Origin of the work:
1665 Amsterdam
Editions:
not identified
Contents:
This is a poem sent by Comenius to Mikuláš Drabík. Through his irresponsible behaviour in 1663 – 1664, Drabík had caused Comenius great anxiety; in particular, he had circulated reports on his political plans and persons without Comenius’ having first checked them. While had sent Brother Julius Junius to help and advise Drabík, the two men could not stand each other. Comenius upbraided Drabík in exasperated letters. When in 1664, however, Drabík greeted the assault of the Turks on Hungary with an extremely inappropriate poem on the fall of Babylon, Comenius composed a long poem entitled The Pining of the Conforming for God; given the ill-feeling between them, however, he did not send it to the prophet until 1667. The poem has not survived, and its content remains unknown. It is only known at all from mentions in Comenius’ letters to Drabík of January 6th and 20th 16677, in which he writes “I am however sending you a different carmen, somewhat more extensive, The Pining of the Conforming for God. It was written two or three years ago, but I did not communicate it to you for fear of misunderstanding”.
For further study, see also:
J. V. Novák & J. Hendrich, Jan Amos Komenský, jeho život a spisy. Prague 1932, p709