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
Adam Mickiewicz, born in 1798, whose name belongs, perhaps, more
appropriately to the next period, owed his first reputation, as a poet
of eminent talent, to three small volumes of miscellaneous poetry,
first published in 1822-1828. A poetic tale, _Conrad Wallenrod_, a
scene from the wars of the Poles with the Teutonic knights, was
published shortly after.[59]
The series of Polish poets towards the end of this period, who have
manifested some talent, is too long to permit us to enumerate them
all; and even a complete catalogue of their names must not be expected
in these pages, which are devoted merely to an historical review of
the _whole_ literature, and to individuals only so far as they go to
form characteristic features of the physiognomy of the former. The
"Dictionary of Polish poets," published in 1820 by Juszynski,
describes the lives of not less than 1400 individuals, independently
of course of their poetical worth. We confine ourselves to presenting
some of the most distinguished names in addition to those
above-mentioned, viz. Gurski, a very productive and popular writer; L.
Osinski, still more esteemed as a critic: Molski, Tanski, Boncza
Tomaszewski, Okraszewski, Tymowski, Szydlowski, and Kozmian, the
author of a popular didactic poem.
The Polish literature of this time was particularly rich in
translations, which are approved by their countrymen, although they
perhaps will not satisfy the higher standard of German or English
criticism. This is due partly to the richness and pliability of the
language itself. Dmochowski, Przybylski, and Staszyc, translated
Homer; and the first also Virgil. Dmochowski's translations are in
rhymed verse; those of Przybylski, who also enriched Polish literature
with translations of the Paradise Lost, the Lusiad, and of many other
poems, are in the measures of the originals, and manifest both a
profound knowledge of the foreign languages, and great dexterity in
using his own. Staszyc has written valuable works on various subjects,
and enjoys a high esteem as a literary man and patriot. Felinski, the
translator of Delille and Racine, is considered as the most harmonious
Polish versifier. Hodani, Osinski, Kicinski, Kruszynski, have likewise
transplanted the productions of the French Parnassus into the Polish
soil; Sienkiewicz, Odyniec, and others, devoted their talents to the
English. Okrascewski translated the Greek tragic poets. Minasowicz,
the author of fifty-three various works, and Nagurczewski, translated
also several of the ancient authors; but according to the best
critics, with more knowledge of the classic languages, than skill in
the management of their own. Among all the distinguished poets
mentioned above, there is hardly one, who, besides his original
productions, did not likewise devote his talents to poetical
translations; in which Karpinski, Naruscewicz, and Krasicki, were
considered as eminently successful.
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