A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
Of Bohemian humanists the most important one next to Bohnslav of
Lobkovic is VICTORIN CORNELIUS ZE VŠEHRD, born at Chrudim in 1460.
His friendship with Bohnslav of Lobkovic, which was ended by a bitter
religious dispute, has already been mentioned. Všehrd for some time
held an important office at the law-courts of Prague, which he lost
in 1497, it is said through the influence of Bohnslav of Lobkovic.
Všehrd was one of the most learned lawyers of his time, and he has
left us a legal work in Bohemian entitled _Ten Books on the Rights
of the Bohemian Land_, which has great historical value. After his
rupture with Bohnslav Lobkovic, Všehrd seems to have abandoned his
exclusive devotion to Latin. Belonging to the National Utraquist
Church, he was devoid of the dislike to the national language which
up to the beginning of the seventeenth century was general among the
adherents of the Roman Church. He, however, attempted no original work,
but endeavoured to aid the development of the Bohemian language by
enriching it with translations from foreign authors. He has himself
explained his purpose in the preface to his translation of St. John
Chrysostom's work _On the Amendment of the Fallen_. He writes: "I have
gladly translated (this book) for this reason also, that I hope thus
to extend, to ennoble, to increase our language; for it is not so
narrow and unpolished as it seems to some. Its abundance and richness
can be seen by this, that whatever can be expressed in Greek or in
Latin can be so in Bohemian also.... May others compose new books
written in Latin and--pouring water into the sea--extend the use of
the Roman language. I wish, by translating the books and works of
really good men into Bohemian, rather to enrichen the poor than that,
flattering the rich with bad and unwelcome presents, I should be
despised and insulted. I could indeed write Latin as well as others who
are my equals; but knowing that I am a Bohemian, I will indeed learn
Latin, but write and speak in Bohemian." Besides the above-mentioned
translation, Všehrd also translated into Bohemian several works of
St. Cyprian. It must be mentioned that when translating from the
Greek, Všehrd used Latin versions. With the exception of Pisecký, the
knowledge of Greek which the Bohemian humanists possessed was not very
extensive. Všehrd did not confine himself to humanistic studies, but
continued to practise as a lawyer up to his death in 1520.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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