongly advised him to leave his Pansophic schemes alone for the moment, to devote himself to the improvement of schools, and to elaborate his improved method of teaching Latin, since thus he would pave the way for more ambitious efforts in the future.
To Comenius, who was heartily sick of what he calls his spinosa didactica, this advice must have been a bitter potion, but, as Skythe echoed Oxenstierna’s opinion, and further suggested that Elbing in Prussia would be a suitable place for him to settle in with his family, he gulped it down with the best grace possible.
V Comenius now returned to Norköping, and, on communicating the result of the interview to de Geer, found to
