PALACK^

389

Lectures on Rhetoric and Belles Lettres, 1 and the historical works of Robertson and Gibbon were among Palack^'s favourite books. Other historical works that he read

with great interest were Karamsin's History of Russia and Johannes Miiller's History of the Swiss Confederation. After finishing his studies at Pressburg, Palacky continued to live there for some time, and was engaged as tutor by several noble families. It was during his stay at Pressburg that his life-long friendship with

It Kollar, that has already been mentioned, began. was, indeed, probably mainly through Kollar's influence that he decided to devote his life to the study of

Bohemian history and literature ; he had previously thought of becoming a minister of the Protestant Church. Pressburg, and Hungary generally, was not then a desirable residence for one who intended to devote himself to Slavic studies, which the Hungarian GovPalacky, ernment regarded with marked displeasure. therefore, travelled to Prague, where he had the good fortune to obtain the protection of Dobrovsk^, who from their earliest acquaintance had realised the exThrough ceptional talent of the young Moravian. Dobrovsk^'s influence Palacky obtained from Francis Count Sternberg the appointment of archivist to the This family of which Count Francis was the head. appointment left Palacky sufficient leisure to pursue his historical studies, and the small salary attached to He had, indeed, it was very welcome to Palacky. while a tutor, laid by a little money, but that could ' Professor Kalousek, in the interesting essay on the " Leading Idea of Palack^'s Historical Work," which he contributed to the Palacky Memorial,

has noted that the principles according to which Palack^'s History of Bohemia is written are in complete accordance with the rules established by Blair in his thirty-fifth and thirty-sixth lecture, On Historical Writing.