Obraz Sycylii i Sycylijczyków w polskim piśmiennictwie geograficznym XVIII wieku

Abstract

The Polish geographic literature of XVIll1h century presented a lot of infomlation about distant countries and their inhabitants. At the same time it fonned a picture of them in the consciousness of Polish society. On the one hand. the representatives of Polish Republic were fascinated by the beauty of Sicilian landscape - charm of the Ionic Sea coast and grim of Etna. On the other hand, they admired the attraction of land overflowed by old Greek monuments. The descriptions of Sicily often were diversified by stories about curiosities and strange things of nature which were to find in the different nooks of the island. Apart from that contemporary Sicilians attracted attention of many Polish authors. Their features of characters, manner of life and customs were widely documented in the geographic literature of XVIII'" centUly Generally. the analysis of contemporary sources convince the author that school education, which lied in reading of textbooks and browsing of many issued in that time geographic compendiums. could gave to many Polish pupils and other readers good knowledge about xvmlh century's Sicily and Sicilians. There was the image which could be generally called reliable.