Historical View of the Languages and Literature of the Slavic Nations: With a Sketch of Their Popular PoetryTalvj
History
Historical View of the Languages and Literature of the Slavic Nations: With a Sketch of Their Popular Poetry
Talvj
Folk songs, Slavic; Slavic languages -- History; Slavic literature -- History and criticism
To the character of the theological literature of this age, we have
above alluded. Among the Protestant writers were Andrew and Adalbert
Wengierski. The works of the latter gave occasion to the polemical
discussions of the Jesuit Poszakowski, himself the author of a history
of the Lutheran and of the Calvinistic creed, and of several other
books. Other works on subjects of theology and education, or
collections of sermons and devotional exercises, were published by the
Jesuits Szczaniecki, Koialowicz, Sapecki, Poninski, Zulkicwski, and
others; and the Piarists Gutowski, Wysocki, Rosolecki, and others. The
Jesuit Niesiecki wrote a comprehensive biblio-biographical work of
great merit, which is considered as one of the best sources for the
inquirer in Polish history and literature.[39] Another Jesuit, Wiiuk
Koialowicz, translated Tacitus' Annals into Polish, and wrote in Latin
a history of Lithuania. Knapski, also a Jesuit, published a large
dictionary or "Thesaurus," which is still highly esteemed.
Luhienski, archbishop of Gnesen, wrote in 1740 the first detailed
geography in the Polish language. One of the most productive writers
on various subjects of theology, history, and politics, was
Starowolski, who died in 1656. Fourteen of his forty-seven works are
written in Polish, the rest in Latin. We mention further, as
geographical and historical writers of some merit, the Piarist Kola,
professor Saltszewicz, Chodkicwicz, Niemir and Chwalkowski; and as a
distinguished mathematician and scholar of general information,
Broscius.
We conclude this period with the poets of that age; who, although
perhaps they exhibited more talent than the cotemporary prose writers,
must necessarily, from the nature of poetry, have suffered more from
the predominant tastelessness of the time. Sam. Twardowski, ob. 1660,
must be named first; a poet of fine gifts, but of an impure,
bombastic, rhetorical style, the author of numerous lyrical and epic
poems of very unequal value. After him came Vespasian Kochowski, the
best lyric poet of the age; Gawinski, a very productive author, whose
pastorals have been collected by Mostowski, together with those of
Kochanowski, Simonides, and other classical poets; and Wenceslaus
Potocki, the author of novels, poetry, and more especially epigrams,
not without merit, but frequently licentious and indelicate. Among the
poets of this age, who are in some measure distinguished by Polish
critics, we find also a lady. Elizabeth Druzbacka, a poetess of high
rank, but without a literary education or a knowledge of foreign
languages, though not without natural gifts. Satires were written by
Dzwonowski and Opalinski; historical and didactic poems by Bialabocki,
prince Jablonowski, and by Leszczynski, father of king Stanislaus
Leszczynski. Ovid was translated by Zebrowski and Otfinowski; Lucan's
Pharsalia by Chroscinski, who versified also portions of the Bible;
and again with more fidelity and skill by the Dominican monk
Bardzinski.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account