"Nowe Ateny": the first encyclopedia or "stupid literature about devilish tricks"?
In the period from 1745 to 1746, a book was published in Lviv under the name “Nowe Ateny”. Its author was Benedict Hmelevsky, a Jesuit monk. In the book, he set himself an ambitious goal - to collect "the academy of all science."
Both during the life of the author, and after his death, “Nowe Ateny” was treated differently: someone considered it as the first encyclopedia, and someone - “stupid literature about devilish tricks”.
Before writing his book, Benedict Khmelevsky studied the materials of more than a hundred authors. He laid out information about the world in several categories: about God, about polytheism, about fish, about birds, about mathematics, about politics, about language and so on.
Khmelevsky's encyclopedia turned out really interesting. In it, he provided important information in terms of geography and history. For example, he described the peoples who lived in Europe, India, China, and Japan. Botanical and zoological features characteristic of different regions. Forms of government and ways of organizing human communities. He elaborated on their religious ideas.
Some of the questions that the Jesuit monk raised in his book seem somewhat strange: where is paradise and at what time of year the world is created, according to what signs do witches, witches, ghouls, warlocks determine. He did not bypass the side of physiognomy and the interpretation of dreams.
Specific is considered and the style of the publication. That Khmelevsky paints everything in detail, giving well-founded and detailed arguments, he comes up with stupid combinations (“how the horse looks, everyone knows,” “everyone knows about the flies and I don’t want to talk about it,” but I will remind you of erudition ”).
Nowe Ateny is a specific and diverse book. It was written on the basis of the old foundations, using peculiar formulas and turns. Here there is a slightly different principle of selection and presentation of information.
Both during the life of the author, and after his death, “Nowe Ateny” was treated differently: someone considered it as the first encyclopedia, and someone - “stupid literature about devilish tricks”.
Before writing his book, Benedict Khmelevsky studied the materials of more than a hundred authors. He laid out information about the world in several categories: about God, about polytheism, about fish, about birds, about mathematics, about politics, about language and so on.
Photo © photo-lviv.in.ua
Khmelevsky's encyclopedia turned out really interesting. In it, he provided important information in terms of geography and history. For example, he described the peoples who lived in Europe, India, China, and Japan. Botanical and zoological features characteristic of different regions. Forms of government and ways of organizing human communities. He elaborated on their religious ideas.
Some of the questions that the Jesuit monk raised in his book seem somewhat strange: where is paradise and at what time of year the world is created, according to what signs do witches, witches, ghouls, warlocks determine. He did not bypass the side of physiognomy and the interpretation of dreams.
Specific is considered and the style of the publication. That Khmelevsky paints everything in detail, giving well-founded and detailed arguments, he comes up with stupid combinations (“how the horse looks, everyone knows,” “everyone knows about the flies and I don’t want to talk about it,” but I will remind you of erudition ”).
Nowe Ateny is a specific and diverse book. It was written on the basis of the old foundations, using peculiar formulas and turns. Here there is a slightly different principle of selection and presentation of information.
