Felix Culpa? On the Norwidians in Rev. Józef Jarzębowski’s Collection

Abstract

The article presents the strange vicissitudes of one of Cyprian Norwid's poems, namely, Italiam! Italiam! At present it is among the Norwidians that survived the ravages of war and were collected by Rev. Józef Jarzębowski MIC – a Marian. Rev. Jarzębowski (1897-1964) for years collected Polish national mementoes. Today they have become the core of the Museum bearing his name in Licheń Stary near Konin in the sanctuary complex of the Matka Boska Licheńska basilica. In the present sketch a description of all the collection and of its outlay is omitted, albeit it is hard to refrain from praising the standard of the organization of the Museum. The article concentrates on a description of manuscripts connected with Norwid that were collected by Rev. Jarzębowski and since 2007 have been in Licheń; and earlier they were kept in the English seat of Marians in Fawley Court near London. They are: 1) Italiam! Italiam!, the manuscript of the poem written at the turn of 1845 and 1846; 2) a letter to Władysław Zamoyski written at the end of June or beginning of July 1866; 3) a study of a portrait, sent to Leonard Niedźwiedzki; 4) [nine satisfied questions:] 1. Why conscription groundlessly changed into violence… 5) [an appeal to the Russian statesmen:] “Russian Statesmen!...”.