Rambler. Historical Writing

As we begin work on the second issue of “Rambler,” it is worth recalling why our magazine was created in the first place. In the introduction to the first issue, we wrote:

We present to you the first issue of "Rambler" . A magazine that is dedicated to the "beautiful eighteenth century", an era whose time frame extends from the last years of Louis XIV's reign to the first moments of the Napoleonic Empire.

Although it is a debut, the magazine has a long history behind it. The first attempts to publish it appeared in 2010. Although the concept of the magazine itself has changed many times since then, only one thing was certain. At a time of crisis of the paper press, but also a flood of magazines, "Rambler" was to stand out not only with the quality of the published articles, the care of the composition, but also with the beauty of the print, the materials used & the quality of the binding. A magazine new on the market should defend itself not only with its content, but also with its form.

We do not have any ambitions for the Rambler to be an academic journal. If we do not make it onto the academic reading lists, it will not be a concern for us. We would be more embarrassed if our readers reached for the next issues with a bored expression on their faces. Well, we know our limitations and we know that we are closer to the spirit of a libertine tale than a scientific dissertation. Laughter than seriousness. Conversation not lecture. We prefer the lightness of rococo to the pomposity of revolutionary classicism. We prefer Jacobites to Jacobins. We leave seriousness & moralizing to the latter. Finally, we would like the journal to be like a salon conversation: witty, brilliant, intriguing.

In the first issue, we pay special attention to the times of Stanisław August. The reason for this choice is simple. After all, that was when our modernity began. This is where our ideas about a good, enlightened ruler come from.

Besides, "Rambler" has its heroes, and Stanisław August is undoubtedly at their head.