The 15-year-old Bolyai's handwriting
Péter Körtesi
Abstract
An original inscription of the 15 years old János Bolyai, an ownership signature and a Latin quote was discovered by the author in an old book, in a second hand bookshop near the main building of the University Babes-Bolyai. We will sketch the way of the book to the Teleki-Bolyai library, where is kept actually.
Invocatio
Rebus angustis animosus atque fortis appare; sapienter idem contrahes uento nimium secundo turgida uela.[1]
Appear strong and firm in steep affairs; likewise, you will wisely shorten your sails swollen in a too favorable wind
Álld helyed bátran, ha szorít a sors, és
légy szilárd; viszont, okosan, magad vond
össze, hogyha kedvez a szél, túlontúl
büszke vitorlád.
Hungarian translation by Lőrinc Szabó [2]
A photo taken by Csaba Szabó, a journalist from Cluj-Napoca [3], underneath the transcription of the text:
Bolyai Jánosé
12dik Novemb 1817.
Kinek symboluma Rebus angustis animosus atque
Fortis appare; sapienter idem contrahes vento nimium se cundo
Turgida vela.
Horat.L.II.V.10.
.
The beginning of the story
It seems to me that some unexpected research results may appear in connection with Bolyai.
More than a month ago (8th Nov.) I was invited for a traditional dinner party organised by the University of Cluj-Napoca. As an ex-student of them, – neglecting the more and more severe pain in my knee – I was walking around the building of the university in Farkas Street. Coming from the building of the old library behind the university in a tiny street I noticed the label of a small second- hand bookshop. I had the same feeling as in the good old days we used to enter the gate with the last Transylvanian polyhistor called Ádám Müller. The same atmosphere in the second-hand bookshop with the shelves full of books and the small, narrow corridor reminded me of being among Ádám's
books again. In fact I wanted to remember Ádám, whose tomb can be found in the Házsongárd Cemetery, with my two wreaths emphasizing solitude… The saleswoman can speak only Romanian and English, but she is ready to show the few books about Mathematics. "Unfortunately, we have nothing in Hungarian" she says. I asked her to give me the only one that seemed exciting, which turned out to be uninteresting: a French author, German publication from the beginning of the century.
There is something you might find interesting, – she says – realizing I fancy old books. A Bolyai ex libris can be found [4] in an old book. I would really like to see it, if possible. They had a small cabinet with a lock for the more valuable volumes. She took the book from there, and being a perfect merchant she was praising it: – Look, here is a note, written by Bolyai. If you know his handwriting, you can see it is original. There is something written in Latin as well, obviously by him. What is more important, the fact that the owner is really Bolyai himself, is proved by the remark on the last page. On the back of the very last page there is the same script with a bit smaller letters by János Bolyai. I was just standing there staring at it and I tried to believe my eyes. Did you know that Bolyai was only 15 years old at that time? – I asked her. There is a memorial plaque on his house of birth in the street next door. She had no idea and maybe she did not care at all. I had a suspicion: we all heard that some volumes had mysteriously disappered from the Teleki-Bolyai Library in Targu Mures. My suspicion was not reduced by the fact that on the first page, above the note a small, almost square-shaped, 4–5-cm wide part was cut, and on the bottom of the second page an approximately 1-cm wide stripe was cut, too. On the first pages there was the mark of a relief printing seal, but unfortunately its label was impossible to read. I knew I had to be careful so I asked permission to take some photos, – in my opinion a library is entitled to buy it, – but the permission was refused. Her boss from the back room allowed me to take notes about its main characteristic features: the date of the script, the year of its publication, and the fact that the book was printed with the letters of the Reformed High School in Targu Mures.
They gave me their telephone number so as to be able to enquire about the book later.
Knowing all these I was eager to participate in the Bolyai dinner party although I had no idea what to do with my discovery. I had to arrive at Budapest by 10 o'clock on Saturday morning, and to make matters worse, I could hardly walk with the severe pain in my knee…
I shared my discovery with a group of my friends and acquaintances arriving for the Bolyai dinner party. Some of them had the same idea as me: maybe I have found one of the volumes having disappeared from the Library. It is obvious from the missing parts cut out. In this case (the book is original) they felt the same enthusiasm. When I asked them who is willing to search for the further details coping with the possible failure or hardship, only Csaba Szabó [5] was keen on my idea. He is the journalist and publisher of Oláh-Gál Robert's new book. He got my notes with all the identification details. I asked him only to provide me with all the information about what is happening later and in case of writing an article to mention my name as the finder of the book and the script.
