A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
Somewhat later Lomnický published his _Cupid's Arrow_ (_Kupidova
Střela_), a poem which contributed greatly to his fame among his
contemporaries. Though the book was not, as has been frequently stated,
dedicated to Rudolph II., but to Lord William of Rosenberg, it found
great favour with the King of Bohemia, and probably induced that prince
to confer on Lomnický the rank of a noble, which he had long desired.
In this book also Lomnický poses as a moralist, and inveighs against
the vices of his age. Bohemian authors, perhaps the only ones who
have seriously criticised Lomnický's writings, have generally, and
perhaps rightly, doubted whether his virtuous indignation was sincere.
Lomnický, indeed, in this very book, confesses that he was a "lover of
sweet Venus," and all his works--not even the _Advice to a Landowner_
excepted--show a predilection for _risqué_ subjects and situations.
Similar in tendency to the _Arrow_ is Lomnický's book entitled _Dance,
a short treatise on dancing, considered as an exaggerated exertion
of the luxurious body_, which was dedicated to his most prominent
patron, Lord Peter of Rosenberg. A considerable number of religious
poems from the pen of Lomnický have also been preserved, mostly in
MS. only. They are written from the Roman Catholic standpoint, which
the author generally recognised, though he seems at the time of the
coronation of Frederick of the Palatinate to have developed a sudden
zeal for communion in the two kinds.
I have already mentioned that in my opinion the minor works of Lomnický
possess far greater value than his more extensive works. Of such poems
the song in celebration of the marriage of Joachim Ulrick, Lord of
Hradec, and the recently printed _Epithalamium_ on the marriage of
William, Lord Stavata of Chlum, to the noble Lady Lucy of Hradec, have
great interest. The last-named song contains a good deal of coarse wit,
and offensive allusions to members of the Bohemian nobility who were
present at the wedding. The recent editor of this curious poem remarks,
that on this occasion the only remuneration which Lomnický deserved
from his noble patrons was a sound thrashing! It must not, however,
be forgotten that Lomnický held somewhat the position of a licensed
buffoon in the houses of the great Bohemian nobles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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