Leonard Jan Józef Lepszy

“ The citizens did not fare very well at this period; the nobility jealously kept hold of their monopoly of political rights, and it was their want of economic sense that brought to pass the pernicious laws of 1565, by which Polish merchants were forbidden to export their wares, the import of foreign merchandise being at the same time greatly facilitated. The nobility only wanted to get all they required at the lowest possible price, and generally to regulate prices at their own sweet will. ”

“ The first humanists came to Poland; besides the prelate and virtuoso Gregory of Sanok, mentioned before as professor of philology in the University, there came to the royal court a poet banished from Rome, Philip Callimachus Buonacorsi. He educated the young princes; when, later on, they ascended the throne, he became their favourite adviser. Some German scholars also resorted to Cracow: Thomas Murner, the Bavarian historiographer, John Aventinus, John Virdany, mathematician, Henry Bebelius, and others. ”

“ Their richly endowed daughters are often married to nobles and princes. The presence of so many distinguished representatives and protagonists of humanist science and culture at Cracow created an intellectual atmosphere and made the town one of the centres of Occidental civilization. The unbroken relations of Polish scholars with the heads and leaders of European learning are reflected alike in science, poetry, and historiography. The printing-press of Cracow attained to a high level of excellence. ”

“ The Archaeological Cabinet, founded by Professor Joseph Lepkowski, and adjoining the University, contains many precious relics of art and civilization, ancient and modern, especially Polish. Finally, in 1902, Count Emmerick Czapski founded a museum called by the name of his family; its numismatic cabinet and collection of engravings are among the richest in Poland. ”

“ Medicine also has its eminent representatives, who not only give splendour to the medical faculty of the University, but also exercise a most beneficial influence on the reform of the town's sanitary arrangements. ”

“ However, the financial distress of the impoverished citizens, together with the want of manufacturing activity, this having been hindered by various obstacles and impediments, made it impossible for the town to find the means of carrying out some of those reform plans. In 1872 the Emperor Francis Joseph founded the Academy of Sciences at Cracow. The town has been ever since the centre of Polish literature and art. ”

“ In 1503, the printer Caspar Hochfeder, of Metz, came to Cracow at the suggestion of a wealthy bookseller, Haller by name. This John Haller, a native of Rothenburg on the Tauber, then established a printing-press in his own town house, in 1525, and a paper-mill at Pradnik. His example prompted a good many others to do the like; Hermann Viëtor (who established his printing-office in 1510) , Matthew Scharffenberg, Florian Ungler, and others, succeeded in keeping up the high reputation of Cracow printing for two centuries. The public institutions of the town were mostly reformed and reorganized ”

“ The patricians of the town, owing to their high intelligence and great riches, were able to hold their own in social rivalry with the ruling class. They are still in close relations with and of great influence at the royal court. ”