A History of Bohemian LiteratureLützow, Francis, hrabe
History
A History of Bohemian Literature
Lützow, Francis, hrabe
Czech literature -- History and criticism
This deplorable condition of his beloved Bohemia did not escape the
notice of Charles IV., whom his countrymen in his lifetime already
described as "Otec Vlastí" (=Pater Patriæ). Hoping to improve the moral
condition of the country by calling in foreign priests, Charles in
1358 invited the Austrian monk Conrad Waldhauser to Bohemia. Conrad, a
native of Upper Austria, had lately attracted great attention by the
eloquent sermons he had preached at Vienna. A German by nationality,
Conrad was ignorant of the Bohemian language, but though he was thus
unable to make himself understood by the mass of the people, the
impression produced by his sermons was none the less very great. The
educated citizens of Prague were then, as now, almost as familiar
with the German as with their own language. Graphic accounts of his
eloquent denunciations of the corruption and luxuriousness of his age
have been preserved; they sometimes read like a modern account of a
revival meeting. The Teyn Church, where Conrad preached, soon became
too limited for his audience; people assembled in squares and public
places to listen to his sermons. The ladies of Prague discarded their
jewellery and sumptuous clothing, while many men publicly confessed
their sins. Though Conrad's preaching was in the strictest conformity
with the teaching of the Church of Rome, he yet incurred the hostility
of the monks, particularly the Dominicans and the Augustines. The
protection of Charles, however, ensured his safety, and Conrad's death,
in 1369, put a stop to the controversy which his sermons had caused.
Waldhauser has left a considerable number of Latin works; of these, the
_Postilla Studentium Sanctæ Universitatis Pragensis super evangelia
dominica_ and the _Apologia_, which contains his defence against the
attacks of the monks, are the most important.
Among those on whom the preaching of Conrad Waldhauser produced a
strong and permanent impression was the Moravian MILIČ of Kremsier,
who, after Conrad's death, became his successor as rector of the
Teyn Church at Prague. We find a considerable amount of information
concerning Milič in his biography, contained in the _Miscellanea_ of
the learned Jesuit Balbinus. This biography, which dates from the
second half of the seventeenth century, written, if not by Balbinus
himself, by a member of his order, is noticeable for its conscientious
impartiality. It is the foundation of all the more recent notices of
Milič. The date of the birth of Milič is unknown; we only learn that
he was of humble origin, and was probably born in the town of Kremsier
in Moravia. He took orders early in life, probably in the year 1350.
From the year 1360 downward he seems to have held an important official
position in the chancery of Charles IV.; somewhat earlier he had
already become archdeacon and canon of the cathedral of St. Vitus at
Prague.
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