Origin of the work:
1651 Sárospatak
Editions:
1902 Prague, J. Kvačala, Korrespondence J. A. Komenského II
1972 Prague, Vybrané spisy J. A. Komenského, vol. VI, Czech translation by J. Hendrich
1974 Prague, J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 13
Contents:
A continuation of the Secret speech of Nathan to David (the Sermo secretus), again containing Comenius’ call for Sigismund Rákóczi to create a Central European coalition against the Habsburgs and the Papacy, and for a struggle against them.
With this variation on and continuation of the Secret speech of Nathan to David Comenius wishes to show Prince Sigismund the right path to the undermining of Babylon, i.e. the Papacy allied with the Habsburgs, which afflicts the learned of the world, the Church and the community. This struggle must be conducted not with weapons alone, but also with enlightenment. The common light for all people is universal wisdom (pansophy), the candles books and the light-bearers those men who offer to spread the light. It would be beneficial to them to found a College of Light or Heroic Sect, which would conduct the programme of enlightenment. Above all, Comenius desired that the prince himself be in all things a pansophist: he calls upon him to rise to the task for which he will be lauded by all nations, as once the King of Castile contributed to the Columbus’ discovery of the New World.
For further study, see also:
J. A. Comenii Opera omnia, vol. 13. Prague 1974, pp28-30
Vybrané spisy J. A. Komenského, vol. VI. Prague 1972, pp187-191
J. V. Novák & J. Hendrich, Jan Amos Komenský, jeho život a spisy. Prague 1932, p459
Jan Kumpera, Jan Amos Komenský, poutník na rozhraní věků. Prague & Ostrava 1992, p296