[From V. I. Ger'e, No. 183. Stefan Iavorskii (1658-1722) was the Metropolitan of Ryazan and a graduate of the Kiev-Mogyla College, from which the great Ukrainian philosopher Hryhorii Skovoroda would issue in the following century. Iavorskii composed at least one major philosophical work, which I have yet to locate, entitled Философское состязание [A Philosophical Contention], presented to the Kiev College in 1693-94. According to the Большая Энциклопедия Русского Народа, in this work Iavorskii defends a version of 'Second Scholasticism', which recognizes matter and form as two equal principles of created beings, in contrast with Thomism's absolutization of form. For Iavorskii, form, which is understood as the idea and possibility of a thing, exists in matter itself and is dependent on it. Iavorskii was suspected by many of being a secret convert to Catholicism, and of being a member of the Jesuit order. This may be in part due to his early life in Galicia. It is not clear whether Leibniz knew of Iavorskii's philosophical work when he wrote this letter. What is clear is that Leibniz considers it expedient to flatter Iavorskii and to lavishly praise the Orthodox church in order to advance his true interest, which is to obtain samples of the various minority languages of the Russian empire. For the original Latin, click 'continue reading' below.]
*
To the most worthy Metropolitan of Ryazan.
Most Illustrious and Venerable Sir,
As I understand that you are prominent no less for your erudition than for your authority in the Russian Empire, and, at the command of your great monarch, I think of you, Sir, not so much in connection with the promotion of the sciences, as with the illustration of the histories and antiquities of the Russians, I hope to gain acquaintance with, and presume to take recourse to, your work, to the extent that you are in possesion of either published works or ancient manuscripts, whence your ancient histories derive their certainty. One of the more ancient of your books, called the Paterikon, has been mentioned to me, and in it the ancient ecclesiastical history of the Russian people is touched upon. I hope by your generosity both to come to know [better] and to be able to obtain this book and others of this sort.
I do not doubt moreover but that in the renowned monasteries of Russia there exist many excellent codices of the Greek fathers, nor yet but that there exist printed works and other literary works that are too little known in our Europe, which in the interest not only of your glory, but also of the public utility, must not remain hidden forever, but one day should be brought to light. Thus I write for the purpose of obtaining the indices of the pubished books and manuscripts that you have, but, what's more, I imagine it will be of worth to come to know [your] living libraries,[and] the men enlightened by learning in your nation or your region.
I dare moreover to reveal to you, eminent Sir, another wish of mine, which pertains to knowing the origins of peoples, but also, moreover, to the propagation of the true faith among men, and to the exaltation of divine glory, and in this respect it may be hoped that you will be glorified the more. It is known that in your great empire, and within its most extensive boundaries, there are many languages that are entirely different from Slavonic. To have specimens of each of them will be useful, and for it to be indicated where [each] nation has its base, and where its boundaries are, whether they be rivers or otherwise.
The origins and migrations of nations is first of all, of course, known by nothing more clearly than by languages, and great Scythia, the greater part of which belongs to the Russian ruler, is known to have given rise to the ancient Yakutians [Sacas], Parthians, Gets, Massagets, Alans, Huns, Khazars, Bulgarians, Cumanians, and the Hungarians themselves. And I understand now that there even exist regions of your empire in which the Hungarian language flourishes, not only this side of the Caspian Sea, as is commonly supposed, but also towards it. Moreover, the more useful specimens of the language will be the Catechisms, which at the same time will be able to push the peoples along towards the true faith and piety that are being taught, as well as the Decalogue, the Lord's Prayer, and the Apostles' Creed; these are to be written in the language of the people who are to be converted, with each language [also] written in Russian characters, and with a Russian version inserted between the lines, which allows [for it to be read] word for word.
These specimens from the Catechism will, rightly, lead to [the composition of] a concise dictionary in which the most frequently used nouns and verbs of a language, as well as numbers and similar elements, will be included. And all such dictionaries should be easily produced both in the Russian capital, Moscow, as well as in the principal cities of the provinces, and in distant places through the work of interpreters and of other experienced people, and they will make a step towards the conversion of [these] nations, while moreover teaching us about their origins and about the relations between them.
