20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

The Reader (Lepturariul) of Aron Pumnul – a pioneering book 157some remarks regarding the spelling system in which the texts weretranscribed. In the ensuing part of the Observation, Pumnul tries to justifyone of the deficiencies of his work (which will be criticized by some of hiscontemporaries), namely the arbitrary allocation of space for biographicalinformation: “Some of the biographical notes are longer, other are shorter,and other are missing altogether. This is due to the fact that detailedinformation was not available on the lives of all the writers, that is why weprovided as much information as we could on every writer. Hopefully thegaps will be filled later on.” 16Finally, Aron Pumnul makes another remark, from which we indirectlylearn that one of the selection criteria regarding the authors comprised inThe Reader (Lepturariul) was chronological. This explains the fact thatsome “writers” (Ioan Molnar, Samuil Micu, Gh. Şincai, D. Ţichindeal,George Lazǎr, Constantin Conachi, Alexandru Beldiman) “were supposedto feature in the third volume, but, when we gave the manuscript to theprinters, we didn’t yet have their texts. That is why we included them inthis, the fourth volume.”The first part of this volume comprises the following names: VasilePogor, Toader Racocea, Ioan Prale, Al. Hasdeu (B.P. Hasdeu’s father), Gh.Asachi, G. Sǎulescu, Al. Donici, I.H. Rǎdulescu, Neofit Scriban, VasileIanovici, T. Cipariu, C. Negruzzi, M. Kogǎlniceanu, Gr. Alexandrescu,C. Bolliac, Ioan Maiorescu, A.T. Laurian, Nicolae Bǎlcescu and D.Bolintineanu.The second part of the fourth volume includes, in the beginning, somewriters who, according to the chronological criterion, should have featuredin the first part (Paul Iorgovici, Al. Gavra, Const. Arista, Vasile Gherghelide Ciocotiş and Moise Soranul Noacul). They are followed by the author’scontemporaries, who are placed in strict chronological order, based on theirbirth year: Gavril Munteanu, Florian Aron, G. Bariţiu, Andrei Mureşanu,Iacob Mureşanu, Ioan Negruţ, Gr. Miculescu, Const. Viişoreanu, IuliuBǎrǎşiu, Nicolae Strati, D. Gusti, V. Alecsandri, Al. Pelimon George Tǎutu,C. Aricescu, G. Sion, Atanasie Marienescu, G. Baronzi, George Creţeanu,Ioan Puşcariu, George Radu Meledon, V.A. Urechia, Haralambie Grandeaand Aron Densusianu. In an “Addition” (“Adaus”), the author, aware of thevalue of information, provides eight pages of supplementary biographicalnotes on Ioan Vǎcǎrescu and Barbu Paris Mumuleanu.This is the content of the four volumes of Aron Pumnul’s Reader(Lepturariul), totalling approximately 2200 pages, which represents agenuine achievement at that time.16Ibidem, III.