POTOCKI Jan - Principes de chronologie pour les temps antérieurs aux olympiades, St. Petersbourg 1810

Author: POTOCKI Jan

Title: Principes de chronologie pour les temps antérieurs aux olympiades

• Place of publication: St. Petersburg
• Year of publication: 1810
• Publisher: De l'Imprimerie d'Alexandre Pluchart et Comp.
• Number of pages: [4], 84, [1].
• Illustrations, maps: chronologicaltables in the text
• Size: 29 cm
• Binding: hardback half leather binding, case
• Condition: book after sogginess (visible in the photo) - no damage to the text, a few pencil marks in the text, between the pages of the text blank pages (probably for notes)

Description:

Very rare! Work published only in 100 pieces! Practically unseen in the antiquarian circulation! Perhaps this is the only chance to include this item in your collection.

"Most modern chronolographers have a deep knowledge of history, that is, they easily arranged its event in an order more or less close to the truth, and on the basis of the few dates scattered in the authors, wrote a chronology that we could be satisfied with. But it seemed to me that in the study of the times one could go a step further if one approached things more meticulously - elevating ancient chronology to the ranks of the sciences, leaving aside a few anomalies that also occur in the study of these sciences. For the truth is not closed within the strict limits of mathematical evidence. The consensus of the writers creates a certain order of evidence sufficient to produce conviction, for only truth can create such a consensus between historians of different countries, who at least did not imitate each other, but did not even know of each other's existence.

Every historical fact radiates links with the facts it preceded, with those that followed it, with the history of neighboring countries. But in order for these connections to manifest themselves, the fact in question must be judged in the order of the times; if it is not, not only do the connections not manifest themselves, but contradictions show themselves. " (introduction)

"[...] He believed that his works were sufficient for new scientific developments in the field of chronological history."

"[...] Also from the letter to John Ch. Albertrandi shines through the author's belief in the perfection of his own works. In it he writes that the accuracy of his deductions in Principes de chronologie will place chronology in the order of the sciences."

(J. Fish.- Jan Potocki's publishing extravagances, Studia biblio-logiczne, T.1, Katowice 1983)

"The principles of chronology have not only been received with even greater indifference than Potocki's previous work, but their few readers see in them an insult to religion, which is an unpardonable sin in the Russia of 1810, when Alexander I is turning more and more to Christian mysticism."

(Aleksandra Kroh - Jan Potocki: A Far Journey, Warsaw 2004)

Why did Jan Potocki publish his works in very low volumes, Janusz Ryba:

"Why, then, having such a high opinion of his works and coveting fame so much, did he take measures that made it difficult, if not impossible, to obtain it? A characteristic feature of Potocki was that he attached excessive Weight to the judgments of critics. A telling example of this is his reaction to German scholar August L. Schlotzer's charges against Historie primitive.... Potocki, as is clear from the dedication, thought very highly of the work and hoped for its success. But in contact with the critical, nota bene biased, judgment, his conviction of the uniqueness of Historie primitive... disappeared. Potocki didn't get around to replying, yet many of Schlotzer's accusations were unfounded and he could have easily refuted them. Not only did he fail to mount a defense, but also abandoned further distribution of the book, which, with its hundred pieces in circulation, was tantamount to condemning the work to oblivion.

The tremendous extent to which Potocki's own works were shaped by criticism from here on out is evidenced by the Preface he prefaces Principes de chronologie pour les temps antérieurs aux olympiades:

"This passage which I am publishing," he writes in it, "offers to a group of enlightened readers the general outline of my system [...]. I intend to publish the core of this work when, enlightened by criticism, I know the value of my system." "

Adam Benedykt Jocher, in "A bibliographical and historical picture of literature and sciences in Poland...T.1" (Vilna 1840, p. 222, item 799) noted: "A rare and costly work."

Jan Potocki coat of arms Pilawa (1761-1815) - traveler, politician, historian, publicist, ethnographer, one of the first Polish archaeologists, researcher of Slavic antiquities, engineer, Knight of Malta. He was born in Podolia and grew up in France and Switzerland. He spoke eight languages fluently.

Unique!