Куйо

The work K. Kuev on Chernorizets by Professor Hrabar is the result of several years of research work, remarkable for the scope and depth of the studies, for the fruitful respect for the "black" textological studies, for the comprehensive knowledge of every step of the movement of Slavic thought in this area. Its precursors were a number of smaller publications by the author, which outlined some of the main problematic elements of the future book. Against the background of the scientific literature on the notable Old Bulgarian writer, created over a period of nearly 150 years (its beginning, as is known, was laid by K. Kalaydovich in 1824) and including a significant number of valuable works - but works partially illuminating the issues surrounding Hrabar - the monographic nature of Kuev's work stands out. Compositionally, the book is divided into two heterogeneous parts - a literary-historical study and an edition of the Tale in 73 transcripts, of which 67 contain its entire text. But for its general spirit, for the appearance and for the new word of philological science, the synthesis of the author's literary-historical and textual awareness has proven decisive - an indisputable guarantee and at the same time a measure, an indicator of its real value. It is difficult to say whether there is a leading factor in this unity of mutually complementary knowledge; practically, what is more important is that the 57 transcripts published for the first time significantly broaden the horizons of the literary historian, suggest new statements of questions, correct or confirm already established positions.