The following details are clear for me only from Csaba's emails, he informed me step-by- step about everything correctly. I am convinced it took a long time to be sure about the fact that the book is in its proper place. A lot of friends, acquaintances, and even strangers were involved in the task, maybe not all of them are mentioned in his emails.
I was sure that the manuscript was original because luckily I had studied Bolyai's handwriting a lot. I am one of the few who is able to read Bolyai's more and more complex handwriting similar to a kind of shorthand. Some years ago my students and I dealt with the problem of reading his handwriting. Our aim is to teach the computer to figure out hardly readable manuscripts. This idea could help with identification of the right chronology, its order, and could make researchers' job easier. It is known that Elemér Kiss has found something interesting scattered in the manuscript. Probably it was the consequence of taking the manuscripts from place to place. I spoke about our plans with Professor Samu Benkő. He thought this research may result in new
scientific discoveries.
Here is a rare species of the Appendix, one of the pages from the original manuscript, where Bolyai is consciously writing beautifully. I had this page and the title pages of "Üdvtan" in my mind in the second-hand shop when I believed my eyes:
The titlepage of the Appendix, on the left hand side: Anmerkung, Bolyai's critical notes, on the right hand side: János Bolyai's own plan for the titlepage, the red notes are Ferenc Schmidt's remarks, Library and Information Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences 545.091.
Quotation from the transcript of the page above from the Library and Information Centre of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences:
„…on the flyleaf – the same light blue paper as the printed cover – the title given and written by János Bolyai:
Appendix, Scientiam Spatii absolute veram exhibens; a veritate aut falsitate Axiomatis XI. Euclidei (a priori haud unquam decidenda) independentem; adjecta ad casum falsitatis quadratura circuli geometrica. Auctore Johanne Bolyai de Eadem, Geometrarum in Exercitu Caesareo Regio Austriaco Castrensium Capitaneo.
Agropoli sive Maros-Vásárhelyini 1832. Typis Collegii Reformatorum per Josephum et Simeonem Kali de Felső-Vist.
On the top of the page Ferenc Schmidt's autograph remark in red ink: Handschrift von Johan Bolyai.”
The story goes on
Csaba Szabó's email summarizing briefly what happened with the book last month:
Quote from Csaba Szabó's message, 18 Nov.
„Hello, that is what we got to know so far:
The volume
Köteles Sámuel: Az erkölcsi filosofiának eleji. Egy kézikönyv, melylyet a maga tanítványai számára készített.
I. rész. Tiszta erkölcsi filosofia. Az erkölcsi filosofiának második része. Erkölcsi anthropologia, vagy alkalmaztatott erkölcsi tudomány. Marosvásárhely, 1817.
Its second volume can be found in the Library (with a probably later signature), so it must belong to the
private Bolyai Library, because if there is a second volume, there must have been a first one as well. (Klára Lázok's idea). The collector must have got it before it arrived at the Library of the Reformed High School as only the second volume arrived at the Library.
The volume is a cantian summary in two books. The second one is surely for more mature readers, that's why the »later signature« can be found in this one).
The first volume can be found in the Library, from another resource. Book-dealers think it worths 35 000 Fts (maybe only the first one?)
The handwriting
Ferenc Wanek compared it with a note from 1814 (3 years earlier). Here is his letter:
***
SIMILARITIES:
Italics of the handwriting – horizontal lines are uncertain
– low t-letters – a typical charecteristic feature!
– curved round endings of the letters (not only at the middle level – a, o – but also at the upper part – d) – closed m- and n-letters (although in this case there are some alterations, which can be explained by the age-
differences), formations of s-letters
– letters looped at the bottom (more space in the later handwriting, due to the age-specific change) – the first letters are emphasized compared with the other capital letters
– tendency to enlarge and decorate his own initials – position of the diacritics
DIFFERENCES:
– more space between the lines in the script from 1817 (this may be the influence of the space available); this is applied
for the space between the letters (together they mean more – they can be the effect of the age-specific changes)
– distortion of the inclination and the lower overdrowings at the end of the text in the script from 1814 (this can be
explained by mood changes, lack of endurance, wrong time-management)
– another beginning of the initial of the surname, though there are some similarities in the form.
Fines details of the script from 1814 are impossible to analize, because of the poor quality resolution.
By the help of the photos these two pieces of handwriting can easily be compared.
It is quite sure that these are the same person's handwriting from two different periods of his life (early/mid teenage
years). Note that the earlier script is more mature (feature referring to the intellectual potential).
