No More Learning

Pseudo-Romantic ok Mickiewicz's Epoch -- Extending from
the Year 1822 to the Present Day.
Amidst the many violent political shocks in Europe,
which only ended with the downfall of Napoleon the
Great and the Congress of Vienna in 1815, there also
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? POETRY OF POLAND. 29
came changes in the intellectual world. Europe got
rid of mediaeval excrescences and conceits !
Thinking men must admit that there are moments
in the lives of nations as well as of individuals when
the mind, rocked by the storms of adversity, longs for
quietness and rest. When we see that the happiness
which we had been seeking, the great aims for which
we have been striving with so much faith and devoted-
ness, have come to nothing, that all our troubles and
endeavors have been of no avail, then it is that we turn
our languishing eyes into the past when we thought we
were happy, though in reality we were only compara-
tively so, not knowing that it might and should be better.
We look as if into the mirror, into the luster of sweet
and pleasing remembrances of departed years, since
now they seem to be more beautiful and more poetic,
just because they will never return. Such time is pro-
pitious to the unfolding and developing into bloom of
historical poetry. Such an epoch in modern Europe
was the beginning of the nineteenth century.
The political and intellectual storms of the last hun-
dred years left after them banished hopes, a void, and a
faintness. From the smoldering ashes and moss-over-
grown ruins the mental powers, rent by doubts and a
wounded heart which the present could not satisfy, the
yearning voice spoke forth for the feeling and faith, for
the greatness and poetry of olden times. This was in
consequence of a reaction of the past.
As it always happens that when there is a new
change to take place in the kingdom of imagination
immediately there is born a new generation willing and
ready to second and support it, so it was at this
period. Classicism began to show every day more and
more plainly that its time was about over. In the
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? 30 POETS AND POETRY OF POLAND.
minds of the highest cultivation it began to lose, gradu-
ally, its prestige, and although no one could see at the
time what should take its place, everyone felt that its
decadence was at hand, when lo ! a single bard ap-
peared on a newly erected stage, and pronounced the
word Homa/nticism. Literary men gave him a willing
ear. The apostles of a new poetic faith began to in-
crease and multiply and with much enthusiasm spread
the new doctrine of poetic inspiration, and thus the
new Phoenix was born. The originator of the Roman-
tic School was Adam Mickiewicz. It will ever be a
memorable time in the history not only of the Polish
but of European poetic literature. Witwicki, Gos-
czyn? ski, Zaleski, Gos? awski, and others, propelled by
the current of their genius, joined the new camp, and
having sanctioned the new doctrine, upheld it with the
force of their poetic powers. They struck the strings
which up to this period were not only untouched but
unknown. The self-created spirit broke the shackles
of former days -- shackles that so strictly bound the free-
dom and spirit of poetic inspiration to certain laid down
poetic rules in composition. Then it was that the poetic
flow began to gush out from the eternal spring of love
and phantasy. The Polish nationality received this
new outgrowth with great approbation and delight,
which is still in popular favor, and we think will con-
tinue so for generations to come.
The creations of our poets of this period are almost
in every instance breathing with a peculiarly happy,
heartfelt, and lively serenity of the spirit. Although
sadness and tearfulness preponderate in their strains,
yet it can be plainly seen that they are pervaded with
a strong belief in the guardianship of Providence over
the affairs of this world, which in its nature is hopeful
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? POETRY OF POLAND. 31
and noble, for it assures sooner or later the additional
triumph over the power of falsehood and evil, contend-
ing against them and temporarily restraining their in-
fluence over the world.
Unlike the literatures of other nationalities, breath-
ing doubts, grief, or repulsive flattery, or replete with
metaphysical mysticism, which loses itself in the un-
fathomable, our ideals had something in them of re-
ality, and in almost all poetic creations of. our bards
there is an undercurrent of religiously patriotic love of
country, deeper, and yet more purely understood, than
in any other literature.
As to the introduction of this pseudo-romantic style
of writing, its votaries could not precisely define what
they wished and where they were tending, because no
one precisely understood upon what system this Ro-
manticism was founded.
