from the Greek, by J. Blahoslav, another president of the Bohemian Brethren, a man of profound erudition. The first translation of the whole Bible from the original languages, did not take place until several years later. The first edition of this splendid work, for which the patriotic and pious baron John of Zerotin expressly founded a printing office in his castle of Kralic in Moravia, and advanced money for all the necessary expenses, was printed in 1579. This version is still considered, in respect to language, as a model; and in respect to typography, as unsurpassed. On the fidelity of the translation and the value of the commentary, Schaffarik remarks, that "they contain a great deal of that which, two hundred years later, the learned coryphaei of exegesis in our day have exhibited to the world as their own profound discoveries." The translators were Albert Nicolai, Lucas Helic, Joh. Aeneas, George Stryc, E. Coepolla, J. Ephraim, P. Jessenius, and J. Capito.-G. Stryc wrote also a good translation of the Psalms in rhyme, and several theological works. J. Wartowsky likewise translated the Old Testament from the Hebrew and left it in manuscript; but his version has never been published. Of his translation of Erasmus' paraphrase of the gospels, only that of the gospel of Matthew has been printed. Among the Bohemian Brethren, Augusta surnamed Pileator, d. 1572, Stranensky, the above mentioned Blahoslav, Zamrsky, d. 1592, were distinguished by profound erudition. They and many others wrote voluminous works on theological subjects, e. g. biblical researches, systematic divinity, sermons, etc. Several of these writers and also many others, were authors of numerous religious hymns; among which not a few are still considered as unsurpassed in any language. Nicholas Klaudian, who was at the same time physician, printer, and theologian, wrote an apology in favour of the Breth

ren.

This individual, who, besides being the printer and editor of several medical works written by himself and others, was in part the translator of Seneca and Lactantius, has further the merit of having published in 1518 the first map of Bohemia. Luther's sermons and other writings were translated into Bohemian; and the religious affairs of Germany began to excite an intense interest among all classes.

The theological productions of this period written by catholics-among which we distinguish the names Pišek surnamed Scribonius, Makawsky, and the Jesuits Sturm and Hostowinare mostly of a polemical character; while some also are translations of the fathers, especially of Augustine's writings; or orig

inal ascetic productions in the form of allegorical novels. Among the Utraquists several individuals were celebrated as preachers; above all Ctibor Kotwa, who was called the Bohemian Cicero, and Dicastus Mirkowsky. Others wrote theological treatises and interpretations of portions of the Scriptures. Such were Beransky, author of an interpretation of Daniel, of the gospels, the epistles, etc. Orlicny, or as he is called in Latin, Aquili nas, known chiefly as a translator of the classics ;* Turnowsky, a Slovak by birth; Bydzowsky, Bilegowsky the writer of a Bohemian church history and of a history of the Hussites and Picardites; Rwacowsky, Zeletawsky, Tesak author of many popular religious hymns; Palma, who published towards twenty theological works; Pešina, Maurenin, and Borowsky, who wrote interpretations of the epistles and gospels; Wrbensky author of a biblical Synopsis, a Harmony, etc. Rosacius Susisky, distinguished as a Latin poet; Martin of Drazow, Jacobides Stribrsy, Jakesius Prerowsky,† and others.

There are few among the theological writers of this century,of whom we have named perhaps the twentieth part,—who have not left at least ten volumes of their own writings; while many have reached twice, and some thrice the number. More than one third of the printed works in this department contain sermons. The eloquence of the pulpit acquired a high degree of cultivation; and besides the two Utraquist preachers mentioned above, many other names were celebrated among them. In respect to erudition, however, the Brethren occupied decidedly the first rank. In religious hymns all sects were equally productive; and there are, as we have mentioned already, not a few among them of a high excellence. To the names of spiritual poets alluded to in the preceding paragraphs, we may here add the following: Sobeslawsky Resatko, Gryllus, Herstein of Radowesic, Horsky, Mart. Pisecky, Taborsky, Sylvanus, a Slovak by birth and called by way of eminence Poeta Bohemicus, Chmelowec, Mart. Philomusa, Karlsberg, Hanus; and more especially Lomnicky, poeta laureatus, who is regarded as the first Bohemian poet of the age.

These names comprise also nearly all we have to say of the state of Bohemian poetry in general. Not that some of them did not occasionally desert the sacred muse, and compose spe

*

See

page 450 above.

The five last mentioned were banished in 1621.

、

cimens of secular poetry; for some of Lomnicky's larger and most celebrated works belong to this class, as may be seen by the titles; e. g. The arrows of Cupid,' The golden Bag,' etc.28 But all that is of real poetical yalue, is of a religious character; and bears too much the stamp of its age, to be relished at the present day. The secular poets of the time wrote, with a few exceptions, in Latin.

Among the historians of merit we may name the following writers of Bohemian history: Hagek of Libocan, Kuthen, Procopius Lupac, Paprocky a Pole who however wrote some of his works in the Bohemian language, Racownicky, and the above-mentioned Weleslawin and Bilegowsky. In respect to universal history, or that of other lands, we find the names of Placel, Sixt von Ottersdorf, Konstantinovic, Kocin, and others. This period is equally rich in valuable books of travels. Count Wratislaw of Mitrowic, d. 1635, described his interesting embassy from Vienna to Constantinople; C. Harant, a courtier and statesman, published his travels in Egypt and Palestine; Prefat of Wlkanow likewise gave a description of his journey from Prague to Palestine; Charles of Zerotin, the son of the munificent patron of the United Brethren, and like him their protector and friend, left letters and a description of his travels.

