Page:A history of Hungarian literature.djvu/192

 178 HUNGARIAN LITERAT DRE A state enj oys the right degree of freedom when the central power is duly balan eed with local auton omy. Th is proper distribution of power is the best preservatíve both agaiost revolution and against despotism. The stronger the state the better does it bear local self­ government and free association. We see that although Eötvös lived before Mill, his ideas were very simitar to those of that great philosopher. In his conclusions as to the reforms that were desirable, Eötvös, like Montesquieu, drew his examples from England. Eötvös excel led in his funeral orations, surpassing in that respect eve n Kölcsey, whom he acknowleged as his odel. His orations reveal a poetica! nature and dis­ play one of his characteristic literary methods, that of explaining or illuminating Hungarian history by allusions to events in the history of other European nations. The book entitled Thouglt t s, containing several bundred aphoristic utterances of a highly cultured and deeply religious mind, is of great value. One characteristic thought is that the heart is a better guide than reason. In the chapter on Style he says that a great ship floats as lightly as a cork. Buoyancy is due not to want of weight, but to proportion and a proper disposition of parts. Eőtvős wrote a few lyrical poems, but he was not a sufficiently great master of language for us to count bim among the best lyric poets. His finest poem is the Farewell • to his country : Land of the brave, my country dear, fayewell l Good-by to valleys deep, to mountains high 1 únd of my hopes and wheYe my soyyows dwell, I leave thee now-FaYewell l Good-by l Good-by 1
 * Lozw's " Magyar Poetry. "