Primitiae laborum

Primitiae laborum scholasticorum in Illustri Patakino gymnasio, auspiciis Illustrissimi ac Praecelsi Domini, Domini Sigismundi Rakoci, Celsissimorum Transylvaniae Principum Rakociorum Nepotis, Filii, Fratris, Ducatusque Munkaciensis etc. etc. haereditarii Domini, in majus et melius transformari coepto

The beginnings of scholastic labour at the celebrated Sárospatak Gymnasium, which started to raise its level and change its shape for the better by the grace of that Most Illustrious and Sublime Lord, Lord Sigismund Rákóczi, grandson, son and brother of the most august Transylvanian Rákózci Princes, hereditary Lord of the Duchy of Mukačevo etc. etc.

(summary title; includes the De cultura ingeniorum, the De primario ingenia colendi instrumento ... libris and the De reperta ... via, schola Latina)

Origin of the work:
  1650 – 1651 Sárospatak

Editions:
  1652 Sárospatak

1657 Amsterdam, Opera didactica omnia III

1957 Prague, Opera didactica omnia III (phototype edition)

1992 Prague, J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 15/III

Contents:

This is a collection of three works. The introduction is dedicated to Prince Sigismund Rákóczi; in it, Comenius speaks of the transient nature of things, including communities, kingdoms, churches and schools. Ennobling education, however, which it is the task of schools to provide, has a higher sense. It is for this reason that it is necessary in such troubled times as these to extol Providence, which has made possible the appearance of such men as Louis de Geer and Kryštof Opalinski, as well as Prince Sigismund himself, who despite his other concerns also cares for schools. It is to him and his people that Comenius devotes, in a redaction for Hungarian schools, what he spent nine years preparing for the youth of Poland. This volume contains for the following works (two speeches and one programme):

1. De cultura ingeniorum oratio (Speech on educational ability; the De cultura ingeniorum)

2. De primario ingenia colendi instrumento solerter versando, libris, oratio (An oration on how to skilfully work with books – the primary instrument in the cultivation of ability; the De libris)

3. De reperta ad authores Latinos... via, schola Latina, tribus classibus divisa (On finding a way... to the Lating authors, the Latin school, divided into three grades; the Schola Latina)

For further study, see also:

J. V. Novák & J. Hendrich, Jan Amos Komenský, jeho život a spisy. Prague 1932, p453

Jan Kumpera, Jan Amos Komenský, poutník na rozhraní věků. Prague & Ostrava 1992, pp289-290