It must be remembered that heretofore the French
system stood preeminent in the Polish literature, but
now the time had come to cut loose from it, and Polish
litterateurs began to consider the poetic elements
governing the middle ages and also giving much
weight to the German style. Happily for the Poles
that the deliberations of these men served as a protec-
tion in the incubation of the style purely national.
After the ebullition of the first youthful enthusiasm
was over, our poets began to examine their strength,
but finding it as yet very undefined they turned their
attention to different but inexhaustible sources -- the
treasures of popular poetry, which led to the love of
the supernatural and miraculous, and to the fresh tra-
ditions of the great past, which they wished to preserve
and to perpetuate by their songs.
But what was the aim of these poets ? It was to
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? 32 POETS AND POETRY OF POLAND.
bring nearer to the sight the local phenomena of exist-
ence, to increase the light, to make the home history
more interesting, and to preserve in the mirror of
poetic art the hereditary thoughts and feelings, as also
the remembrances upon which is founded, and from
which emanates, the individuality of national existence.
All the above mentioned poets, albeit different in the
tendencies of their genius, meet at the same point, that
is, in the texture and concatenation of thought, the
national feeling.
During the existence of the Duchy of Warsaw, and
subsequently the Kingdom of Poland, and especially
until the year 1825, the whole of our literature flowed
as it were in one and the same channel ; but since the
advent of Brodzin? ski different tendencies began to
spread over the country. Civilization had extended its
blessings all over the Polish nation, and at the same
time had awakened great poetic talent.
Small poetical circles were formed in the Kingdom
of Poland, in Lithuania and that part of Poland called
Little Russia, comprising Podolia, Yolhynia and
Ukraine, forming as it were so many different and
distinct pleiads, but shining in the same heavens and
constituting our whole literature. Padura, Zaleski,
Goszczyn? ski, Olizarowski, Groza, and others, but they
were all outstripped by Brodzin? ski' } s "Wies? aw" and
Malczewskie "Marya. " The first was well under-
stood, but the other seemed incomprehensible at first,
but now he is reckoned among the first poets of Poland.
But the grand center of poetic power was Adam
Mickiewicz, the creator of a new and splendid epoch
in Polish Poetry, the man who accomplished a twofold
task, that of gathering in his own personality the spirit
of the whole nation and raising up the Polish Poetry
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? POETRY OF POLAND. 33
to the rank of the European muse. This he accom-
plished most successfully.
In Germany the Goethe epoch was passing way.
The era of English poetry was beginning to change by
the appearance of Lord Byron and Walter Scott.
In France there were Lamartine and Victor Hugo.
Between these poets and Mickiewicz there was that
kindred relationship which can only exist among men
of great genius at the same time and without any re-
gard to nationality.
The imitators of Mickiewicz did not exactly equal
his genius. Among the most prominent of these could
be counted Odyniec, Alexander, Chodz? ko, Witwicki,
Massalski and Julian Korsak.
With the year 1831 a new inspiration seemed to
have taken hold of the whole Polish nation, and the
Polish literature also took a new turn, that of a moral
and a warm patriotic tendency. From this time Polish
poetry assumes the highest possible significance, and
becomes the leading and reigning spirit of the whole
Polish nationality.
It was about this time that Krasin? ski and SIowacki
unfolded the great power of their poetic genius. Then
again we have something from what we may term
Siberian poetry, from Charles Balin? ski, and from the
literature of Caucasus of Gustate Zielin? ski, and from
one of the foremost, Maurice GosIawski, who, during
the prostration of the nation raised his voice to the
highest and sung the heroic songs, which from this
time began to characterize the literature of Poland.
Vincent Pol began also to sing of the past glory
and loveliness of the Polish land, and thus was formed
a new pleiad of a young generation of Polish poets, the
most distinguished of whom were Bielowski, Siemien? -
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? 34 POETS AND POETEY OF POLAND.
ski, Wasilewski, Groza, Kondratowicz (Syrokomla),
Berwlnski, Zmorski, Gaszyn? ski, Lenartowicz and
Hedwige ? uszczewska (Deotyma).
