§AFAflIK

387

that history to the time when most Slavs were converted to Christianity — that is to say, speaking roughly, to about the year 1000. Safafik's work entirely revolutionised the then current ideas on the origin of the Slavs and

their early history. The more recent writers who, particularly in Russia, have studied these subjects, acknowledge that Safafik's great work has been the foundation of their researches. One of his minor works requires notice, as it is connected with the much discussed question of the antiquity of the MSS. of Koniginhof and Griineberg. In 1840 Safafik published jointly with Palack^ a German work entitled Die dltesten Denkmdler In this book the two authors der Bohmischen Sprache. maintain the ancient origin, not only of the MS. of Koniginhof, but also of that of Griineberg, in which scarcely any Bohemian scholar now believes. Of course the question had not then — more than fifty years ago — been so thoroughly thrashed out as is now the case. Safafik was an indefatigable worker. Besides his many published works, a large number of MSS. in his handwriting dealing with Slavic research were found. They prove that, had circumstances been more favourable, and had his health not failed him, he might have produced yet more works on the subjects to the study of which he devoted his Hfe, The works of Jungmann, KoUar, and Safafik will always be highly valued by Bohemians, and indeed by all Slavs. the greatest of the Bohemian i But the career of Palacki^, leaders, whom I mention last, has a far wider interest, I Dealing as have also the contents of his greatest work. I mainly with Bohemian history, it incidentally throws a great deal of light on many questions connected with It the general history of Europe up to the year 1526.