A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
had been too shy "to kiss the hand that had written the history of
his country." Palacký's History, as already noted, was published
simultaneously in German and in Bohemian; the earliest volumes indeed
at first appeared in the former language only. The book is therefore
not so inaccessible as the works of the earlier Bohemian historians,
from which I have given copious quotations. An English translation of
Palacký's history of Bohemia is, however, still a desideratum.
With the exception of a short German biography of Dobrovský, most of
Palacký's minor works are connected with his great History; some are
the results of studies preparatory to the great work; others contain
documentary evidence in support of statements made in the book; in
others again, Palacký enters into controversies with some of the
critics of his work. I shall mention some of the most important of
these works. In the year 1829 the Bohemian Society of Sciences offered
a prize for the best essay on the early historians of Bohemia. Palacký
won this prize with his first historical work, entitled _Würdigung_
_der alten Böhmischen Geschichtschreiber_. The book was written in
German, and was first published in the Journal of the Bohemian Museum,
that then appeared in German as well as in Bohemian. In 1830 it was
republished separately in an enlarged form. The book gives short and
concise sketches of the lives of the Bohemian historians from Cosmas
to Hajek. It is still of value, and indispensable to all who study
the works of these historians. Like this book, closely connected with
Palacký's principal work, is a short historical sketch entitled _Die
Vorläufer des Hussitanthums_ ("The Precursors of Hussitism"). The fate
of this little book is rather curious. In 1842 Palacký read a paper
on "The Precursors of Hus" before the Bohemian Society of Sciences.
Wishing to publish its contents, he, as in duty bound, submitted the
MS. to the censure-office. The officials there, however, entirely
declined to give their consent to the publication of the book. A copy
of the MS. came into the hands of Dr. Jordan of Leipzig, who in 1846
published it there under his own name. This was done with the consent
of Palacký, who was more desirous that the fruits of his research
should become public than that he should obtain personal recognition.
The book has since been reprinted under the name of the real author,
and still has great value. I have availed myself of its contents when
writing of the precursors of Hus In chapter ii. of this book.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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