We come now to a period when the Polish muse
takes another decided turn. Krasin? ski, shuddering at
the premonitions of death's alarms, reveals to the
world in his " Psalms " the mystery of Resurrection,
and Ujejski, following in his wake, proclaims his
"Lamentations. " The heroic poetry, too, inscribes
upon the pages of immortality the names of Iasinski,
Godebski, Korsak, Suchodolski and Romanowski.
If the poetry of to-day does not flow in any other
channel than heretofore, it certainly adds to it the
great play upon the feelings, and beautifies it by
variegated shadings of the picturesque ; keeping always
in the wake of national traditions, it also keeps pace
with the inward fitness of national spirit, thereby
awakening constant admiration and furnishing material
for the tuneful lyre of the Polish bards.
Polish Poetry during the reign of Sigismunds is
characterized by classic conciseness and pleasing sim-
plicity. During the time of Stanislaus Augustus, it is
marked by accuracy and branching out in the richness
of the language. In our times it is distinguished by
still greater purity, taste, and general improvement,
which may be considered as a remarkable augury of
eminent progression, especially so when we consider
that the writers, after having regained the original purity
of the vernacular tongue, will in future do away with
all foreign words which have a tendency to weaken
the expression and dignity of poetic compositions in
the Polish language. And the object will be fully ac-
complished if they will avoid imitating the manner of
foreign style of composition.
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? POETRY OF POLAND. 35
As regards the present spirit of the Polish Poetry,
we see the love of country pervades everywhere.
Zealous admiration of noble deeds, tempered ecstasy,
free imagination untainted by fantastic conceits, mild
in tenderness, simplicity, morality of poetical philoso-
phy, and beautiful pictures of rural life and family in-
tercourse.
In this, as it were improvised, literature, the course
of which has been lively and rapid, are expressed the
feelings of a great people's national records, and the
spirit of Poland long ago, but these have not yet reached
their journey's end, -- not to their final destination. It
still goes Onward and Upward.
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? 36 POETS AND POETRY OF POLAND.
KEY.
Nicholas Rey may be considered as the father of
Polish poetry. Following in the train of the age he
lived in, which was theological Polemics, he partici-
pated in all its delusions and its errors. As a poet he
was only mediocre, lacking in what is termed the poet-
ical inspiration ; and yet although the reader cannot
recognize Rey as a genius, he will discover in his writings
sober and substantial thought, healthy and forcible
manner, and fresh expressions, somewhat colored but
invariably pithy. If his poetical compositions are
devoid of high imagery, they show, nevertheless, and
pointedly too, that he wished to demonstrate to the
book-learned teachers and professional poets the exist-
ence of a people's literature, and thereby awaken in
them the spirit of inquiry in regard to plebeian or popu-
lar poetry, -- that important link -- writing for the first
time the plebeian literature and the literature of the
learned.
Rey was indeed a true bard, and did much toward
the elevation of the Polish Muse. King Sigismund
Augustus held Rey in the highest esteem, and not only
patronized and enriched him, but conferred upon him
many marks of distinction.
Rey was born in 1505, and passed his youth in frolic
and pleasure. He went to school for about five years,
but it seems he did not learn there much of any thing --
not till the twentieth year of his life, when through
the influence of his uncle he obtained a place with a
very wealthy family of Tenczyn? ski, who generally
spent their time in Italy, and associating with the mem-
bers of the Imperial family, knew how to prize learn-
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? KEY. 37
ing and learned people, and understood how to assimi-
late the customs of their country with European civili-
zation. Rey being connected with a family of such
high standing, began to acquire facility in the writing
of Polish letters and learned a little Latin. He amused
himself with study and music and began to compose
verses, but he never could stay in one place ; chiefly
spending his time in hunting he cast his lot with
Hetman Sieniawski and traveled in different parts of
Poland, frequenting political assemblies, courts of jus-
tice and meetings of all sorts, being everywhere
received with much eclat as a man of good cheer and
ready wit, fond of good wine and a sumptuous table.
