ARYSTOKRATA I LEKTURY EPOKI PRZEŁOMU, CZYLI O JANIE FELIKSIE AMORZE TARNOWSKIM JAKO CZYTELNIKU
Aristocracy and Books in the Era of the Turn: Jan Feliks Amor Tarnowski as a Reader

Summary/Abstract: The article takes up the question of history of reading in the era of the turn of 18th and 19th centuries, i.e. between the Polish Enlightenment and the romantic period, on the example of an aristocratic reader and owner of rich book collection – Jan Feliks Amor Tarnowski (d. 1842). Tarnowski’s family relations, travels and influence of his teachers, as well as studies in libraries shaped his intellectual personality and gave him a profound erudition. He was the activist in the culture movement, member of scientific societies and masonry, and the Senator. The methodology used here is based on the historical sciences, as the most appropriate in this kind of problem. Thesis concerning Tarnowski’s reading was proved on the ground of his manuscripts, notes, and not published fragments from his family archive (stored in the National Archive in Cracow), and his printed monography (1819), where the traces of quotations and titles of books were considered as sure evidences of reading. His interests focused on medieval and early modern history, religion and literature, and were influenced by the Enlightenment historicism, history of culture and linguistics. But he was also under the influence of the religious Catholic revival, mysticism and religiosity of Restoration. Tarnowski as a reader chose the classical European and world’s literary output, in which he wanted to place books of polish authors.

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