Page:A history of Hungarian literature.djvu/196

 178 HUNGARIAN LITERATURE A state enjoys the right degree of freedom when the central power is duly balanced with local autonomy. This proper distribution of power is the best preservative both against 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 similar to those of that great philosopher. In his conclusions as to the reforms that were desirable, Eötvös, like Montesquieu, drew his examples from England. Eőtvős excelled in his funeral orations, surpassing in that respect even Kölcsey, whom he acknowleged as his model. His orations reveal a poetical 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 Thoughts, containing several hundred 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 In the chapter on Style he says that a great ship reason. 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 him among the best lyric poets. His finest poem is the Farewell * to his country : Land of the brave, my country dear, farewell ! Good-by to valleys deep, to mountains high ! Land of my hopes and where my sorrows dwell, I leave thee now-Farewell ! Good-by ! Good-by! LOEW's " Magyar Poetry." Digitized by Microsoft ®