Not mixing in any quarrels or contentions of any kind,
he was welcome and received hospitality no matter
where he turned. Being liked by all except by strict
Roman Catholics, he passed his time at the courts of
both Sigismuncls, who bestowed upon him good pay and
munificent gifts. Although he was present at every
assembly and almost at every political and religious
meeting, he never would accept of any office.
Amidst all the allurements of social circles he did
not neglect his calling as a poet, and kept improving
as he grew older. He died in 1569.
VIRTUE.
Virtue is the earth's gem of gems,
Rich and poor the diadems.
Though all emeralds formed one star,
Virtue's light is brighter far !
For earth's marts man has not made
Balance which this gem hath weighed,
All other blessings pass or fade --
Virtue till death is undismayed.
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? 38 POETS AND POETRY OF POLAND.
VICE.
Vice is a serpent, lying through all weather,
Coiled up unseen beside life's wayside stone.
When knave and fool carousing come together,
With warning hiss it makes its venom known.
The following is Key's description of what Poland
was three hundred and forty years ago :
Cast your eyes around you and behold our glorious king-
dom ! Strong within itself, Poland needs no assistance from
other nations. It is one of the most powerful nations in
Europe, and in martial character is preeminent. . The Lord
of all has placed it here, and endowed her people with many
rare qualities. Is there a nation on earth equal to ours in
bravery and endurance? The intrepidity, the unyielding per-
severance and daring heroism of Polish soldiers surpasses
anything in the annals of history.
In knowledge and progress Poland stands equal if not
superior to other nations. In her most brilliant eras she has
produced many men eminent in science, among whom we can
count at this present time Copernicus, the discoverer of the
true system of the universe. Other nations may possess more
gold and silver, spices, silks, etc. , but can they compete with
us in virtue and excellence, in valor and prowess ? What
nation can stand against the indomitable courage of our
valiant soldiers? Many nations now in our memory have
called upon us to assist them in time of war, and when they
saw our soldiers in their ranks they felt assured of victory.
A Polish soldier fights to win, and wherever he shows his
open face and brave heart the e*iemy is forced to yield.
A THOUGHT.
For the improvement of his mind it is necessary that a
man should read.
ANECDOTES.
Rey was very witty, and one day while he was fishing a
neighbor sent a boy to him with his compliments, and an
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? KEY. 39
empty dish for some fish. Rey understood the drift and
remarked : " I will return compliments for compliments, but
for the fish I must have money, not compliments. "
It so happened that the poet was outwitted by an ignorant
peasant. While traveling Rey came to a certain village, and
meeting a peasant the following dialogue took place :
Rey. Who holds possession of this village?
Peasant. The earth and fences.
Rey. Who is master here?
Peasant. He who has the most money.
Rey. Who is the elder of this place?
Peasant. The oldest person in the place is a man who is
one hundred years old, if that is what you mean.
Rey. I mean who occupies the highest place?
Peasant. Oh ! yonder linden tree by the church.
Rey. How far is it to noon?
Peasant. It has not passed here yet, so I couldn't tell you.
Rey. It seems to me, fellow, that you are rather impu-
dent, and deserve a slap in your mouth.
Peasant. I wouldn't like that, as I am no dog ; but if you
would slap something into my hand it would be all right.
Rey. " As I live," said the poet, " I have never met so pert
a peasant before. "
Useless the yield of well worked fields
If but to waste the housewife yields.
The poet tells us that the above has a twofold meaning.
One is: no matter how many victories we gain over our ene-
mies in the field, they will be productive of no good if there
is discord and misrule at home. And another is : no matter
how hard a farmer works in the field if his wife is wasteful,
idle and improvident, the farming operations must come to
? ruin. Which is proven by another proverb:
A wasteful housewife can carry out with her apron more
than the farmer can haul in with a wagon.
The light of Holy Truth can never be extinguished.
