448. Leading Representatives. -- At an earlier date (340) the identity of the great religions of the world had been propounded at the court of Frederick II. ERASMUS defended the view that the pure religion of Christ is identical with the religion of Plato, Cicero and Seneca. A sort of primitive, fundamental Christianity, really identical with theism, was embraced by GEMISTOS PLETHO (428) in the name of Platonism, by REUCHLIN in the name of Hebraism and by KONRAD MUDT (Mutianus Rufus) and the humanists of Erfurt in behalf of philology. In Holland, so sorely rent by the religious wars, the subject of religious peace was broached by COORNHERT (born 1522), who advocated the reduction of all the conflicting dogmas to their common elements. The project received considerable support. THOMAS MORE approved of it and HUGO GROTIUS promoted it with energy; later on, LORD HERBERT OF CHERBURY developed it; and modern philosophy embraced it as one of its favourite theories.