Hungary and Transylvania;

Front matter

THIS BOOK

FORMS PAKT OF THE

ORIGINAL LIBRARY

Preface

Before proceeding with this Work, there are one or two matters which I may as well explain to the reader. Such a mark of my confidence will, I trust, incline him not only to treat me more leniently, but enable him also to judge of me more fairly, and so accuse me only of those faults of which I am really guilty.

I would not willingly deceive him in anything. I am deeply interested in the welfare of Hungary, and I have thought that one great means of promoting it would be to extend the knowledge of that country in the west of Europe, and more especially in England. But although I naturally wish that others should partake of the interest which I feel, I have not thought it either just or wise to conceal, or to gloss over, faults existing either in the country, its institutions, or its inviii PREFACE.

habitants. I know there are those who think, that "to write up a country," a traveller should describe everything in its most favourable light; I am not of that opinion, — I do not believe that a false impression can ever effect any lasting good.

On the other hand, I must guard my Hungarian friends against the suspicion that I have " set down aught in malice." I know that many of them will feel sufficiently sore at seeing national defects held up to the gaze of foreigners ; but I think the wiser of them will easily forgive me, when they reflect that others would have been sure to find out these defects if I had not, and might perhaps have discussed them with less charity. I do not anticipate that my opinions will find favour in the eyes of any party or any sect, but they have been independently formed and honestly expressed : if correct, they may be of some use ; if erroneous, they will pass away and be forgotten without doing much harm. To one merit I may safely lay claim — I have not in a single instance betrayed a private confidence, nor, as far as I am aware, written a line which can give just cause of pain to any private individual. I have been ad-

PREFACE. ix

mitted into a great number of houses, I have observed the habits and customs of many families; but if any obnoxious remark was to be made, I have always removed it so far from the real scene of action as to render it impossible, even for the most malicious, to trace it to its source. That I have attacked parties and sects, that I have criticised bodies of men and national institutions, and that I have spoken freely of public characters, is true ; but, in having done so, I consider myself responsible to no one; such matters are public property, and fair subjects for public animadversion.

That I have fallen into many errors I feel certain— not that I have spared either time or trouble to avoid them ; but seeing how many other travellers have committed, which I can detect, I cannot hope that I shall be able to escape clear from their scrutiny. Instead of asking them to spare me, I invite them to correct me. I may smart under the lash, but my object, the elucidation of truth, will be advanced, and if their remarks are made in a fair spirit I shall not complain.

With respect to the means I enjoyed for acquiring information, I may state that I have visited

VOL. I. h

X PREFACE.

Hungary on several occasions, that in all I have spent about a year and a half in the country, and that, during that time, I travelled over the greater part of it. Without being able to speak any of the three or four languages properly indigenous to Hungary, I was sufficiently master of German, which is spoken by every one above the rank of the peasantry, and often by them too, to enable me to converse with the Hungarians without difficulty or restraint. From many of them I received the greatest marks of confidence and friendship, and to them I owe it, that I have been able to enter so fully into the present position of Hungarian affairs. That I do not acknowledge these favours more particularly by naming those to whom I am obliged, the reader must not suppose the result of ingratitude on my part, as I am silent solely from a wish not to involve any one in the disagreeable consequences which might spring from his supposed agreement with the opinions which I have expressed.

As I have always felt that written descriptions of the physical characteristics of a country and people convey, after all, but imperfect notions

PREFACE. Xi

of them, I thought myself very fortunate when Mr. Hering agreed to accompany me, for the purpose of illustrating whatever might be distinctive, or curious, or beautiful. On my return to England, circumstances occurred which rendered it so doubtful when I should be enabled to complete my work that, anxious that Mr. Hering should have an opportunity to make known his talents, and willing in any way to spread an acquaintance with Hungary among the English, I placed the sketch-book at his disposal, and requested him to make use of it in any way he saw fit. The result has been the beautiful volume of " Sketches on the Danube, in Hungary and Transylvania." I have thought myself justified, in three or four instances, in reproducing the sketches already published by Mr. Hering ; and, twice I have borrowed from the productions of native artists (in the Pest Races and Fiume); but, with these exceptions, the illustrations here given are quite new. The reader must not accuse me of plagiarism, if he finds strong marks of similarity between some passages of these volumes, and the introductory pages of the " Sketches." At Mr. Hering's request, I wrote for him those

^2

Xll PREFACE.

short notices of the subjects of his engravings ; and I have preferred repeating them here, to breaking the thread of the narrative by referring the reader to another work.

The map is coloured somewhat in imitation of that of Csaplovics, to whom any merit it may possess is due ; and, although I am aware that it is not strictly accurate, yet it is a sufficiently near approximation to the truth, to give a clear idea of one of the greatest national questions in Hungary, — the division of its population into several distinct races, for the most part inhabiting different districts.

