Correspondence and occasional literature..

This book is devoted to 17th-century letters and occasional pieces written within the family circle of Lithuanian magnates, primarily the Radziwiłłs and Sapiehas. The unknown manuscripts and printed texts discussed here were retrieved from Polish and foreign libraries and archives. Individual chapters not only present private writings related to family events (births, weddings, funerals) but also explore the controversial issues that divided the rival magnates. Letters from Prince Krzysztof Piotr Kochlewski, a servant of Prince Krzysztof, offer insights into various aspects of the Radziwiłł family's private town, Kiejdany. The exchange of letters between the renowned Jesuit poet Maciej Kazimierz Sarbiewski and the son of Janusz Radziwiłł, the leader of Lithuanian dissenters, sheds light on the issue of religious tolerance. The occasional poems discussed in the second part of the work demonstrate the emotional attitude of the contemporary authors towards the main characters of the book. The panegyrics praised their achievements, expressed joy at the expansion of their families and victories on the battlefields, and also expressed sadness at the death of the Grand Hetman of Lithuania. The lampoons, on the other hand, stigmatized participants in the Vilnius riots and Prince Janusz Radziwiłł, who supported the Swedes. Discussions of the letters and occasional poems are supplemented by issues related to the editing of these forms of writing.