That these [proposals] are approved by your Great Monarch, I have been given to know as if by the oracle of a first-hand report, I therefore expect that you, who are solicitous of God's glory and of the salvation of the people, will be in agreeement.
...
Farewell, and may you continue to excel in your work. Sent
22 November 1712.
*
Dem hochwürdigsten Metropolit Ressanski. Metropolitae Ressanensi.
Illustrissime et Reverendissime Domine.
Cum te non eruditione minus quam dignitate in Russorum imperio eminere intelligam et Magni vestri Monarchae jussu non tantum de scientiis propagandis sed et Historiis et Antiquitatibus Russicis illustrandis cogitem, ad tuam, Domine, opem confugere audeo et discere spero, quonam apud vos extent sive edita sive manu exarata antiquitatis monumenta unde Historiae vestrae veteres firmitatem accipiant. Relatum mihi est unum ex libris vestris antiquioribus dici paterikon, inque eo veterem Russicae gentis historiam ecclesiasticam attingi. Hunc librum aliaque id genus vetustatis monumenta vestro beneficio partim noscere partim etiam nancisci opto.
Non dubito etiam quin in egregiis Russiae monasteriis multi extent praeclari codices graecorum patrum nondum typis editi aliaeque litterariae opes in hac Europa nostra parum cognitae, quas non semper latere sed erui aliquando non minus vestrae laudis quam publicae utilitatis interest; itaque librorum apud vos extantium editorum et manuscriptorum indices habere e re scribo, sed magis adhuc noscere vivas Bibliothecas, viros vestrae nationis vel vestrae regionis doctrina claros operae pretium teneo.
Audeo etiam Tibi, Vir summe, aliud aperire desiderium meum, quod ad noscendas populorum origines, sed magis etiam ad propagationem verae fidei per gentes et exaltationem gloriae divinae pertinet eoque magis Tibi gratum fore sperari potest. Constat in magno vestro imperio et longissimis ejus confiniis multas usurpari linguas a Slavonica toto genere diversas. Earum omnium specimina haberi operae pretium erit et cujusque nationis sedem per flumina aut alios limites indicari.
Primum enim nationum origines ac migrationes non aliunde magis quam ex linguis cognoscuntur et magna Scythia, cujus ingens pars Russorum Autocratori paret, prodiisse constat veteres Sacas, Parthos, Getas, Massagetas, Alanos, Hunnos, Cozaros, Bulgaros, Cumanos ipsosque Hungaros. Et intelligo nunc quoque extare regiones vestri imperii, ubi lingua Hungarica viget, non quidem intra, ut vulgo putant, sed magis versus Caspium mare. Porro specimina linguae cujusque utiliora forent Cathechetica, quae simul ad populos fidem veram pietatemque docendas prodesse possent, nempe ut Decalogus, oratio Dominica et symbolum Apostolicum in lingua cujusque gentis converterentur, scriberenturque omnia lingua quidem populi characteribus autem Russicis et Russica versione interlineari adjecta, quae qualicet verbum verbo reddat.
His catecheticis speciminibus merito accederet dictionariolum cujusque linguae nomina verbaque usitatiora numerosque similiaque complectens. Atque omnia ista quidem partim in Metropoli Russorum, Mosqua, partim in urbibus primariis provinciarum et locis limitaneis ope interpretum aliorumque peritorum non difficulter confici possent et gradum facerent ad gentium conversionem, nos autem gentis cujusque origines cognationesque docerent.
Haec uti Magno Monarcha probantur, quemadmodum ex vivae vocis oracula intellexi, ita Tibi cordi esse arbitror, quem divinae gloriae publicaeque saluti invigilare credendum.
Itaque peto ut in singulis sententiam Tuam me scire et opem sentire patiaris et si qua in re in nostrae hujus Europae regionibus per me vel amicos inservire possem, mandata ad me tua perferri cures.
Vale diu et rem praeclare gerere perge. Dabam
22. Novem. (st. n.) 1712
Comments