Hramatka (Gramatka) [Grammar].

first edition of a landmark publication

The incredibly scarce first edition of one the most important Ukrainian books of the 19th century, here in the original wrappers. WorldCat locates just one copy, at the National Library of Poland. Hramatka was a landmark publication for the Ukrainian language and was incredibly well received amongst intellectuals and the masses alike. By 1860 the book had completely sold out, although this is included Kulish distributing the book keenly himself as he was passionate about educating the illiterate. A second edition published in 1861 was heavily censored, with only 67 pages and notable omissions such as the image of lightning striking a tree which was deemed to be potentially subversive.

Kulish's Hramatka was the first grammar textbook published for Ukrainian speakers in the Russian Empire and inspired others such as Hatsuk and Shevchenko to follow suit. The phonetic system which Kulish had introduced in his 1856 work is Zapiski o Iuzhnoi Rusi [Notes on Southern Rus'] was coined the Kulishivka and marked an important step in the development of Ukrainian orthography. The foreword opens with the assertion from Kulish that 'We have a lot of grammar textbooks and ABC books in Ukraine, though they are not appropriate for literacy teaching because they are not published in the mother tongue'.

At the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, works published in the Ukrainian vernacular such as Kotliarevsky's Eneida used Russian letters. It wasn't until the Ruthenian Trinity literary group published the almanac 'Rusalka Dnistrovaia' in Buda in 1837 that a Ukrainian literary work was published using phonetic spelling. The system which was spearheaded by Marikyan Shashkevych did not take root in Galicia (the Habsburg authorities banned it and confiscated 800 of the 1000 copies) but became one of the foundations for later phonetic writing and the modern Ukrainian alphabet and spelling. The seed was sown that one should follow the rule: 'write as you hear and read as you see'.

Despite the efforts of the Ruthenian Trinity group, by the middle of the 19th century, there was no single alphabet of the living Ukrainian language. There were more than 50 systems of writing Ukrainian letters. Therefore, the leading Ukrainian writers and linguists started compiling alphabets, the first and most famous of which was the present work and Hatsuk's 'Alphabet' (1861). The primer was praised by pedagogues at the time for its inclusive approach to education. In particular, Taras Shevchenko wrote in his diary on December 10, 1857: 'How wonderfully, intelligently and nobly this brand-new primer is composed. God grant that it will take root in our poor people. This is the first free ray of light that can penetrate the slave head oppressed by priests.' He was so taken by Kulish's hramatka that he decided to write his own textbook and in 1861 published 'bukvar' iuzhnorusskiy'.

The cultural and linguistic significance of the grammar book cannot be understated. For the first time proverbs and folklore were used as academic material and the format was intended to be as inclusive as possible. Kulish wanted to reach illiterate adults as well as children and therefore aimed to create the most effective means of educating the masses. It did not only focus on Ukrainian grammar and literacy but also arithmetic, history and Christian ethics. Not only are the contents fundamental to understanding the history of Ukraine but it is a beautifully published work, with full-page illustrations, lettrines and tailpieces

First edition, 8vo (18 x 11.5 cm); illustrated title, three full page illustrations and numerous lettrines and tailpieces throughout, some scattered foxing, traces of erased ink inscription to title; original printed green wrappers, skilfully rebacked, a very good copy; [2], 149pp.