and allegorical, under the titles “Nová Rada” (New Counsel) and “Rada Otce Synovi” (Advice of a Father to His Son). He presents the ideal of a Czech Christian gentleman of his period.
In fact in the period just preceding John Huss, practically all writing was religious or chiefly instructive though satire and a bit of worldliness crept even into the writings of certain famous Prague priests notably the Augustinian Konrad Valdhauser and Jan Milič of Kroměříž who inspired Tomáš of Štítný (1331–1401), the earliest really great prose writer of the Czechs. The latter was among the first students of the University of Prague, founded by Karel IV. (the same Charles I. who ruled the Holy Roman Empire). He wrote in the spirit of Milič, his first work being “Reči Besední” (Social Talks) in which he philosophizes and gives information about God, the creation and fall of man, of man’s struggles to shun sin and attain wisdom. He wrote many other volumes on the same order, in a pleasing and careful manner which remain as examples of pure and correct Czech of his time.
MIDDLE PERIOD
The second period of Czech literature was ushered in by the greatest figure in Bohemia’s eventful history, Jan Hus (John Huss). His birth date is variously given—1364 to 1369. Hus was at once a preacher, writer, teacher, reformer, patriot, prophet, martyr. To him truth was the most sacred thing on earth. Not one
