Gligorije Trlajic
Encyclopedia
Gligorije Trlajić was a Serbian writer, poet, and professor of law at the universities of St. Petersburg and Kharkiv (Harkov). He was fluent in Hungarian, Romanian, German, Old Slavonic, Greek, Russian, and French.
, and Pesth, and studied law at the University of Vienna
before he entered the bureaucracy in the department of justice in which he rose rapidly to be assistant to the solicitor-general in Vienna. His brilliant intellectual qualities attracted the attention of the Imperial Russian ambassador to Vienna; and he became private secretary to Prince Dmitry Mikhaylovich Galitzine
(1721–1793). He soon became known as the most competent of the imperial officials. After Galitzine died, he was a private tutor to a Russian archpriest living in Vienna. Trlajić made numerous journeys abroad, but the most important being his 1796 trip to Russia to aid in the reconstruction of Russia's law on western lines. There he taught the history of law and statistics at the Emperor's Pedagogical Institute in St. Petersburg. When the institute became a Law School he was made dean. In early 1811 he was appointed professor of the University of Kharkiv's Law Faculty.
Trlajić was not like some other Serbs who went to Russia, settled there and completely forgot about their roots. He would return on several occasions and maintained a lively national consciousness of his own.
Ja sam, veli on u jednom pismu, svagda ljubio slavno ime Srbin više nego zivot svoj, i starao sam se vazda, u koliko od mene zavisi, činiti mu čast.
(I have, he said in a letter, always loved the famed name of Serb more than my own life, and I always took care, as far it concerned me, to do justice to it).
Writing didactic works was an early and seemingly natural choice of occupation for Trlajić, though never an east one.
Trlajić died at Kharkiv on the 28th of September 1811 while still holding tenure at the university. He may be termed the Serbian Xenophon
, as Dositej Obradović
called him. In style and method his work somewhat resembles that of the ancient Greek author.
and also as an early figure in the migration in reverse which, once Serbian literature had achieved a certain maturity, expatriated many of its most talented intellectuals and scholars over a period of half a century.
In 1810, he published a textbook on Civil Law
with a comprehensive introduction on the encyclopedia and the history of law, which according to Odessa
Professor Viktor Ivanovich Grigorovich, laid the foundations of Russian civil law doctrine. Up until that point Russian experts in civil law were mainly educated at specialized professional seminars for private law in Berlin
, as well as other foreign universities. That same year, he published Mon opinion sur la méthode de traiter l'histoire générale dans cet établissement général. He translated the works of Ludwig Heinrich von Nicolai
, Christoph Martin Wieland
, Mikhail Kheraskov
, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
, Marcus Aurelius, and François Fénelon
's The Adventures of Telemachus
. He also taught at University of Kharkiv where several of his Serbian compatriots were on the teaching staff of the same academic institution at about the same time, Teodor Filipović
(also known as Božidar Grujović), Sava Petrović, Đorđe Koritar, and Atanasije Stojković.
Trlajić also wrote a drama entitled Vseljač, ili retki suprug (A Merry Man, or A Unique Spouse); and the beginnings of a Serbian grammar.
Biography
Gligorije Trlajić was educated in Segedin, BudaBuda
For detailed information see: History of Buda CastleBuda is the western part of the Hungarian capital Budapest on the west bank of the Danube. The name Buda takes its name from the name of Bleda the Hun ruler, whose name is also Buda in Hungarian.Buda comprises about one-third of Budapest's...
, and Pesth, and studied law at the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
before he entered the bureaucracy in the department of justice in which he rose rapidly to be assistant to the solicitor-general in Vienna. His brilliant intellectual qualities attracted the attention of the Imperial Russian ambassador to Vienna; and he became private secretary to Prince Dmitry Mikhaylovich Galitzine
Galitzine
For Orthodox clergyman and theologian, see Alexander Golitzin.The Galitzines are one of the largest and noblest princely houses of Russia. Since the extinction of the Korecki family in the 17th century, the Golitsyns have claimed dynastic seniority in the House of Gediminas...
