Editorial techniques of Ignacy Janicki

Abstract

The article introduces Ignacy Janicki (1823–1886), a PhD in Physics, a member of the Editorial Board and a librarian of the Krasiński Library, a copyist of Zygmunt Krasiński’s epistolography. The authoress presents the history of his friendship with Konstanty Gaszyński and the Krasińscy family, which influenced Janicki’s editorial interests. Janicki established the “Kronika Rodzinna” periodical in which he published fragments of letters written by the author of Irydion to Gaszyński and Adam Sołtan. The characterization of this edition is focused on establishing the criteria applied in the process of selection of texts to be published (the authoress suggests and reminds terms such as “privacy”, “individuality”, “addressee’s co-authorship” as crucial for the appraisal of the letters). Moreover, Janicki prepared the volumes of a publishing series from the Krasiński Library and the Konstanty Świdziński Museum: Perska księga na polski język przełożona od Jmci Pana Samuela Otwinowskiego sekretarza J. Kr. Mci nazwana Giulistan to jest Ogród Różany, Akta historyczne do panowania Stefana Batorego, Pamiętniki do historyi życia i czynów Jana III Sobieskiego Króla Polskiego przez Filipa Dupont’a pełniącego przy królu obowiązki głównego inżyniera artylleryi. Therefore it was typical for Janicki’s work as an editor to take initiatives aimed at publishing of texts which could bring to light unknown aspects of the political, social and cultural history of Poland (diaries, acts, translations). It must be emphasized that by doing this he completed the mission the founders and personnel of the Krasiński Library had in mind.