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? KOCHANOWSKI.
"Wszystko sie dziwnie plecie
Na tym tu biednym s? wiecie.
A-ktoby chcia? wszystkiego rozumem dochodzic? ,
I zginie, a nie be? dzie umia? w to ugcdzic? .
Translation on the last page of Kochanowski (*).
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? KOCHANOWSKI. 41
KOCHANOWSKI.
John Kochanowski, who attained great celebrity as
a poet, is the type and true representative of the Polish
muse of the sixteenth century, for in him were united
all the rhythmical elements of that epoch. From the
many of his lyrical creations could be mentioned " So-
bo? tka," or the song of St. John's Eve, " Threns (or
Laments) on Ursula's Death," "Reconciliation," "Epi-
taphs," "Inscriptions," "Psalms," "Translations from
the Songs of Anacreon," and "Chess. "
Kochanowski having had no specimens of Polish
literature before him, had himself to break through the
first difficulties of rhythmical art. He had himself to
invent the form, language, and poetical style. In his
compositions as well as his life, two separate and
characteristic epochs are perceptible: one of frenzy,
frivolity, love matters and pleasure, the other presents
peace of the soul, resignation, and a serene, religious
feeling.
He was born in Siczyn, in 1530, in Great Poland.
Desiring more information he traveled in the south of
Europe, in order to get a better knowledge of classical
antiquity, and after his return was advanced to many
high offices of the state, but he resigned them all for
the sake of retirement and peace.
Kochanowski wrote also in Latin, and his poetry in
that language was considered superior to that of any of
his contemporaries. His poems are full of beauty, and
the melodious flow of his verse is truly delightful.
Although his writings are various, his reputation is prin-
cipally founded upon his " Laments " (Treny), in which
he mourns the loss of his little daughter Ursula, whom
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? 42 POETS AND POETRY OF POLAND.
he represents as gifted, intelligent and lovely; his com-
positions overflow with expressions of passionate grief.
Other gems, like the song on " St. John's Eve,"
" Nothing Sure in this World," etc. , are admired to the
present day. He also wrote songs from Horace and
from Greek anthology, translated Virgil's "JEneid,"
and Tasso's "Jerusalem Delivered. " His poem on
John Tarnowski, the celebrated Polish hero, is an epic
which entitles him to the highest rank as an author of
heroic poetry. Kochanowski also printed a drama,
"The Greek Ambassadors," in hexameter measure.
His prose works are scarcely less numerous than his
poetical, and are equally distinguished for their grace
and purity of style. He died in 1584.
THE GREATNESS OF GOD.
O God! What wilt Thou for Thy gifts from us
For Thy unmeasured goodness bounteous ?
No church contains Thee, for Thou fillest space --
Ocean and Earth, and Heaven Thy dwelling place.
We cannot give Thee gold, for gold is Thine,
All earthly treasures bear Thy seal divine.
Praise we can give Thee from a grateful heart,
Thou who above us and beyond us art!
Thou art the master of the world -- hast reared
The heavens with all its starry orbs ensphered.
And Earth's foundations, at Thy word straightway
Arose from nothingness in green array.
The sea, at Thy commands, despite its fret,
Remains within the bounds Thy hand has set.
The countless rivers at Thy mandate flow,
Thou bid'st the night and day to come and go.
For Thee the Spring with flowers her brow adorn,
For Thee the Summer binds her ears of corn-
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? KOCHANOWSKI. 43
To Thee the Autumn yields both fruit and vine,
And winter wreathes red holly for Thy shrine.
The withered herbage 'neath Thy dew revives,
Beneath Thy rain the parched up grain-field thrives.
From out Thy hand all creatures take their food,
And through Thy bounty all things are renewed.
everlasting God! be praised therefor --
Grant us Thy grace and bounty evermore:
Shield us while here from every evil thing.
And fold us close beneath a Father's wing.
THREN I.
