Archivum Lithuanicum

The paper is devoted to a discussion of Lithuanian elements in lyrics written by Franciszek Dionizy Kniaźnin (1750–1807), a poet, playwright and translator from the Grand uchy of Lithuania. Considered one of the most distinguished poets of the Enlightenment, Kniaźnin occupied himself in the last stage of his work with editing writings he had finished earlier, which he included, together with completely new poems, in a previously unpublished autograph entitled Poezyje Franciszka Dionizego Kniaźnina ręką własną pisane, which constituted his literary swansong. In the lyrics included, there appear various references to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. These are, among others, allusions to contemporary and past events, and to famous historical figures. In the manuscript, the poet also included a poem entitled Do Litwy, as well as writings dedicated to people connected with the Grand Duchy. The aim of the paper is to indicate and discuss these references, and to attempt to determine the literary image of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania that arises from the manuscript by the poet from Puławy.

The Grammar of the Lithuanian Language by Jonas Jablonskis (Tilžė, 1901; MLLM : MB 206; hereinafter – JaG) with marginalia is preserved in the Maironis Memorial Library (Maironis Museum of Lithuanian Literature, Kaunas). Until now, it has been assumed that the marginalia in this copy of the JaG belongs to Maironis himself. Indeed, the marginalia are of two kinds: the handwriting, writing tools (black pen and pencil), content and writing intentions differ, and it is obvious they were written by two people. The handwriting of the corrections in black pen is very similar to Maironis’ and coincides with his notes in Kazimieras Jaunius’ Lithuanian Grammar (St Petersburg, 1911; MLLM : MB 212). So it is very likely that Maironis was the author of the marginal notes in black pen. The majority of the JaG marginalia is written in pencil. The particulary interested and attentive reader wrote various notes on the cover, in the margins, and between the lines: he revised, supplemented, corrected the text of the grammar, and compared it with the works of Indo-European and Lithuanian linguistics.