MINOR HISTORICAL WORKS
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published separately in an enlarged form. The book gives short and concise sketches of the lives of the Bohemian historians from Cosmas to Hajek. It is still of value, and indispensable to all who study the works of Like this book, closely connected with these historians. Palack^'s principal work, is a short historical sketch entitled Die Vorldufer des Hussitanthums ("The Precursors of Hussitism "). The fate of this little book is rather curious. In 1842 Palacki^ read a paper on "The Pre" before the Bohemian Society of cursors of Hus Sciences. Wishing to publish its contents, he, as in duty bound, submitted the MS. to the censure-office. The officials there, however, entirely declined to give their consent to the publication of the book. A copy of the MS. came into the hands of Dr. Jordan of Leipzig, who in 1846 published it there under his own name. This was done with the consent of Palacky, who was more desirous that the fruits of his research should become public than The book that he should obtain personal recognition. has since been reprinted under the name of the real author, and still has great value. I have availed myself of its contents when writing of the precursors of Hus in of this book. chapter we consider the previous general not surprising, ignorance on the subject of Bohemian history, that from the moment his book began to appear Palacky became the object of violent attacks. The first attacks proceeded from German writers, but after the publication of the volume that deals with Hus, other Catholic writers also joined in these attacks. The treatment which the Slavs of Northern Germany, and sometimes those of Bohemia also have endured on the part of the Germans, could only be defended by describing these tribes as brutal,
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