Nineteenth century questions and declarations concerning the publication of letters

Abstract

In the second half of the 19th century there was increased interest in correspondence by writers or other important figures. The consequence of that was the publication of numerous epistolary resources and discussions by editors and literary historians concerning the rank of letters in literary studies. Opinions voiced by a large number of writers prove that they were generally against the publication of their letters, although they read ones written by others with interest. A similar attitude was demonstrated by families of public figures. That approach was at odds with the actions of publishers and scholars, often leading to conflicts. However, in the late 19th century, the conflicts over property rights were overshadowed by argumentative discussions in the press, which aimed to find answers to basic questions, such as: how much of private epistolary archives can be publicized and what editorial forms should be given to letters provided to readers, as well as scholars of literature and social life. An important voice on the matter turned out to be opinions of historian and literary critics: Stanisław Tarnowski and Piotr Chmielowski.