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PALACKÝ AND CZECH CULTURE

63

values, whatever their origin. Palacký always held Slavic culture in high esteem and sometimes even accepted the Romantic illusions of the beauty and perfection of the ancient Russians and other Slavs. Although he was less realistic than Havlíček, Palacký was decidedly a critical Russophile. Palacký was aware that the czarist regime had led to many deficiencies and imperfections in Russia. He was alarmed by the deep Russian national apathy. Palacký also realized that the Czech nationality might be endangered by the programs of some Russian political groups and individuals. He saw no difference “between the pan-Russians and German or Hungarian fanatics. All of them are anxious to devour and destroy our nation.”

In harmony with the general trends of the Czech National Revival, Palacký regarded culture as a significant political and moral factor that could protect the nation and accelerate its growth. “Ignoring partisan disputes, we sought the rational and moral encouragement and improvement of the nation. Only the whole educated nation will be capable of understanding its own needs in every period of its development. In this connection, one should stress that during the period of National Revival no writer, with the exception of Havlíček, criticised the negative features and improper aspects of Czech culture and Czech national character as strongly as Palacký. He wrote of them in his papers, letters, and articles. Two years before the revolution of 1848, while dealing with the geography of ancient Bohemia, Palacký deemed it necessary to present his views about these questions. Describing the attempts of foreign and especially German literature to deny the basic national rights of the Czechs and even to question their existence, Palacký refuted this polemic. He regarded scientific and literary achievements, a way of life, as the most powerful form of defense: “. . .He who desires to live has to adapt to all forms of life and to fight his natural enemies.”8 Thinking about Czech national character, he addressed his nation with a reproach: “. . .The Czechs and the Slavs behave well during unhappy periods. A Czech is skillful, industrious, sagacious, zealous, and stubborn in an unhappy situation, and vain, unsteady, and unable to care about the future when the circumstances take a turn for the better.”

A full understanding of the Czech past and a historical perspective on events was an integral and basic part of František Palacký’s cultural program. His comprehension of history was neither uncritical nor provincial. Although Palacký accepted the Romantic illusion of the democratic and free development of the old Slavic societies, he was at the same time able to recognize the negative features of Czech history, e.g., during the period of Jan Hus.