(1721–1793). He soon became known as the most competent of the imperial officials. After Galitzine died, he was a private tutor to a Russian archpriest living in Vienna. Trlajić made numerous journeys abroad, but the most important being his 1796 trip to Russia to aid in the reconstruction of Russia's law on western lines. There he taught the history of law and statistics at the Emperor's Pedagogical Institute in St. Petersburg. When the institute became a Law School he was made dean. In early 1811 he was appointed professor of the University of Kharkiv's Law Faculty.
Trlajić was not like some other Serbs who went to Russia, settled there and completely forgot about their roots. He would return on several occasions and maintained a lively national consciousness of his own.
Ja sam, veli on u jednom pismu, svagda ljubio slavno ime Srbin više nego zivot svoj, i starao sam se vazda, u koliko od mene zavisi, činiti mu čast.
(I have, he said in a letter, always loved the famed name of Serb more than my own life, and I always took care, as far it concerned me, to do justice to it).
Writing didactic works was an early and seemingly natural choice of occupation for Trlajić, though never an east one.
Trlajić died at Kharkiv on the 28th of September 1811 while still holding tenure at the university. He may be termed the Serbian Xenophon
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
, as Dositej Obradović
Dositej Obradovic
Dositej Dimitrije Obradović was a Serbian author, philosopher, linguist, polyglot and the first minister of education of Serbia...
called him. In style and method his work somewhat resembles that of the ancient Greek author.
Works
Trlajić is interesting as a forerunner of RealismRealism
Realism, Realist or Realistic are terms that describe any manifestation of philosophical realism, the belief that reality exists independently of observers, whether in philosophy itself or in the applied arts and sciences. In this broad sense it is frequently contrasted with Idealism.Realism in the...
and also as an early figure in the migration in reverse which, once Serbian literature had achieved a certain maturity, expatriated many of its most talented intellectuals and scholars over a period of half a century.
In 1810, he published a textbook on Civil Law
Civil law (legal system)
Civil law is a legal system inspired by Roman law and whose primary feature is that laws are codified into collections, as compared to common law systems that gives great precedential weight to common law on the principle that it is unfair to treat similar facts differently on different...
with a comprehensive introduction on the encyclopedia and the history of law, which according to Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
Professor Viktor Ivanovich Grigorovich, laid the foundations of Russian civil law doctrine. Up until that point Russian experts in civil law were mainly educated at specialized professional seminars for private law in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, as well as other foreign universities. That same year, he published Mon opinion sur la méthode de traiter l'histoire générale dans cet établissement général. He translated the works of Ludwig Heinrich von Nicolai
Ludwig Heinrich von Nicolai
Ludwig Heinrich von Nicolai was a poet of the Enlightenment, librarian, secretary, academician and the President of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.- Biography :...
, Christoph Martin Wieland
Christoph Martin Wieland
Christoph Martin Wieland was a German poet and writer.- Biography :He was born at Oberholzheim , which then belonged to the Free Imperial City of Biberach an der Riss in the south-east of the modern-day state of Baden-Württemberg...
, Mikhail Kheraskov
Mikhail Kheraskov
Mikhail Matveyevich Kheraskov was regarded as the most important Russian poet by Catherine the Great and her contemporaries.Kheraskov's father was a Romanian boyar who settled in the Ukraine...
, Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
, Marcus Aurelius, and François Fénelon
François Fénelon
François de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon, more commonly known as François Fénelon , was a French Roman Catholic archbishop, theologian, poet and writer...
's The Adventures of Telemachus
Telemachus
Telemachus is a figure in Greek mythology, the son of Odysseus and Penelope, and a central character in Homer's Odyssey. The first four books in particular focus on Telemachus' journeys in search of news about his father, who has been away at war...
. He also taught at University of Kharkiv where several of his Serbian compatriots were on the teaching staff of the same academic institution at about the same time, Teodor Filipović
Teodor Filipovic
Teodor Filipović , Serbian writer, jurist and educator, is also known by his pseudonym Božidar Grujović. одломци из дела Милован Ристић: Устанички законописац Теодор Филиповић , Просвета, Београд 1953.-Biography:...
(also known as Božidar Grujović), Sava Petrović, Đorđe Koritar, and Atanasije Stojković.
Trlajić also wrote a drama entitled Vseljač, ili retki suprug (A Merry Man, or A Unique Spouse); and the beginnings of a Serbian grammar.