From the workshop of a nineteenth-century text editor. Problems and dilemmas of the publisher of Tomasz August Olizarowski's poems

Abstract

Tomasz August Olizarowski is an unfairly forgotten romantic poet, playwright, participant of the November Uprising, conspirator, emigrant, friend of Kamil Cyprian Norwid and publisher of French-language dramas by Adam Mickiewicz. Most of his enormous literary output – including dramas, aphorisms, lyrics, journalism, fairy tales, even prose novels – remains in manuscripts. Many stereotypes have grown up around the poet, which are largely the cause of this state of affairs. Among the many false opinions, there is also a very harmful belief that he is a poet minorum gentium. He is considered an extremely uneven creator, who seems to be contextual to Mickiewicz's work and the circle of emigrants gathered around the Hotel Lamberty. He is usually perceived as the author of one, maybe two works worthy of attention at all. The latest edition of almost all of his Poems from 2014 created a unique opportunity to restore his original legacy of historical and literary awareness. At the same time, work on this edition revealed many problems and dilemmas that were piling up for the editor of Olizarowski's works. This article is an attempt to show just the tip of this proverbial iceberg. Numerous doubts and dilemmas related to publishing Didym's achievements result from both the diversity and the dispersion of the rich legacy of this controversial writer. The concept of the openness of his work turns out to be full of gaps, secrets and puzzles, constituting quite a challenge for the editor - a detective, scientist, archivist. Such an ambitious task still awaits the publisher of Olizarowski's dramas, aphorisms, fables and journalism. This sketch was created in the hope that it may become a practical guide for the editor of all the works of the forgotten poet in the near future.