As lawyers, orators, and political writers, the following names may be adduced: Baron Kocin of Kocinet, whom we have had occasion to mention repeatedly; the counts Sternberg, Wratislaw of Mitrowic, and Slawata; the latter known as one of the persons thrown from a lofty window of the castle by the violence of count Thurn-one of the introductory scenes of the thirty years' war; Baron Budowec of Budow, equally excellent as a Christian and a statesman, the protector and public defender of the Bohemian Brethren, and faithful to his religious conviction until his last breath; Christopher Harant, another nobleman of great merit, whom we mentioned above as a distinguished traveller. Both these last were executed in 1621. Writers of merit in the department of jurisprudence, were also the counsellors Ulric of Prostibor under Ferdinand I, Wolf of Wresowic,

28 Simon Lomnicky of Budec was court poet; and in addition to the poetical crown, his talents procured him a patent of nobility. He wrote twenty-eight volumes, most of which are printed. For more general information respecting his works, and those of the other writers here mentioned, we must refer our readers to Jungmann's Historie literatury Česke, Prague, 1825, and Schaffarik's often cited work.

the chancellor Koldin, and others. But on topics like these, by far the greater number wrote only in Latin; and these of course we do not mention here.

Writers on the medical and natural sciences cannot well be separated here; since in most cases the same individuals distinguished themselves in the departments of medicine, astronomy and mathematics. The following, along with many others, are named with distinction: Th. Hagek, body physician of the emperors Maximilian and Rudolph, and a celebrated astronomer ; Zelotyn, author of medical and mathematical works; Zalužansky, physician and naturalist, who anticipated the great Linnæus in his doctrine of the sexual distinction and impregnation of plants; P. Codicillus, historian, philosopher, theologian and astronomer, who wrote on all these different subjects; Huber von Riesenbach, a physician and rector of the university of Prague ; Sud, a celebrated astronomer; and many more.29

The number of books printed during this period cannot well be ascertained; since by far the greater number were burned or otherwise destroyed in the dreadful catastrophe which signalized its close. Prague alone had eighteen printing offices; and fourteen more existed in other places in Bohemia and Moravia. Besides these, many Bohemian books were printed at Venice, Nürnberg, Wittenberg, etc. and some in Holland and Poland.

In 1617, the emperor Matthias succeeded in obtaining the crown of Bohemia for his nephew Ferdinand, archduke of Austria. This was the signal for the catholics, in spite of the Literae Imperatoriae of the emperor Rudolph, to make new attempts for the suppression of the protestants. The Estates belonging to this denomination brought their complaint before the emperor, who gave them no redress; and thus the spark was kindled into flames, which for thirty years continued to rage throughout all Germany. At the death of Matthias in 1619, the Bohemians. refused to receive Ferdinand II as their king, and elected the protestant palatine Frederic V, a generous prince, but incapable of affording them support. The battle at the White Mountain near Prague, in 1620, decided the destiny of Bohemia. Twenty-seven of the leaders of the insurrection were publicly executed; sixteen were exiled or condemned to prison for life; their property, as also the possessions of seven hundred and twenty-eight noblemen and knights who had voluntarily acknow

29 See the two works named in the preceding note.

ledged themselves to have taken part in the insurrection, and of twenty-nine others who had fled, was wholly confiscated; and thus the amount of fifty-three millions of rix dollars transferred from protestant to catholic hands. The Literae Imperatoriae were annulled; the protestant religion in Bohemia abolished; and that kingdon declared a purely catholic hereditary monarchy. All non-catholic preachers were banished; thirty thousand families who preferred exile to a change of their religion, emigrated. Among them 185 were noble families; the others artists, mechanics, merchants, and labourers. Yet in the villages, among the woods and mountains, where neither soldier nor Jesuit had penetrated, and there alone, many protestants remained, buried in a fortunate obscurity. From the time of this catastrophe, the Bohemian language has never again been used in public business. The thirty years' war completed the devastation of this unfortunate country. In 1617, Bohemia had 732 cities and 34,700 villages; when Ferdinand II died in 1637, there remained 130 cities and 6000 villages; and its three millions of inhabitants were reduced to 780,000.

FOURTH PERIOD.

From the battle at the White Mountain, A. D. 1620, to the Revival of Literature in A. D. 1774-80.

Of this melancholy period we have but little to say. A dull pressure lay upon the nation; it was as if the heavy strokes inflicted on them had paralysed their very limbs. Innumerable monks came to Bohemia from Italy, Spain, and the south of Germany, who condemned and sacrificed to the flames every Bohemian book as necessarily heretical. There were individuals who boasted having burned with their own hands 60,000 literary works. They broke into private families, and took away whatever Bohemian books they could find. Those which they did not burn, were deposited in separate chambers in the convents, provided with iron grates, bolts, and chains drawn before the door, on which was written, The Hell. They distributed pamphlets respecting hell and purgatory, the reading of which produced derangement of mind in many weak persons; until at last the government was wise enough to lay a severe prohibition upon these measures. The Bohemian emigrants indeed continued to have their religious books printed in their foreign homes; but they wrote comparatively few new works. These however they con