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A HISTORY OF BOHEMIAN

LITERATURE

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Prague, met Palack^ in the street. Innumerable photographs of the great historian had rendered Breynek familiar with his features. He walked up to him, stating that he was a Moravian and a countryman. Palack^ conversed affably with him for several minutes and then gave him his hand. This meeting became the principal event of Breynek's life. Every date was designated as " " having happened before I met Palack^ or " after I met Palack^." He only regretted that he had been too " shy to kiss the hand that had written the history of his country." Palack^^'s History, as already noted, was published simultaneously in German and in Bohemian ; the earliest volumes indeed at first appeared in the former language only. The book is therefore not so inaccessible as the works of the earlier Bohemian historians, from which I have given copious quotations. An English translation of Palacky's history of Bohemia however, desideratum. still short German biography of With the exception of Dobrovsky, most of Palacky's minor works are connected some are the results of studies with his great History preparatory to the great work others contain documentary evidence in support of statements made in the book in others again, Palack^ enters into controversies with shall mention some of some of the critics of his work. the most important of these works. In the year 1829 the Bohemian Society of Sciences offered prize for the best essay on the early historians of Bohemia. Palack^ won this prize with his first historical work, entitled WurdiThe book gung der alien Bohmischen Geschichtschreiber. was written in German, and was first published in the Journal of the Bohemian Museum, that then appeared In 1830 in German as well as in Bohemian. was re-