Vespasian Kochowski

Vespasian Kochowski
Vespasian Kochowski
    Vespasian Kochowski
     Catholic_Encyclopedia Vespasian Kochowski
    Born at Sandomir?, 1633; died at Krakow, 1699. He received his education at the Jesuit College, Sandomir, served in the army, and then spent the rest of his life on his estate. Sobieski valued him so highly as an historian that he took him on his famous expedition to Vienna, the literary result of which was the "Commentarius de bello adversus Turcas". This and his other Latin chronicles are the best of his time and country. The collection of his short poems, entitled "Busy Idleness", contains many beautiful verses, and many more that are curious: the subjects range from religion to very coarse fun. There are also love poems, pleasing in their simplicity and nobility of sentiment; there are beautiful lamentations on his brother's death; and there are satirical poems full of wit and humour. Of all later poets he reminds us most of Kochanowski, though the resemblance is but distant. But he is far more than Kochanowski a writer of what may be called historical poetry, and his pieces in this style are perhaps the finest he has written. From the death of Wladislaw IV till the election of Sobieski, every event of note is celebrated by a separate poem. What strikes one most is the religiously patriotic tone of his poetry. His "Psalmody", a work of great and genial originality, is distinguished by this tone. Some psalms are merely pious; but in others his prayer falls into a description of the war with the Turks, and mingles therewith such outbursts of gratitude to God for victory, that one comes to feel personally more attached to this poet than to others more famous than he was. The Biblical form adapted to secular things constitutes a point of resemblance between Kochowski's poetry and the creations of several modern poets (Mickiewicz's "Book of the Pilgrimage"; Slowacki's "Anhelli"). "Vienna saved by the Act of God" has fine passages and even a certain epic talent, but is marred by want of artistic finish, proportion, and harmony. The same may be said of "The Stone of Testimony", a poem written to defend Lubomirski. His purely religious poems, "Christ Suffering" and the "Virgin's Garden" are distinctly inferior.
    CZUBEK, Life of Vesp. Z. Kochowa Kochowski in Transactions of the Krakow Acad. Of Sciences, philolog. dept., XXXII; TARNOWSKI, V. Kochowski na tle wsp lczesnem (Kochowski from a contemporary standpoint) (Lemberg, 1908).
    S. TARNOWSKI
    Transcribed by Czeglédi Erzsébet

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. — New York: Robert Appleton Company. . 1910.


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  • Kochowski, Vespasian — • Born at Sandomir?, 1633; died at Krakow, 1699. He received his education at the Jesuit College, Sandomir, served in the army, and then spent the rest of his life on his estate Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Kochowski — Kochowski, Vespasian, polnischer Dichter u. Geschichtsschreiber des 17. Jahrh.; kämpfte in den Reihen der Polen unter Kasimir Wasa u. Joh. Sobieski. Außer seinen Gedichten in polnischer Sprache schr. er: Annales Poloniae ab obitu Ladislai IV.… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Kochowski — (Nieczuja K. von Kochow), Hieronymus Vespasian, poln. Dichter, geb. 1633 zu Gaj in der Landschaft Sandomir, gest. 1699, studierte auf der Akademie zu Krakau, vertauschte dann aber die Feder mit dem Säbel und nahm als Soldat 1651–60 an allen… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Wespazjan Kochowski — Wespazjan (Vespasian) Kochowski (coat of arms: Nieczuja) (born in 1633 in Gaj in Sandomierz Land, died on June 6, 1700 in Kraków) was one of the most noted historians and poets of Polish Baroque, the most typical representative of the philosophy… …   Wikipedia

  • Polnische Literatur — Polnische Literatur. Die Geschichte der P. L. läßt sich in fünf, ziemlich scharf untereinander abgegrenzte Perioden scheiden. Die Anfänge der P. L. reichen bis in die heidnische Zeit hinauf u. bestehen in Sprüchwörtern, Volksliedern u. Volkssagen …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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