New-York tribune., 1907-04-20

English readers have thrice previously had the
,nnortunity Of becoming familiar with Hun
,ariau literature: Butler and Reich have writ
,,n its history, while Loew mas translated many
~ its masterpieces into satisfactory verse But
.l,e uresent volume brings something its prede-
cessors could not offer the impressions Hun
,.yy,s writer's have made upon Hungary's most
distinguished literary critic Professor Riedl
boIds the cheir oc EIungaflan literature in the
University Of Budapest. ana has published, along
NTH other things an exceptionally well written
biography OF the great Hungarian poet Arany
The English reader viii fnd further satisfac-
,,on .n knowing that this History was writ
.e,, especially for the English reading public;
=, has never appeared in Hungarian.
one cannot trace in these pages the wayering
line Of Hungary's literary ups and downs with
ont accepting unQuaiifedly the authors verdict
that his country's literature is the record of
Hungarian patriotism. From the beginning OF
the Renaissance down TO to-day the sole cri-
,erion by which the value OF any artistic pro-
duction has been estimated has been the power
Of that production TO arouse or develop patriot
ism and national feeling. Only in the Middle
Ages, when Hungary stIl a mixture of
Asiatic invaders and Turkish. Slavic, German
and Italian settlers. did religion dominate the
voices Of her singers. With the appearance Of
that splendor-loving King. Matthias COrvinus
his court became the centre OF poets, scholars
and the aristocracy-in short. a replica Of
temporary Florence or Rayenna, save in respect
10 patriotic enthusiasm. The Magyar stood too
close to his ancestral clansnan to have lost his
old tribal loyalty IN the midst of the new cos
mopOtan air. Instead OF being diverted from
old ways TO the strange ones of foreign visitors
the Hungarian found in the advent Of the latter
only testimony 10 the glory of his own country
When. in the sixteenth century, Hungary felt
the touch Of the Reformation and, shortly after
the bitter lash OF the Turks. who annihiated the
Magyar army at the disastrous battle of Mo-
hacs, this patriotic tendency was greatly
strengthened.
The Reformation did for Hungarian prose
what It did for the prose Of every other country
Il touched-strengthene and purged It IN the
fires Of popular controversy. In spite of this
though, poetry continued 10 absorb the efforts
Of nearly all the great writers. AS might be
expected IN race not far removed from its
nOmadc age and intensely self-conscious, epic
poetry favorite form OF expression. Count
Nicholas Zrinyi, a true child of the war camp
Was the greatest epicist of the seventeenth CEN
tury; his close personal touch with military and
court life lends realism 10 his descriptions
which might have been the envy of Virgil and
Tasso. Probably the foreign reader, though
would find It hard 10 maintain interest in read
ing any Of Zrinyi's several epics on account of
the repeated intrusion OF local politics The
Turk and the Austrian. .here as nearly every
where else IN Hungarian literature come in for
a metrical drubbng; local heroes and local VIII
lsins III the stage and wrangle over freedom
and tyranny. There is little or no plot and even
less character study: and the narrative. when
interesting at all. is often broken and curtailed.
The usual impression have of Hungarian
feeling and expression IS confirmed by Professor
HaT a17n
Ms countrymen is not their best, the truest
poetry and story being found in the almost rhap-
sOdical songs and tales of the common soldiers
At the opening OF the eighteenth century there
was profuse bossoming Of camp songs and he
roie anecdotes which must now be counted among
the finest products Of Hungarian genius, IN Pro-
lessor Riedrs opinion. A common characteristic
OF patriotic literature IS its purity of sentiment
Il does not easily admit Of an inmixture Of other
feelings. Save IN an allegorical way. as we find
IN the old Hebrew prophets love and senti-
mentality generally do not find expression in
IT, The editor declares Hungarian literature
unique in its freedom from sentimentality,
out this is true only when ancient literatures are
4etf out OF account. Surely neither the He
bre|s nor the Greeks knew what sentimentality
was; and as for erotlc literature its non-appear-
ance IN Hungary IS probably due to the histor-
ical circumstance that the attention OF Hun
bailans has almost necessarily been forced tow
ara the preservation Of the national integrity
Personal feelings have simply been overshad-
owed by graver cares, but nobody can listen to
Wild Hungarian music or read the verses OF
NoTdsmarty and Pet0h without believing that
under more favorable political conditions, Hun
gary might produce a "Doet OF individuality"
As events have run, though, Hungary's three
greatest literary geniuses have been out and out
nauonalists. N6rUsmarty, universally regarded
as the greatest master OF the hexameter since
Virgil, wrote national epics full OF NEUROLOGICAL
Hungarian gods aud heroes. and some exquisite
patriotic lyrics, which latter the English reader
may enjoy in Loews translations. Pet6f, the
second Of the triumvirate, his country's greatest
iyTic poet spiritualized his native Lowlands so
as to make them the object OF national pride,
and wrote national anthems. OF which '.AIagyars,
Cp' Your Country Calls You," has been liv-
ING force since the revolutionary days OF 1913.
And John ATany. called by a famous critic the
ehakespeare OF the ballad. also served his faith
erlend with his pen. But II history has nado
these men nationalists. It has also thrown a
shadow over their patriotism
During their nfetimes Hungary had not yet
entered upon the period Of commercial prosper
ly and civic freedom which IS now nearly at its
climax. Austrian oppression and internal dis
tensions threatened the Magyar nation with the
same fate that befel Poland. While the poets
extol the heroism and other virtues OF their peo-
PIE therefore, they repeatedly interject utter
ances showing that they fear their pride and
hopes are vain. IN THE Hoary GYPSY V0-
sosmarty says he could hear the rushing wings
q the Vulture that comes to renew the immortal
PANS Of Prometheus." Arany, after weeping
over the felled tree that may never flower
n frau h.