Isolation, Maturity, and Death (1528–1540)

Abstract

The last twelve years of Vives’ life, exceptionally creative as they were, are also the least known to us. The rich correspondence of Cranevelt closes on October 27, 1528, except for an appendix of twenty-three letters including only one from Juan Luis Vives.¹ The exchange between Vives and Erasmus also became increasingly more rare and less informative after 1528. From November of that year, until the death of the Dutch Humanist in July, 1536, the collection of Erasmus’ letters includes only two from Vives to Erasmus and none from Erasmus to Vives. The Mayans’ edition of Vivis Opera Omnia has only fifteen letters which can be assigned to this period.