Page:A history of Hungarian literature.djvu/137

 KÖLCSEY-KATONA 123 first part of the Hy mnus recalls the many blessings or which the nation had to thank God : the fertile and beau tifui country, the wheat-growing plains and vine-elad hills. The Hungarian arms had bee n victaria us over the Turk and had taken the proud city of Vienna. But the nation's wicked ness had araused the wrath of God, and then carne the Tartars and the Turks, as well as internal dissensions, and even from the blood of her heroes there sprang no freedom for the country. The poem e nds with the words : " Have mercy, O God, upon the nation, so long bruised by adversity." In Kölcsey's lyrics there is a great deal, of sentimen­ talism and melancholy, but his spl endid ideals break through the clouds like sunshine. In bim all the ten­ dendes of his age in literatore and politics were eleady manifested. His life and poetry were the truest expression of the idealism which is so characteristic of Schiller. To one of the theatrical companies which o ccasionall y visited Pest, a certain young amateur, a law student, attacbed himself. He played under an assurned name, but his real name was JOSEPH KATONA (179o-I83o), and it was his admiration for its leading actress, Mme. Déry, that induced bim to join the company. Katona was the son of a poor weaver in Kecskemét, and he studied law at the University of Pest. While playing from time to time as an amateur, he began to think of. writing a drama. Among his attempts in that directi on is the tragedy of the Palatine Bánk, or Benedict. Katona p u blished it in 1821, when ali the theatres in Hungary were ringing with the applause of Kisfaludy's comedies. Curiously enough, Katona's play, the best H ongarian tragedy ever written, had no success. Its author, who became Attorney-General, died in 1 83o, nine