 | |
| Author | Ignacy Krasicki |
|---|---|
| Original title | Mikołaja Doświadczyńskiego przypadki |
| Language | Polish |
| Genre | Novel |
Publication date | 1776 |
| Publication place | Poland |
| Media type | Print (Hardback) |
The Adventures of Mr. Nicholas Wisdom (Polish: Mikołaja Doświadczyńskiego przypadki; in English, more accurately, The Adventures of Nicholas Empiricus), written in Polishin1776byIgnacy Krasicki, is the first novel composed in the Polish language, and a milestone in Polish literature.[1]
Krasicki's novel is the tale of Nicholas Experience (Mikołaj Doświadczyński), a Polish nobleman. During sojourns in Warsaw, Paris, and the fictional island of Nipu (a utopian society[2]), the protagonist gathers numerous experiences that lead him to a rationalist outlook and teach him how to become a good man, and thus a good citizen.
This rationalist outlook, often emphasized in Krasicki's writings, constitutes an apologia for the Enlightenment and physiocratism. The Adventures of Nicholas Experience offers a portrayal both of the 18th-century Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and of the broader European culture of the time.
