[10]
Poetry and belles-lettres being more dependent on the state of the
language than purely scientific works, we can proceed no further,
without first making our readers acquainted with the recent
innovations of a few patriotic individuals.
It was Dosithei Obradovitch, born A.D. 1739 in the Banat of Temeswar,
who first among the eastern Servians ventured to write books in the
despised language of the country. The fortunes of this person are, in
several respects, of uncommon interest. Brought up in a monastic
school, he became monk when he was only fourteen years old. After
several years of severe struggles, he fled. For twenty-five years he
travelled over all Europe; and then returned to his comparatively
barbarous native land, where he died in 1811, as inspector of the
schools, and the instructor of the children of the celebrated Kara
George. He left several works.
A far greater influence, however, has been exerted on Servian
literature by Dem. Davidovitch and Vuk Stephanovitch Karadshitch, who
have not only followed the same literary course, but were the first to
defend both theoretically and practically the principle, that the
Servians ought to _write_ as they _speak_. Their boldness met with
strong and decided opposition from the old school; and the contest and
rivalry which have been the consequence, although tending for a time
to prevent the progress of the good cause, cannot but have, ere long,
beneficial results, by exciting the minds of the people to a higher
activity than they have had until then occasion to exert.
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