A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
Two events of the greatest importance to the development of Bohemian
literature occurred in the latter half of the fifteenth century. The
one is the growth of the humanist movement in Bohemia; the other is
the foundation of the sect of the "Bohemian Brethren." Utterly opposed
to one another as the views of the humanists and the Bohemian Brethren
were, the two currents of thought were not quite without reciprocal
influence. Some of the best writers of the "Unity," as the association
of the Bohemian Brethren was generally called, such as Blahoslav and
the translators of the Bible of Kralice, show proof of thorough study
of the Bohemian writings of the humanists. On the other hand, even such
an extreme "ultramontane" as the humanist Bohnslav of Lobkovic does not
display such absolute and abject submission to the Church of Rome as
we find in Southern Europe. Lobkovic admits, to a certain extent, the
corruption of the Church of Rome, on which his countrymen laid so great
stress, and his language when referring to Pope Alexander VI. is very
outspoken.
Though, in consequence of the Hussite wars, the humanist movement was
late in reaching Bohemia, it had there a considerable influence, though
of a rather indirect nature. No great original work can be attributed
to the Bohemian humanists, and when they used their native language it
was generally for the purpose of translations, by which, it is true,
they greatly enriched and developed it.
In no country had the humanist great sympathy with the national
language. In Bohemia the early humanists, whose representative man is
Bohuslav of Lobkovic, positively detested it. Lobkovic's often-quoted
epigram on Gregory Gelenius,[62] who had translated some of his Latin
verses into Bohemian, clearly expresses his feeling on the matter. He
wrote: "Into the national language has some one translated my verses.
Now the people read them, the lords and nobles. But I am indignant at
this work of the two-legged donkey,[63] and I commend his wit and his
muse to perdition."
If the early humanists had little sympathy for Bohemia, the national
or Utraquist party felt the strongest distrust of the "new learning."
A movement that originated in Italy, the site of the Papal power, to
which Bohemia refused allegiance, and reached the country through
Germany, the ever-hostile neighbour-land, could not appeal to the
Bohemians. It must, however, be remarked that the undoubted feeling
of antipathy which existed between Lobkovic, Slechta, and other early
humanists on one, and the mass of the Bohemian people on the other
side, did not include many well-known humanists who adhered to the then
predominant Utraquist Church of Bohemia, and did much, at least by
means of translations, to improve the language of their country.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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