The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18
existence. The book has been several times

ell. one OF the many benst-cpics OF tho Middle
Ages and ofa collection Of proverbs. While
these poems have little artistic worth. they are
OF great interest for the student OF the social
condition OF Bohemia in the fourteenth GEN.
fury. Tho Fathers Advice to His Son shows
what were considered In the fourteenth cen
fury to be the duties OF a young Bohemian
noble. The following passage Is by no means
devoid Of worldly wisdom: BE liberal as far
ms Is seomly. Do not by shabbiness injure
your soul Neither must YOU come to ruin by
too great liberality. Dignihed moderation 10
honorable in all things. To your poor friends
he aminble. and take special heed to be gener-
Gus to them. Give to them in their distress.
These are honorable and kniRhtly debts"
II.
In Bohemia. as in most countries. the ma
tional language was employed In poetry long
before an endeavor was made to use II in prose.
Latin was long the language exclusively en-
ployed by writers on history, law and theol-
ogy. Even as late as tho second half OF the
fourteenth century an author was blamed
for using the Bohemian tongue In his theoloRi-
cal and philosophical works. During the reign
Of Charles ". however 134G-137 we find
bohemian TRANSACTIONS OF Latin historical
works appearing almost simultaneously with
the Latin originals 1t was by the order OF
InHrleS ~. tndJ lrlDlK. VINO nelu Wnht may
be called the nosltion OF Court Historian. COM
posed his Bohemian Chronicle. which. begin
ming. as was then usual. with the dispersion OF
the human race. narrates the history OF his
country up to the year 1880. During the same
reign the bohemian or Czech language was
employed extensively for writings on matters
Of law. One OF the earliest and most curious
prose works In the Bohemian tongue is the
dialogue known as Tkavlecek. the Weaver.
which was written about 14O7, and which was
one Of the first books to be printed when the
revival Of Bohemian literature in the fifteenth
century began. 1t abounds with affectations
and conceits. such as were customary at the
time. yot the complaints OF the lover some
times reveal touch of real passion and the
style Ia generally human and lively. The great
name in the Bohemian literature OF the four
tenth century Ia that OF Thomas OF Stitny
who may be regarded as a precursor OF John
1iuss in the sense not only that he greatly de-
ve!oped and improved the Bohemian tongue.
but endowed it with a phraseology such as
was needed for dif1cut theological and philo-
sophical definitions. Sttny was careful to
avoid attacks on tho doGmas OF the Roman
Church. but no assailed the avarice
and immortality OF the clergy. and at
tached to the reading Of the Scriptures an
importance which recalls the views expressed
One OF his prefaces for instance. will remind
the reader OF WyclifTe's preface to his own
translation Of the Bible: Those who blame
Bohemian books" he writes. perhaps wish
ing alone to appear learned. will do well to fear
Gods vengeance and to remember how guilty
those are who prescribe letters and useful m es-
saGes contained therein. thus preventing the
Lord God. the Eternal Bridegroom. from in
structing His bride in His will and comforting
her in her distress" 1t is interesting also to
find In the writings Of moralist OF the four
teenth century opinions as to the reciprocal
duties OF the sexes similar to those that have
recently given rise TO controversy. In chap
ter entitled What Those Who Wish to
Get Married Should Beware or" Stitny
writes: To those maidens who seek
husband. and to bachelors also, will
give this advice: That every young man
should preserve himself for his bride free
from all impurty as completely as she does so
for him. For it is Gods law that no man should.
outside Of the bonds OF matrmony. commit
any offence with any woman. For. as young
man would be displeased should the maiden
whom no wishes to marry quit the state OF vir-
Rinty. In the same manner he alse should pre-
serve his innocence. man Is even stronger
than n woman, and. as 1t Is shameful for O yir-
gin to leave her state. except through matri-
mony thus. before God. 1t Is no lighter sin for
man. Thus 1t is seemly for both man and
woman to preserve themselves pure till the
time OF marriage. and to pre- pare themselves for
1t by penitencc. for marriage lie a sacrament"
Very quaint. too. Is passage in one Of Stit-
ny's books which deals with inequality in
respect Of age between married people Stitny
says: 1T is needful that those who wish to
marry should all seek their coevals. 80 that
inequality may not cause discord and dis
MI mn al r,5a
younger. he ever fears that the younger one
may not love him. and being. therefore. some
what anxious about this, he does not feel COM
plete love for his partner. for where there Is
suspicion there cannot be complete love- Also
the humors OF tho young do not please the
old. nor those Of the old the young. Even II
an old man docs not displease a young WIFE
and even II she is good. yet may she not be
free from the lies of evil people. They may
even give her advice. saying with mischievous
intent: What an old husband you havel And
then evil people in the fields will sing songs
about them. the devil instgatinR them to do
so. for he wishes to corrupt good woman. to
bring before her mind what she had not
thought Of so that she will be seized with long
ing. which will be precisely the same thing with
| young man who has an old wife Testing
with him. people will say to him: There 10
your beauty! Why. it is your mothern"
Among other precursors OF Huss should be
named Matthew OF Janov. who wrote under the
strong impression produced by the great
schism in the Western Church. which began In
1878. The idea that the Pope should himself
become the originator Of church reform ap-
peared an absurdity at moment when two
rival factions were preparing to organize. by
the sale OF indulgences. so-called crusades
against their opponents. The only remedy
that appeared possible to Matthew OF Janoy
apparently one OF the profoundest thinkers Of
his age was reform Of the Church in which
the Individual churchman was to take the In
ltiqtive. and such reform. he thought, could
only consist in q return to the ways OF the
primitive church as these are described in the
Scriptures, To the fact that he ultimately re-
canted Ia due the almost complete oblivion
int which bis writings fell after his death
Although Matthews teaching was. In many
points. similar to that Of the Hussites. yet By
his memory. They could not refrain from con-
trastinE his tecantation with the very different
behavior OF Huss under similar circumstances
The only Incidents In the annals OF Bohemi Ia
49, e..