***
According to the Library as Klára Lázok said: the handwriting is typical of Bolyai.
The Motto
Horatius: Ad Licinium Murenam Rebus angustis animosus atque fortis appare; sapienter idem contrahes vento nimium secundo turgida vela.
In English:
Horace: To Licinius Murena Appear strong and firm in steep affairs; likewise, you will wisely shorten your sails swollen in a
too favorable wind.
In Hungarian:
Álld helyed bátran, ha szorít a sors, és légy szilárd; viszont, okosan, magad vond össze, hogyha kedvez a szél, tulontúl büszke vitorlád.
The psychological aspects of the motto:
“Mintha az apja által belésulykolt, szinte életforma-direktíva szintre emeltetett önmegtartóztatási habitus- jövőkép köszönne vissza a kamasz fiú mottójából: »magad vond össze.. .vitorlád«. Ismerve a »fejérnépektől«
való örökös tiltást, ami nemcsak János, de öccse, Gergely ifjúságát is autoriter módon belengte, talán közel állunk hozzá, ha azt mondjuk: ez a mottó kötéllétra egy kamasz lelkének zsombolyába. Azt, hogy mennyire az apja által előírt visszafojtás uralja e »symbolumot«, arra maga a Horatius-vers egésze is mutathat, ugyanis a Liciniushoz írt strófák valójában – az emberi kapcsolatok műfajtükrében – baráti jótanácsok. Ez már önmagában is utalhat az atyai örökös – és kötelező módon megszívlelendő – önmegtartóztatásra való állandó »felbújtásra«. Különben a Licinius Murenához írt vers második szakaszában is ugyanez az egyensúly-keresés, »egyensúly-vágyakozás« kerül felszínre (egyébként ezt a szakaszt is gyakran idézik a literatúra szerelmesei): »Akinek szivében arany közép tart súlyegyent, azt nem nyomorítja rozzant putri szennye, nem nyomorítja bántó udvari pompa.«”
“The teenage boy's motto reflects his father's strict, self-restraint way of life [...] Friendly pieces of advice about human relationships.[...] In the second part of the poem To Licinius Murena the same balance-seeking attitude is emphasized (this verse is often quoted by literature fans)...”
More information :
1. The estimation of the Széchenyi Library is going to arrive soon (book + manuscript)
2. The Library estimates that the book worths 35 000 Fts, so the manuscript is rather expensive. According to Klára Lázok: 300 Euros altogether. (book-dealer's perspective)
3. It worths 700 Euros if the researchers agree. The economic situation may be interesting, (at the age of 15 reading a cantian summary … The family probably realized that this price is a bit high, that is the reason why the second, more serious volume was taken to their library later. … Interesting motto, teenage psychological features... etc.)
4. The book must definitely be placed in the Library together with the second volume. The Library agrees with this. Unfortunately the Library has no financial resource for this. Professor Prékopa's support is needed.
5. Money should be raised with the help of 3 lists started by Róbert Oláh-Gál, Péter Körtesi, Csaba Szabó, and also should be publicized in the media.
Csaba”[6]
The ending of the story:
Csaba Szabó asked the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ in Hungarian) for financial support. On the basis of the researchers' identification the book was bought by them. It is going to be given to Teleki Library as a present. I got the short news about this event with the following, very expressive title from Csaba Szabó:
Finish, Bolyai 15
http://www.maszol.ro/index.php/kultura/21672-bolyai-janos-altal-alairt-konyvet-adomanyoz-az- rmdsz-a-teleki-tekanak
Following this the link of the interview of the local TV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMT6tbAmxAs
Closing remarks
My own interpretation of the symbol differs from that of Csaba Szabó's. We know that by the age of 15 János Bolyai had been studying Mathematics according to his father's instructions using the best science books, encyclopaedias available in the Teleki Library. It is also well-known
that he substituted his father on Maths lessons. His lectures were welcome and enthusiastically listened to by the students of the Secondary School run by the Protestant Church. On the basis of the traditions of Sárospatak it had an academic-level teaching. His father warned him not to deal with the questions of the parallels. The son tried to obey him but at the end he did not succeed to respect his father's wish. In my opinion the 15-year-old János Bolyai controlled himself. His enthusiasm for the parallels can obviously be seen. I definitely think that by this time his rebellious decision was clearly formed: "what my father was unable to achieve, I want to try". The symbol written in his book is a kind of answer to this self-restriction. Being the owner of a book like this was a prestigious fact. Moreover the book was printed with the letters of the Protestant Dormitory in Targu Mures (Marosvásárhely), so the young Bolyai must have known the book from the printing press while it was made. This was a minor printing press, his father's main work (Tentamen) was printed here for a long time. Due to the lack of paper and the limited printing capacity is was made extremely slowly, sheet by sheet. The Appendix was printed between two sheets.
