“Russian books” from Halleat the V. I. Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine

Abstract

The goal of the research is to analyze the marginalia and inset entries on copies of Johann Arndt’s treatise “Four Books on True Christianity” (Halle, 1735) in translation by Symon Todorsky. The regarded copies were taken from the V. I. Vernadskyi National Library of Ukraine. It will provide information on the prevalence of pietists’ works and their reception in the 18th century Ukrainian discourse. The methodology of the research consists in application of paleographic and critical methods, the interpretation of the graphic and spelling characteristics of the records is based on the provisions of comparative-historical linguistics. Scientific novelty. The marginalia on copies of J. Arndt’s treatise are published for the first time. Their perusal complements data on the impact of the European ideology of education on cultural life of Ukraine of the 18th century, dissemination and understanding of a new type of literary language which was being formed in the Russian Empire by a combination of elements of the Ukrainian and Moscow variants of the Church Slavonic language and «a common plain language», reconstruction of the structure of the then educated society. Conclusions. Translations by Symon Todorsky became known in Ukraine almost immediately after publication in 1735 and spread for a long time. An analysis of the marginalia shows that they were read by educated people belonging to different classes: spiritual, Cossack officers. They took notes in Polish, in north and south variants of the Church Slavonic language with Ukrainian interferences which confirms the multilingualism of the cultural discourse at the time. Records belonged to different types: proprietary, poetry, etc. Based on these materials, however, we can’t claim that it meant the one-dimensional positive influence of Protestantism on religious life.