DOBROVSK>?^

The publications of the society

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first appeared in German only — they are now printed both in German and in Bohemian — and German only was used in its deliberations. Still, the historical studies which the society published reminded the Bohemians of their glorious past, and revived the feeling of pride in their It was at the end country, which had greatly decreased. of the eighteenth century also that a professorship of the Bohemian language was established at the University of Vienna, and somewhat later at that of Prague. Before referring to the group of men who in the early years of the present century successfully effected the revival of the Bohemian language and literature, we must notice a writer who, though an enthusiastic student of the Bohemian language, did not believe that that language would continue, or perhaps rather again become, one of the languages of Europe that , possess an I refer to Joseph Dobrovsky. independent literature. Bqixu in 1753, his earliest years coincide with the time when the decadence of the Bohemian language was most marked. His books, mostly written in German or Latin, give evidence of a knowledge of the science of languages that was very unusual at that period. The early education of Dobrovsk^, " thepatriarch of Slavic philology," as he was called in lafer years,~was^ntireTy~German. It was only when studying at the " Gymnasium," first of Deutsch Brod, then of Klattau in Bohemia, that he acquired some knowledge of the Bohemian language. An indefatigable worker, he soon devoted his entire energies to the study of the historical development of the Bohemian language and of its connection with the languages of other Slav countries. When very young Dobrovsky became a member of the Society of Jesus,

established.

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