Do not forget that 6 years later, in 1823 János Bolyai aged 21 wrote his famous letter from Timisoara (Temesvár), in which he stated that he had created "a new, different world”. It was not an egoist exaggeration, by that time the entire system of the non-euclidean Geometry was completed.
After a month consideration for me it seems clear that the owner's remark and his chosen symbol refers to his world-famous discovery. At the age of 15 he must have felt the ability to solve this mystery older than 2000 years. Maybe he warned to control himself. Unfortunately I am not an expert of Latin, but the translation by Lőrinc Szabó makes me think this way.
Comparing other translations as well (quated below) they emphasize the hidden self- couragement, not self-restraint. I wonder what the original text of Horace means exactly. Maybe it has more than one interpretations?
2nd version for the Hungarian translation (based on the Sulinet database) Légy erős lelkű, ha nehéz a sorsod,
s bátor. Ám légy bölcs, s ha a kedvező szél szerfölött fújná dagadó vitorlád,
vond be a vásznát.[7]
3rd version for the Hungarian translation (by Ferenc Verseghy)
„Légy erős szívű, mikor elborítnak a bal ínségek, s vonogasd fel
önkint a vitorlákot, ha kegyes szelekkel nagyra dagadnak.”[8]
The stanza itself used to be one of the most favourite verse of the 19th century, see Hugh Moore's collection from 1831 [9] or William Fitzgerald's interpretation of Horace [10].
Annexes
Memorial plaque on the birthplace of János Bolyai
Photo about the book, on the left-hand site the seal can be seen mentioned in the introduction [11]
The latest photos about the Bolyai dinner party:
Academian András Prékopa's introductory speech [12]
Professor Samu Benkő [13] and Academic András Prékopa
With Tibor Weszely [14] listening to them …
Róbert Oláh-Gál [15] talking to Academic András Prékopa
With Zoltán Kása [16] preparing to announce the Conference of History and Teaching Mathematics organized next year in Cluj-Napoca …
Planning together with Kati Munkácsy [17], (left) and Anna Soós [18] (right).
The rector of the Sapientia University, László Dávid [19] (right) also helps to organise ...
References, remarks
[1] http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/horace/carm2.shtml [2] http://www.citatum.hu/idezet/37532
[3] Bolyai János által aláírt könyvet adományoz az RMDSZ a Teleki Tékának
[4] In fact it refers to the hand-made remark of the owner, but it could be the ancestor of the ex libris, see Deé Anikó. A marosvásárhelyi Teleki-Bolyai könyvtár ex librisei.
http://mek.oszk.hu/03100/03164/03164.htm
[5] Csaba Szabó – The founder of the mediaclub called "Fehér Holló Médiaklub", his finger can be seen in the picture similar to the famous painters' signature: original!
[6] I disagree with Csaba Szabó's interpretation about the meaning of the motto. I think the genius's future-telling ability can be detected here. It is known that at the age of 14 Bolyai was interested in high-level mathematical problems.
[7] Horatius: Melpomenéhez és Licinius Murenához
[8] Notheisz János: Képalkotási sajátosságok Verseghy költészetében http://vfek.vfmk.hu/00000063/007.html
[9] Hugh Moore: A dictionary of quatations from various authors in ancient and modern languages, 1831,
[10] William Fitzgerald: How to Read a Latin Poem, if You Can’t Read Latin Yet [11] Marosvásárhelyi info, 2013. december 3.
Bolyai János aláírásával ellátott könyvet kap a Teleki Téka
[12] Professor of Eötvös Loránd University and the University RUTGERS, Hungarian mathematician with Széchenyi-award, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences [13] Transylvanian Historian of Civilization given the Széchenyi-award, father of the Bolyai- research, member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences.
[14] Lecturer of Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania EMTE, Bolyai-researcher.
[15] Historian of Mathematics, Bolyai-researcher.
[16] Lecturer of Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania EMTE, organiser of the event.
[17] Lecturer of Eötvös Loránd University.
[18] Vice rector Babes-Bolyai University , Cluj
[19] Rector of Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania EMTE