Come gather 'round my dwelling, tears and sighs,
Eloquent woes, and loud-voiced miseries ;
All tones of sorrow, anguish, and regret,
Hand- wringing grief, and pangs the cheeks that wet, --
Yes! gather 'round my dwelling all, and join
Your plaint, your passion, with these plaints of mine,
O'er that sweet child whom most unholy death
Hath smitten, and in one outrageous breath
Dispers'd all joy! -- as when a dragon springs
On Philomela's nest, who sits and sings
Heedless, till roused by cries she flaps her wings,
Flutters around her home, and shrieking tries
To arrest the spoiler, -- idle strife! She flies
On wearied wing ; in vain -- the abandoned one
Becomes in turn a prey -- I'll weep alone,
Weep bitterest tears. Vain too, 'tis vain I know, --
All is irreparably vain below; --
We only grasp delusions, life's a cheat
Of new deceit, but link'd to old deceit.
1 know not which is vainer, -- if to bear
And struggle with our grief in mute despair,
Or give the anguish passionate vent, as here.
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? 44 POETS AND POETEY OF POLAND.
THREN VII.
Thou angel child! thy mournful dress before me
Throws bitter sorrow o'er me;
Thy little ornaments of joy and gladness
Awake a deeper sadness.
Never again to wear your splendors, -- never;
All hope is fled forever!
A sleep, a hard and iron sleep, hath bound thee,
Dark night has gather'd round thee.
Thy golden belt is dim; thy flower-wreathed tresses
Scattered. Thy summer dresses
Which thy poor mother wrought; she had array' d thee
For love, and we have laid thee
In the tomb's bridal bed; and now thy dower
Is a funeral flower,--
A little shroud, -- a grave. Sweet child! thy father
Some odorous hay shall gather,
To pillow thy cold head. Death's dormitory
Holds thee, and all thy glory.
THREN IX.
My gentle child! and art thou vanished? Thou
Hast left a dreary blank of sadness now;
Our house though full is desolate and lone
Since thy gay spirit and its smiles are gone !
We heard thy*tongue's sweet prattle, and thy song
Echoed in every corner all day long.
Thy mother never grieved, and anxious care
Ne'er rack'd thy father's thoughts while thou wert there ;
Now hers -- now mine -- thy childish, fond caress --
The overflow of youth and tenderness.
But all is vacant now, -- all dull and dead;
All peace, and hope, and laughing joy are fled;
Our home possess'd by ever present grief,
And the tired spirit vainly seeks relief.
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? KOCHANOWSKI. 45
THREN X.
Whither, O whither fled ! in what bright sphere
Art thou, my Ursula, a wanderer?
Say, has thou wing'd above yon heavens thy flighty
A cherub midst the cherubim of light?
Dwell'st thou in Eden's garden? -- or at rest
Reposing midst the islands of the blest?
Doth Charon waft thee o'er the gloomy lake,
And bid thee waters of oblivion take?
I know not; but I know my misery
Is all unknown, is all a blank to thee --
Thy gentle form, thy angel thoughts, where now?
A nightingale of paradise art thou ;
Thy moral taints all purified -- if taint
Could stain the spirit of so fair a saint;
Thou art returned to that same hallow'd spot
Thou didst make holy when earth knew thee not.
But wheresoe'er thou be, compassionate
My misery. If this terrestrial state
Be closed upon thee -- pity still -- and be
A dream, a shadow, something yet to me!
THREN XIII.
Would thou hadst ne'er been born -- or being born
Hadst left me not, sweet infant ! thus forlorn ;
I have paid lasting woe for fleeting bliss --
A dark farewell, a speechless pang like this;
Thou wert the brightest, fairest dream of sleep;
And as the miser cherishes his heap
Of gold, I held thee ; soon 'twas fled, and nought
Left but the dreary vacancies of thought,
That once was blessedness. And tlwii are fled.
Whose fairy vision floated in my head
And play'd around my heart. And thou art gone,
Gone with my joys; and I am left alone;
? ? Generated for (University of Chicago) on 2014-06-10 17:12 GMT / http://hdl. handle. net/2027/loc.