, and all belong to
the history of the Reformation. Here also the new doctrines found
minds willing to receive them; and as several of the _magnates_, among
whom is the illustrious name of Zriny, were also their supporters,
there was no difficulty in establishing a press, in order to diffuse
the new light with greater speed and certainty. In the course of the
last half of the sixteenth and the beginning of the seventeenth
centuries, a large number of Croatian books, catechisms, postillae,
etc. were printed. One of the warmest champions of the Reformation was
Michael Buchich, curate of the island Murakoz, who publicly adopted
the Calvinistic confession, and endeavoured to spread abroad his own,
convictions by sermons and writings. Persecuted by the bishops,
condemned by synods, he and his followers found some protection in the
Christian tolerance of the emperor Maximilian II. But the successors
of this prince thought otherwise; and the most powerful of the
Hungarian noblemen took arms for the defence of the Romish religion.
At the diets held in 1607 and 1610, destruction was sworn to the new
doctrines and to their adherents; and all steps were taken for the
fulfilment of the oath.

In the middle of the seventeenth century, all Croatia had reverted
to Romanism. From that time onward, for more than fifty years, there
was not a thought of cultivating the language of the people; all books
were again written in Latin, and are so mostly even to the present
day. The first who interested himself anew for the foundation of a
national literature, was Paul Ritter, of Vitezovich, ob. 1713, who
procured a printing office to be established by the estates, and
himself wrote several books in the Croatian language. A few writers
followed his example; but the activity of the press was, and is now,
almost exclusively devoted to the printing of the ordinary catholic
books for spiritual edification and religious instruction. The Gospels
are extant in the Croatian dialect; but not the whole Bible. Most of
the Croats, however, are able to read and understand the books of
their Dalmatian neighbours.[33]

The idea of a union among the Illyrico-Servians in respect to
orthography and literature, was principally favoured by the
Croatians, and indeed originated among them. Here Dr. Gaj and
Count Janko Draskovich, who endeavoured to interest the Illyrian
_ladies_ in the subject, by a patriotic address, had their residence.
The events of our own da