At the end of the 18th century, the still modest body of Slovenian artistic poetry was also marked by the forgotten versifier Matevž Klančnik (1754–1803), parish priest in Tinje on the Pohorje Hills. In 1790, he composed and signed two poems about St. Ulrich and the pilgrimage church dedicated to him in the parish of Tinje, after the new emperor, Leopold II, permitted the church to reopen following a four-year closure. The rediscovered manuscript containing the two poems was already published in 1900 in the literary journal Dom in svet, yet Klančnik’s name has remained overlooked in Slovenian literary histo-ry. Matevž Klančnik’s contribution to Slovenian poetry of the late 18th century is, as far as we know, modest; however, it cannot be said that the unfortunate parish priest from Tinje lacked poetic talent, nor that his poems remained confined within the borders of his home parish. Klančnik’s rhymed verse, influenced by the literary language as well as various Slovene dialects, circulated in manuscript form at least throughout the Podrava region, if not beyond. Two manuscript copies of his poems about St. Ulrich were discovered there at the end of the 19th century by the priest Vid Janžekovič (1860–1919). The article also provides new biographical information about the poet Klančnik, who shot himself, officially by accident, at the age of 49.
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