the object of a cruel
persecution, on account of a translation of Meissner's _Consultatio
orthod. de fide Lutherana._ Numerous religious hymns were written in
Bohemian by Hrusbkowic, the two Blasius, Glosius, Augustini, and
others. Michalides translated the _Summarium biblicum_ of the
theologians of Wittenberg; and another Protestant minister, Dolezhal,
wrote in 1746 a Bohemian grammar. But their books, with a few
exceptions, were little read beyond the frontiers of Hungary; and had
consequently little or no influence on the Bohemians. The works
written in the Slovakian dialect do not belong here.

FIFTH PERIOD.

_Revival of Bohemian Literature, from A.D_. 1774-80 _to the present
time_.

In A.D. 1774, the marshal count Kinsky published a work on the
advantages and necessity of a knowledge of the Bohemian language. At
that time so great was the neglect of the mother tongue, that even for
a work of so patriotic a nature, he had to employ a foreign language
in order to be understood! One year later appeared an apology for the
vernacular tongue of the country, written a hundred years before by
the Jesuit Balbin in Latin,[39] and edited by Pelzel. These two
writings created a deep sensation; and even the government would seem
to have taken notice of them. We find, at least, that in the same year
teachers of the Bohemian language were appointed in the university of
Vienna and in two other institutions in that city. At the same time,
the royal normal school at Prague began to print several Bohemian
books for instruction. When the tolerant views and principles by which
Joseph II was actuated, became known, more than a hundred thousand
concealed Protestants immediately appeared; their hidden books were
brought to light again; and many works, of which only single copies
existed, were reprinted. In 1781 the severe edict of Ferdinand II was
repealed, and a censorship established upon more reasonable
principles. In 1786, the Bohemian language had gained friends enough
to induce the government to institute a Bohemian theatre; which, with
a short interruption during the present century, has ever since
existed. The unfortunate system of general centralization adopted by
Joseph II, was on the whole not favourable to the cultivation of any
but the German language; but during the reign of his two successors,
the Bohemian received more encouragement. In 1793 a professorship for
the language and literature of the country was founded