Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 17.djvu/389

RUMANIAN LANGUAGE. translations of the Scriptures into Rumanian. The oldest extant documents are the Gospel (Kronstadt, 1560-66), the History of the Apostles (1568-707), and the Psalms (1577), literal translations by Dean Coresi. Of special importance is the translation of the Psalms by Archbishop Dosithen, the author of the remarkable Vitæ Sanctorum, and one of the most prominent literary figures in the second half of the seventeenth century. The first complete translation of the Bible was carried out by Radu Greceanu upon the command of Prince Joan Serban Kantacazino Basarab (Bucharest, 1688); it is written in the Wallachian dialect, and is the most important literary monument of the entire literature. In 1643 the Rumanian was admitted into State and Church upon an equal footing with the Slavic. but the Slavic language and alphabet persisted, and the important books of devotion continued for a long time in Slavic, the substitution of Rumanian lasting fully two centuries.

Besides the Church literature, the only other branch of literature cultivated was history. Of great importance for the early history is the anonymous Lêtopisețul țăriĭ Romîneștĭ și a țărĭ Moldoveĭ (the chronicle of the Rumanian and Moldavian countries). The Prince D. Cautemier, a famous polyglot (1673-1723), besides a history of the Ottoman Empire, left Kronikul Moldo-Vlahilos (the chronicle of the Moldavo-Wallachians), which he wrote in Latin and translated himself into Rumanian. These two chronicles treat of all Rumania. The oldest chronicle of Moldavia is the one of Ureche, from 1359 to 1594. The history of Moldavia before 1359 and after 1594 (down to 1662) was treated in two excellent chronicles by Miron Costin, who also wrote a history of Hungary from 1388 to 1681, and a poem in Polish on the culonization of Dacia and the foundation of the two principalities. His son, Neculai Costin (1660-1712), left a chronicle. in which, beginning with the creation of the world, he brings down Miron Costin’s chronicle to 1711. The oldest and most important historical document of Wallachia is a chronicle which covers the period from 1290 to the beginning of the eighteenth century.

. From 1710 to 1830 the principalities were governed by Greeks from Constantinople, who bought their thrones from the Porte. The Greek language became a successful rival of Slavic, ultimately prevailing in the State, court. schools, and among the upper classes. Works were now translated or imitated from the Greek. The intellectual labor hegun during the Slavie period, far from being checked or even destroyed by the Greek influence, as some critics, biased by patriotie zeal, opine, was con- tinued during this period.

Church literature continued to develop. In Transylvania, owing to the close proximity to the Catholic world. Catholicism exerted a strong influence, and Western ideas and forms gained ascendency. Instead of Greek and Slavie models, Latin models were followed. Samuel Klain (1745-1808), who revised the Bible, and Peter Maier (1753-1821), two of the most active men of the period. published sermens and funeral orations patterned after Latin models. In Wal- lachia the rhymed chronicle was flourishing. The history of Moldavia, however, is represented by one remarkable work, the chronicle written by Neculcea, from 1662 to 1743; it continues that of Creche, and is exeellent both in point of form and contents, In Transylvania, owing to the oppres- sion at the hands of the Hungarians, and to the endeavors of the Catholic Propaganda te link the Rumanians to Nome, the histerians, stirred by racial and patriotic zeal, desired to arouse the national consciousness of the people, and wrote with a view to demonstrating the kinship of the nation with the Latins. In this spirit were writ- ten, at the beginning of the nineteenth century: Nlain’s Istoria Rominilar din Dakiea (the Mis- tory of the Rumanians of Dacia), Maiur’s [xtoria pentru inceputui Rominilor (A) History of the Origin of the Rumanians) (1812), and Gheorghe Sincals (1754-1826) Cronica Rominilur, printed in 1853, a monumental work based upon most thorough researches of all the sources then ac- cessible in the libraries of Europe

Toward 1800 Western influence set in, and gradually Jed to a total transformation of Ru- manian literature, which at lust cast off its medieval and religious features, and adopted Western ideas and Western forms of art. West- ern, especialy French, ideas ousted the Slavic and Greek intluences from their old strongholds.

Among the notable poetic productions of the end of the Greck period are the Tiganiada (the Epic of the Gypsies), by Joan Delaeanu, a mock- heroic poem replete with wit and irony, and the Ivries of Joan Vaiedrescu (1800-63), of Constan- tin Conachi (1777-1849), and especially those of Vasile Carlova (1809-1831), a genuine poet. The most prominent pectic figure, however, though partly belonging te the modern period, was An- ton Pann (1717-1854), a Bulgarian by birth, who drew his theme and inspiration from the vast popular literature, both Inie and religions, that had accumulated during the two periods. His writings, mostly in verse, exerted great influence upon the middle and lower classes, and are even now widely read by the common people.

THE Moperx Periop extends from 1830 to onr own day. It is marked by a complete though gradual emancipation from foreign influences, The interval between 1830 and 1848 was, how- ever, yet one of preparation, Greek and French in- fluences still continued. The Latinist movement, which originated in Transylvania, and was there so ably championed by Klain, Sincni, and Muior, erossed the Carpathian Mountains with Gheorghe Lazar (1779-1823), who, together with a host of his disciples, chief of whom were G. Asachi (1788-1871) in Moldavia. and the brilliant Joan Eliade-Raduleseu (1802-72) in Wallachia, aimed at. the complete Latinization of the language, the last-named even attempting to Italianize it. Eliade was. nevertheless, the main faetor in the literary revolution. He freed the lan- guage from the Slavic alphabet: by insisting upon the close kinship of the nation with the other menibers of the Latin race he saved it from intel- lectual isolation and strengthened its national consciousness: and more than any one else he contributed toward the diffusion of the literary master works of Western Kurope.

But a national literature in the full sense of the word has existed only sinee about I8ts. In Transvivanian we have Andref Muregianu (1816- 63). a patriotic poet, who composed the national song, “Awake. Rumanian, from thy lethargic sleep!” the — philologists | Timotein — Ciparn 