A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
Among the early strictly "ultramontane" Bohemian humanists, the most
prominent personage is BOHUSLAV HASIŠTEIN OF LOBKOVIC. Born about the
year 1460, he was educated in the doctrine of the Utraquist Church,
to which his father, a firm adherent of King Georg, had belonged. It
is not quite certain when he was formally received into the Roman
Church, but this no doubt happened during his stay in Italy. At a very
early age he proceeded to the University of Bologna, where he pursued
his studies for some time, and no doubt also became acquainted with
the teachers of the humanist learning, of which Bologna was then a
stronghold. Henceforth Bohnslav is for his whole lifetime a humanist,
with all the qualities and defects which belonged to that state of life.
Towards the end of the year 1482, Bohuslav returned to Bohemia, and
here, at an exceptionally early age, obtained the dignity of provost of
the Vyšehrad at Prague. Humanism had by this time spread in Bohemia,
and he became the centre of a small society which devoted itself
entirely to the study of the classic languages. Of this small group the
shining light, of course after Bohuslav himself, was Victorin Cornelius
ze Všehrd, the friend and afterwards the detested enemy of Bohuslav.
One of the minor lights of this _cénacle_ has described the position
of the two leading Bohemian humanists in the following Latin verses:--
_"Primus Boleslaus, Cornelius altera Lux est_
_Sidera nos alii, sed sine luce sumus."_
In the year 1490 Lobkovic undertook an extensive voyage to
Palestine and Egypt. On his return to Europe, Lobkovic, who, as
his correspondence very clearly proves, was by no means devoid of
political ambition, attempted to play a more important part in the
affairs of his country. For this purpose mainly Lobkovic aspired to
the important bishopric of Olmütz in Moravia, and he was unanimously
chosen by the chapter, which, according to very ancient regulations,
had the right of election. Unfortunately about this time Alexander VI.
was chosen as Pope, and he immediately appointed to the see of Olmütz
the Cardinal of Monreale, a relation of the Borgia family. Even the
strongest partisans of the papal cause were incensed at this decision,
which intrusted the bishopric of Olmütz to an Italian, ignorant of
the Bohemian, and even of the better-known German language, at a
moment when the influence of the Bohemian Brethren was very strong in
Moravia. A letter of remonstrance was, in the name of the principal
Moravian nobles, addressed to Pope Alexander. This remonstrance,
couched in rather strong language, was probably the work of Lobkovic,
and has been printed by Professor Joseph Truhlář in his recently
published collection of the Latin letters of Bohnslav of Lobkovic.
This letter had no result, and Lobkovic appears never to have forgiven
Pope Alexander. We possess several Latin epigrams written by him on
that pontiff, in which Lobkovic has followed Juvenal and Martial so
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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