230 THE JOURNAL OF BYELORUSSIAN STUDIES

Francysk Skaryna, Pradmovy i paslasloui (Prefaces and Postscripts). Compiled by Ales Korsunau, edited by V. V. Barysienka. 'Navuka i technika', Minsk, 1969. 240 pages. An article by M. Praskovic and commentaries by A. Korsunau. Illustrations.

Recent years have seen a revival of this holy man (St. Jerome - A. N.) interest among scholars ;in the life and I undertook this task and, with the work of the first Byelorussian printer help of God, translated among other Francis Skaryna (c. 1490-1551). This books this Book of Esther also, first interest is perforce limited in extent of all in honour of God one in Trinity, as Skaryna editions t-Oday are very and then for the instruction of my rare and in any case not readily native Ruthenian people in all good accessible. The Janka Kupala Institute things, for we are born into this of Literature in M,insk must, there­ world not only for our own gratifica­ fore, be warmly congratulated on the tion, but to serve God and the comm­ publication of the present book which on good' (p. 108). Similarly in the contains all the known original writ­ preface ito the Book of Psalms - the ings of Skaryna. Altogether there are first book printed by him - Skaryna 111 prefaces •and postscr1ipts to ,the elaborates on his motives in the various books of the Bibi'e published following terms: 'Seeing such a great by Skaryna both in Prague during usefulness (contained) in such a small the years 1517-19 and in Vilna ,in the book, I, Francis, son of Skaryna of year 1525. The postscripts are usually Polack, doctor of medicine, have short, sometimes little more than resolved ,to print the Book of Psalms colophons, but they are not devoid of wLth Ruthenian words but in the interest. Thus the postscript to the Slavonic tongue, first of all t-0 the Book of Numbers runs as follows: honour and praise of God and His 'The fourth book of Moses . . . was Immaculate Mother Miary and all printed with the help of God and His angels and saints of God, ,and second­ Immaculate Virgin Mother Mary and ly for the common good, especially all the sainted men and women, by for this reason, that God in his mercy the work and care of the man of let me be born into this world from learning and doctor of medicine among this people' (p. 11). A feeling Francis, son of Skaryna, from the of kinship with his fellow-country­ famous city of Polack, in the great men and a strong a,ttachment to his city of Prague, for the better instruc­ native land and people are clearly tion of the common people' (p. 92). In discernible in both passages. Skaryn_a a somewhat longer postscript to the justifies •these feelings ,jn the following Acts of the Apostles, published in passage in the preface to the Book of Vilna in 1525, it is stated that the Judith: 'Just as the beasts prowling book was 'translated and printed by in the wilderness have an innate the work ,and care of Doctor Francis knowledge of their lairs; the birds Skaryna of Polack in honour of God flying in the air know their nests; one in Trinity and His Immaculate fishes that swim in the sea and in the Mother Mary and all the saints, and rivers sense their whirlpools; bees for the better instruction of the and their like defend their hives - common people' (p. 152). These in the same way men have a great examples, which are typical, recall love for the place in which, by the Skaryna's evident pride in being a will of God, they were born and doctor of medicine - a distinction brought up' (p. 59). which he obtained at the university There are in all 49 prefaces. Some of Padua in 1512 - as well as in being of them are little more than an a native of ,the 'famous city of Polack'. exposition of the contents of a given He was at the same time a man of book of the Bible. Others, however, sincere piety and deep con~ern for the are more in the form of an essay, and good of h:is feHow-men, rthe 'common Skaryna uses them to expound his people'. These sentiments one finds own ideas on a variety of subjects. expressed in even stronger terms in For Skaryna the Holy Scripture is his prefaces, which are by far the the source of all truth and wisdom, most significant and interesting of his divine and human. Writing about the writings. He concludes the preface ,to Book of Psalms he expresses himself the Book of Esther with the following thus: 'There is justice, there is spirit­ passage: 'Following the example of ual and bodiJy purity. There is

