The Portland daily press., 1865-08-18
Friday Morning, August IS, 1855.
NATIONAL ADJUSTMENTS IN HUN
GARY

The Hungarian is naturally inclined to mel
ancholy, which seizes on him even in the
midst OF his greatess joyfulness. His popular
and drinking songs sound like dirges, and out
OF the widest exultation of his stirring and
electrifying dancing music re-echoes 'deep,
hearl-rending sadness. While the German oy-
ef his wine makes merry and grows overbear-
ing, the Hungarian is seized with melancholy
and II hmnor. This sadness, which comes
from his innermost feeling, may easily be ac-
counted tor by the history of Hungary The
hungarian, proud OF his country which he be-
iieNes to be the most famous and finest part ol
the whole earth, outside Of which there is Sno
true life" yearns to play his part in the world
he is eager to rule and to command, and to
exercise his influence over the destiny of the
neighboring nations. Formerly Hungary was
one OF the powerful nations of the world and
gave her laws to surrounding people; but for
centuries she is but an appendage to Austria,
whose strength and power she helps to in
crease. aN si
She has been wiped out from among the in
dependent Kingdoms, and without any nation
al policy, deprived ofall influence over the 9TH
er European States, her destiny is bound up
with that of the Austrian monarchy. This
idea is unsuppOrtable to the Hungarians; from
time to time they are aroused to revolution
airy movement for reconquering their national
independence, and only few years ago the
general belief was spread through the whole
country that European politics were exclusive
ly concerned with their country; that Louis
Napoleon was earnestly thinking Of setting
her free, and that England had @lready in store
royal couple for the newly created throne OF
hungary. The uniformity and sombre great
ness other immense and thinly settled steppes
called PUsbtGS, is another reason for explain
ing the melancholy that pervades the charac-
ter of their inhabitants.
Be that as it may, the Hungarians have
their national festivals, which, however, have
lost much of their former splendor. This is
attributed partly to the greatly increased tax
es which make living very expensive in coun-
try formerly renowned for its fabulous cheap
ness, and partly to political circumstances
But neither explanation holds good; for rail-
road communications have raised the price of
food, where formerly it was superabundant );
and on the other hand, the leveling character
of our times abolishes more and more nation
al particularities and modifies popular customs
and festivals. ta ~
As Catholic country, Hungary has many
festivals and holidays, which are celebrated by
professions and a good deal of eating and
drinking. As general thing, the Hungarian
is very fond of rich and plentiful fare, and in
particular, on feast days. The common Hun
garian is greatly pleased with entertaining his
family on such occasions by his variations of
Ills udNClS III 0cIitldllyg W1lCTC lC bcllS UIcIl,
he was regaled with thin coffee, small slices Of
meat, and comparatively sober drinking. Ger
many thus appears to him like a poor, starving
country, and this explains to him how so many
Germans go to Hungary in order there to eat
their fill. This he does not grudge them, for
Hungary is rich enough; only he wishes the
Germans would speak Hungarian. 1t vexes
him above all that the "Suabians' as he calls
all Germans should obtrude upon him their
lon In r.
some education speaks German a natural con
sequence of the higher developed civilization
of Germany, whose language offers means for
better and more complete education than
the national idiom.
To the Hungarian the professions are real
spectacles. The feast Of the national Saint is
celebrated in the capital with great pomp, fir
ing of cannons, ringing of bells and music
The highest civil authorities, the garrison, the
trades, with their many-colored banners, the
clergy and the public schools Of the capital,
form the cortege which, starting from the
Church of the Castle, moves to the parochial
church, and from these back again.
The so-caed Spilgrimages" are only made
by the peasants. They very frequently take
place in the spring season, when rain is need
ed, for which they pray to Saint Mother Mary
In the larger professions, the clergy, in their
official attire take the lead; but usually the
number of boys or peasants lads dressed in
red or white gowns, carrying the cross and the
many colored banners OF their parishes. The
men, with uncovered heads, follow in ceuples
and behind them come the women. Some
times the women alone undertake a pilgrim
age, accompanied by some lads as conductors
and banner bearers.
Each woman carries on her back a wallet
with provisions and other indispensable neces-
saries as they often pass several days in travel
ling and mostly during the night encamp in
the open air or in barns and similar localities
During the march they pray out of a prayer
book, or sing canticles and psalms, while they
keep time with the melody. Usually an ex-
perienced peasant takes the part OF precentor
and the rest respond to his words; but as the
procession is sometimes of great length, the
last ranks cannot keep time with those pre-
cedng them, which canses a great and most
ridiculous confusion of voices. Whosoeyer
meets with procession, is obliged to uncover
himself before the cross a custom which also
takes place before every funeral cortege.
German Protestants are said to have intro
duced into Hungary the custom OF the Christ
mas tree; even the Jews have adopted this
custom, and talk of their Christs tree. Gifts
are not exchanged ON Christmas, but on New
ears day. The high ecclesiastical festivals
are not SO much celebrated as elsewhere, pro-
baby because there are SO many other holy
Gays. Every festival extends over two days,
though business people shorten them to one
and half -
lne proper national festivals are Easter day
ana Wmtsuntlde day, to certain point a rem
Inlscence OF the Pagan spring festivals. On
these days the whole population Of Pestb and
Buda migrate partly to the romantic noun
tain of Buda, and partly to the woods near
Pesth, where spacious meadows Offer rnoro
enough for thousands Of people Tbara ore
gathered hosts of organ players, sellers Of Vi
ennese sausages, cakes, sweet oranges. swaat
meats and other good things; the restaurant
are well provided with bread, wine, the famous
: Viannese fried chickens, Swiss and Linta
cheese, roast cheese and other dainties. Gin.
sizes and wandering musicians occupy every
available corner, equilibrists exhibit their dan
gerous art, and beggars freely exercise thei
trade. tpfh
At the eastern extremity of Buda rise the
steep clefts Of a calcareous rock, called Blocks
berg, to height of 500 feet, close 10 the banks
OF the Danube, on whose top stands a fortress
On Its southwestern side the rock forms 6
broad ridge, which runs out into the AuteI
and ScttlodbeRbuyy; on its northern side there
are some fine grassy slopes, which gradually
side down INTO narrow valley occupied by
the picturesque city Raitzen-town.
FROM Bioeksberg one enjoys a grand and
magnlncent view to which few can be compar.
q. Toward the north, the fortress with it,
nhe castle at the southern extremity, presents
lusen 70 our eyes, little farther on we per
ceve majestic.range of mountains. interseet
ed by richly cultivated valleys, with yi1Ieyards
woods and villages, and in the dim distance ON
the horizon loom up the still higher noun
tains of Gran; toward the south we see the
beg inning OF the immense plains. with thei