That rhyme is not natural to
the Polish language, is evident from the ancient popular poetry of the
other Slavic nations; which are all without rhyme. The author of the
work _Volkslieder der Polen_, assumes the absence of rhyme in some of
them as a proof of their antiquity. Of Slavic popular songs only those
of the Malo-Russians or Ruthenians are rhymed; and none of these lay
claim to great antiquity.]
[Footnote 11: This song, called _Boga Rodzica_, can be named a
war-song, only because the Poles used to sing it when advancing to
battle. It is rather a prayer to the Virgin, ending with a sixfold
Amen. In a poetical respect it has no value. It is printed in
Bowring's _Specimens of the Polish Poets_, p. 12; together with the
music, copied from a manuscript which is said to be from the twelfth
century. No translation is added. It is remarkable that this hymn is
still sung, or at least was so in the year 1812, in the churches of
the places where St. Adalbert lived and died, viz. at Kola and Gnesen.
Niemcewicz, who published it, states that he himself heard it at that
time at the latter place.]
[Footnote 12: See Schaffarik's _Geschichte der Slav. Sprache_, p.
421.]
[Footnote 13: A History of the University of Cracow was recently
published by Prof.
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