Downloaded from Brill.com09/29/2021 10:56:58AM via free access REVIEWS 231 knowledge of every truth. There is may live in peace among the evil wisdom and perfect intelligence. ones' (p. 95). He distinguishes between There is charity and love of others natural law 'written in ,the heart of without hypocrisy, and all other every man', and written (positive) law virtues flow thence as from a spring. which in its turn may be 'either given There is the great mystery concerning by God, as are the books of Moses God one in Trinilty, and concer,ning and the holy Gospel, or established the incarnation of Our Lord Jesus by men, as for example the rules of Christ, his passion and resurrection. the holy fathers, decreed by the There is the hope of the resurrection General Councils, and the laws of the from the dead and life eternal, fear land, which every people together of the last judgment and eternal fire. with their rulers have promulgated All these things you will find in this according to what s·eemed to them to little book, as if in a grea,t treasure­ be the best' (p. 95). Among the store' (p. 10). positive human laws Skaryna disting­ uishes common law, jus gentium, The human aspect of education is royal law (what today would be by no means forgotten, and Skaryna called constitutional law), knightly or proposes to use the Bible as a kind military law, the law of the cities, of textbook for the so-called seven maritime and mercantile laws. Liberated arts: 'If you require to know grammar . . . you will find ,it in Haviing thus displayed due respect the whole Bible and in the Book of for human knowledge, Skaryna does Psalms: read it. Again, if you wish to not fail to remark: 'Above all this we, understand logic - which teaches Christians knowing that all (human) how to distinguish truth from false­ learning is of passing value. desire hood by reasoning - read the book that which is eternal, the salvation of of the holy Job and the letters of our souls. Let us read constantly the Saint Paul. And if you resolve to Holy Gospel, and reading it, let us study rhetoric, which is the art of fine follow the example of Our Saviour speaking, read the Book of Solomon ... Jesus Christ, and thus with his help If you wish to learn music ... you will we shall enter into eternal life and find many poems and holy songs in the heavenly kingdom, prepared for the whole book. If it is your desire t~ chosen of God' (p. 63). to know arithmetic, which teaches Skaryna appears to be well how to count quickly and without acquainted with contemporary theolo­ errors, read the fourth Book of Moses. gical thought and may well be con­ If it is geometry that interests you ... sidered the first East Slav lay read the book of Joshua; if astronomy, theologian. As a biblical scholar he or stargazing - you will find at •the was not unaware of the difficulties beginning of this book an account of inherent in certain books of Holy the creation of the sun, moon and Scripture, as the foUowing passage stars . . . And those are the seven shows: 'It should be known that libera,ted arts' (p. 62). Incidentally among all the books of the Old Skaryna was the first writer to in­ Testament this Book of Genesis, as troduce •the concept of the seven well as the beginning and the end of Liberated arts not only among the the Book of the prophet Ezechiel and Byelorussians, but among the East the Song of Songs of ,the king Slavs in general. Solomon, are difficult to understand. In the preface to the First Book of That is why the Jews did not allow Kings there is a short ,account of the these books to be read to young men origin of the codes of law among under thirty, because of ,the great various nations, while the preface to mysteries contained in ·them, which Deuteronomy is nothing more nor less surpass human reason. For which one than a concise treatise on law, in of the philosophers could understand which subject Skaryna shows himself that the Lord God created with his to be surprisingly well versed. Thus word all things visible and invisible he writes about the reasons for the from nothing, collltrnry to the assertion existence of laws: 'Laws have been of.the greatest of philosophers, Aristotle, established for the sake of evil men, that nothing can be created from so that they, being afraid, may re­ nothing?' (p. 72). strain their wills and have no power The literary form and style of the to harm others, and that good men prefaces show that Skaryna was a

