A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
Another very distinguished Bohemian humanist was JOHN ŠLECHTA, who was
afterwards ennobled and received the title "ze Všehrd". He must not,
however, be confused with Viktorin Cornelius ze Všehrd, who has already
been mentioned. Born in 1446, Šlechta was like Bohnslav of Lobkovic,
with whom he was on terms of friendship, and many of the early Bohemian
humanists, a fervent adherent of the Church of Rome. Like Lobkovic,
also, he had a strong dislike to the language and to the religion of
his country. Like most humanists, he was a great letter-writer, and
many of his letters, some of which are in his own language, have been
preserved.
A curious proof of the intense dislike which some, though by no means
all, Bohemian humanists felt for the peculiar religious views which
attracted the attention of foreigners to their country can be found in
the correspondence of Šlechta with Erasmus of Rotterdam. Šlechta, in a
letter referring to the "Bohemian Brethren," informed his correspondent
that "an emissary of 'Pikardus'[65] had infected first Zižka's army
and then all Bohemia with pestiferous doctrines of sin; thence the
'Bohemian Brethren' proceeded to recognise communion in the two kinds,
and to choose as bishops and priests rude laymen who had no culture,
were married, and had children."
The answer of Erasmus is very characteristic; he regrets that the
Bohemians do not conform to the universal custom as regards communion,
but he openly states that he does not understand why Christ's original
regulations on this subject have been changed. As to the choosing
of their own bishops and priests, this does not, to Erasmus, appear
contrary to the early regulations (consuetudo veterum).
The most ambitious work of Šlechta was, no doubt, his _Microcosmus_.
The book, which was written in Latin, has been lost, and we can
therefore only judge of it from the preface that is still existent,
and from the numerous references to it that can be found in the
correspondence of Šlechta and his friends. Šlechta appears to have
forwarded copies of his book to many of his friends, wishing to obtain
their opinion as to its contents. In his preface Šlechta declares
that he intended dealing with the relations of the body to the soul
according to Plato's works, of which, by means of a Latin translation,
he appears to have had some knowledge.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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