Downloaded from Brill.com09/29/2021 10:56:58AM via free access 232 THE JOURNAL OF BYELORUSSIAN STUDIES talented writer. He had also mastered •rua's soc1al ideaJs were 'an ancient the laws of rhetoric which he used to democracy with a wise and enligh­ :full advantage_ His three verses, on tened monarch' (p. 175), are among the other hand, are of no real literary the lesser flaws and merely indicate value. Historically, however, they are that a knowledge of ancient history important in that they mark the is not among the ·author's scholastic beginnings of Byelorussian, and more attainments. What ,is more serious is generally East Slavonic, poetry. when Praskovic (closely following Much has been written about the Ziajcaii), in order ,to prove the alle­ language of Skaryna. The majority gedly secular character of Skaryna's of scholars seem ,to agree that Ska­ publications, states categorically that ryna did not translate the Bible into in his edition of the Bible Skaryna the Byelorussian language in the 'made changes in the order, omitted prope,r sense of the word, but sat­ whole passages, and rephrased the urated the Church Slavoni:c texts with Ten Commandments in his own Byeloruss~an elements. Be that as i,t words and not in the order in which may, in his prefaces and postscripts it is usual to recite ,them' (p. 169). One one feels a strong ,fresh breeze of the ,is led to doubt whether Praskovic Byelorussian vernacular in the embarked upon a thorough arualysis vocabulary, as well as in the use of of the biblical .texts published by apposite expressiions, idioms and Skaryn-.i, before oommititing himself tto grammatical constructions. such broad and highly questionabtle generalisations. As !or the Ten The ·compiler of the book, Ales Commandments, in the preface to the Korsunaii, has performed a great Book of Exodus Skaryna does indeed service in collecting and editing the put them into verse form in his own rexts and providing them with most words - a practice by no means valuable commentaries. In particular unusual among ecclesiastical writers he gives detailed information about of his .time. Far from changing their all the extant copies of the Skaryna order, however, he strictly followed editions together with the names of the order of the Commandments the litbr,ar-ies and the catalogue refer­ traditionally accepted in ,the catholic ences. Among them he mentions two West, whd.ch to this ooy differs slightly Skaryna books whi:ch are to 'be found from that in the Orthodox East. Nor in Cambridge, namely a fragment of does one know what to make of the Book of Kings (Prague 1518 Praskovic's attempt (again following edition) in Til'inity College Library, Zajcaii very closely) to pass off a.s and the Book of Psalms (Vilna 1525) Skaryna's own ,the words of St. Paul, in the University Library. It is a pity 'It is impossible that with the blood that the three Skaryna books which of oxen and goats sin should be taken are in the British Museum have away' (Hebr. 10, 4), which Skaryna escaped Korsunaii's notice. They are: quoted in his preface to the Book of the complete Prague 1518 edition of Leviticus; adding immediately the the four Books of Kings (Catalogue astonishing proposition that 'this No. C. 36. f. 4), and the Vilna 1525 thes~ goes not only against the whole editions of the Book of Psalms "Bible" (the inverted commas are (Catalogue No. C. 51. b. 5) and of the Praskovic's - A. N.) but against the Acts of the Apostles (Catalogue No. whole ecclesiastical practice of the C. 51. b. 6). remission of sins for a certain The rather superficial and tenden­ consideration' (sic!) (p. 170). tious airticle Francis Skaryna by M. Praskovic -is completely out of place These •aberrations in Braskovic's in a publication such as ,this. The article, however, in no way diminish article is often a paraphrase of the value of the publication as a another treatise on Skaryna written whole, the main contents of which by V. Zajcaii in ,the first volume of are, after ,all, Skaryna's own writings, the History of Byelorussian Literature Even a brief acquaintance with them of the pre-October Revolution Period is sufficient to convince one that the which appeared in Minsk in 1968 appearance of Skaryna's works (see the review of •this book in JBS, constituted in their time a remarkable II, 1, p. 110). Sweeping statements, literary and cultural event in ,the hrl:s­ often contradictory, such as that in tory of the Byelorussian people. One which Praskovic claims that Skary- is therefore grateful to the edLtors for

Downloaded from Brill.com09/29/2021 10:56:58AM via free access REVIEWS 233 making the prefaces and postscripts further interest in the Hfe and work of Skaryna more readily available to of Slmryna. those interested in the history of The book is artisti-cad.ly produced Byelorussian culture, even ,if only and contains a great number of 1200 copies of this work were pub­ reproductions of the magnificent lished. 1-t is to be hoped ,that the engravings (over 40) and ornaments appearance of this publication, of in Skaryna's original editions, thw which it can be truly said in the giving an idea of yet another facet words of Skaryna himself that it of the activity of ,this truly remark­ contains 'so many useful things in able man. such a little book', may stimulate A. Nadson

Barysienka, V. V. et al. (eds) Historyja bielaruskaj dakastrycnickaj litaratury (The History of Byelorussian Literature in the pre-October Revolution Perliod). Vol. 2. 'Navuk.a i techniika', Miinsk, 1969. 620 pages. Chronicle of literary events. Index of names. Illustrations.

The second volume of the History Byelorussian upper classes generally of Byelorussian Literature in the pre­ held everything Byelorussian in October Revolution Period {for a contempt, while for the Russian revuew of the first volume see JBS, II, government Byelorussia was nothing 1, p. 110) encompasses •the period from more than the north-western province the begiinning of the 19th century Ito of their indivisible empire, and a the year 1917. Like the first volume, backward province at that. The social it is produced by a team of authors and economic conditions of the under rthe auspices of the Janka Ku­ peasants, who at that time constituted pala Institute of Literature in Minsk. the overwhelmin,g majority of the The book is divided into two parts. Byelorussian people, were Httle short The first part deals with the 19th of appa'lLing. Lt is against thi-s ba:ok­ century, and the second with the ground that one must consider the early 20th century up to the year bi11th and development of modern 1917. Both parts are written according Byelorussian literature from the first to the same plan: a general account attempts by Cafot or Rypinski, whose of the development of the literature, interest was more ethnographical followed by special •studies ·of the than literary, to the conscious most prominent individual writers of affim,ation of the national •identity in the period. The 19th century writers the works of the poet Francisak singled out for study are V. Dunin­ Bahusevic towards the end of the Marcinkievic (in a chapter written by century. An excellent account of this V. P. Zura(Uou), Francisak Bahusevic development 'is found ,in rt:he general (by U. M. Kazbiaruk), Janka Lucyna introductory section ,to the first part (by A. A. Siemianovic) and Adam of the book (pp. 7-90), written tby A. Hurynovic (by D. J. Halmakou). The Maldzis. The author ·clearly 'has a second part of the book contains deep knowledge of the subject and special studies of the works of Ciotka illustrates his writing with an (by D. J. Halmakou), Jank•a Kupala impressive number of well-document­ (by M. R. Jaros), Jakub Kolas (by Ju. ed. often little known, concrete facts S. Psyrkou), Maksim Bahdanovic (by and examples. In particular he gives M. M. Hryncyk), Jadvihin S. (by L. short descriptions of the Byelorussian S. Holubieva), Zmitrok Biadula (by works of several authors other than V. A. Kavalenka), Ciska Hartny (by those considered in special chapters. S. Ch. Aleksandrovic) and Maksim Some of these authors are better Harecki (by M. I. Musynski). The known for their works in the Polqsh subjects seleoted for special study are language, but they, neverthele5s, well chosen and represent the best in jmade an important ·contribu~ion to Byelorussian literature, and the the deV'elopment of Byelorussian lit­ studies themselves are competently erature. Maldzis al'So tries ·to give a written. more balanced view of writers such Modern Byelorussian literature has as J. Barsceuski and A. Rypinski, who its or.i•gi111S in the 19th cellltury, and until recently have been dismissed by developed in very difficult circ­ official historians of literature as umstances. The Polish and polonised mere 'poloniser,s' and 'reactionaries',

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