To save the trouble of quoting in the body of the Work the authors from whom I have derived information, and to indicate to such as are desirous of a further acquaintance with Hungary, the means by which they may acquire it, I add a list of those Authors, with the titles of their books, in this place.

Geschiqhte des Ungarischen Reichs, von Johann Christian von Engel, 5 vols. 8vo. 1834. — Die Geschichte Ungarns, von Dr. J. F. Schneller, 12mo. 1829. — Gemalde von Ungarn, von Johann von Csaplovics, 2 vols. 8vo. 1829. — Neuste statistisch-

PREFACE. Xiii

geograpliische Beschreibung des Konigreiclis Ungarn, Croatien, Slavonien und der Ungarisclien Militar-grenze, 1 vol. 8vo. 1832. — Erlauterungen der Grundgesetze fiir die Militar-granze, von Mathias Stopfer, k. k. Granz-Werwaltungs-Oberlieutenant, 1 vol. 8vo. 1831. — Ungarns gesetzgebende Korper auf dem Reichstage zn Pressburg im Jahr 1830, von Joseph Orosz, 2 vols. 8vo. 1831. — Terra Incognita, Notizen iiber Ungarn, von J. Orosz, 1 vol. 8vo. 1835. — Ueber den Credit, vom Grafen Stephan Sz^clienyi ; aus dem Ungarischen iibersetzt von Joseph Vojdisek ; 2nd. ed. 1 vol. 8vo. 1830. — Malerisclie Reise auf dem Waagflusse, von Freyherrn von Mednyansky, 1 vol. 4to. 1826. — Erzalungen, Sagen, und Legenden aus Ungarns Vorzeit, von Freyherrn, von Mednyansky, 1 vol. 8vo. 1829. As guide-book I always used Rudolph von Jenny's Handbuch fiir Reisende in dem osterreichischen Kaiserstaate, Zweite Auflage, von Adolf Schmidl, 1835. The second volume treats of Hungary, and is a work of great labour and wonderful accuracy. To the English traveller down the Danube, especially if he does not read German, Mr. Murray's " Handbook for Southern Germany" will be found exceedingly useful.

xiv PREFACE.

To the artists and engravers who have been employed in this Work, I have to return my best thanks for the manner in which they have executed their several duties, and particularly to Mr. Alexander Fussel, who has transferred Mr. Bering's sketches to the wood, and to Mr. Orrin Smith, who has cut them. Nor can I in justice refuse my printer his share in these thanks, for the success of wood-cuts depends almost as much on the skill and attention of the printer as on those of the artist and engraver.

LONDON, SEPTEMBER, 1839.

Contents

OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

Chapter I. Presburg

Viennese Reports of Hungary. — Presburg. — Castle. — Inhabitants — Members of the Diet. — Dinner Party. — Youth of Hungary. — Theben. — Theatre. — Promenade. — Booksellers. — Journals — Page 1

Chapter II. The Diet Of 1835

Ball-room Studies. — Chamber of Deputies. — Deak. — Debate

on Wesselenyi's Process. — Kossuth MS. Journal. — Prorogation.

— Tour to the Neusiedler Lake. — Posting, — Bauern Post — Lake. — Ruszt and its Wine. — Prince Eszterhc4zy's Palaces. — Eisenstadt. — Eszterhaz. — Haydn. — Wild Boy. — Castle of Forchtenstein. — Eszterhazy Jewels. — Watchman at Qlldenburg . . ,26

Chapter III. Valley Of The Waag

Valley of the Waag. — Hungarian Travelling Waggons. — Freystadtl. — Country Houses. — Erdody Horses. — Vorspann : its origin — advantages and disadvantages. — Haiduk. — The River Waag — Pillory. — Pistjan. — Numbering the Houses and Kaiser Joseph. — Csejta. — Murders of Elizabeth Bathori. — Betzko ; its origin. — The Fate of Stibor. — Trentsin. — Stephan: his virtues and vices,— St. Stephen's day. — Peasant Costumes . . ,53

XVI CONTENTS.

Chapter IV. Valley Of The Waag

The Sclavacks : their History, Character, Habits, and Appearance.— Monastery of Skalka. — Philosophy of Drunkenness. — Imaginary Dangers. — Castle of Trentsin. — The Legend of the

Lovers' Well Travelling Expenses in Hungary. — Trentsin

Bath. — Hungarian Tinkers. — Castle Architecture. — Vagh- Besztercze. — Ennobled Jews. — Traveller's Troubles. — Lipsky's Map, — Szulyon. — Hrisco. — Szolna. — Teplitz. — Sophia Bosnyak. — Catholic Priests : their Hospitality . . Page 82

Chapter V. Valley Of The Waag

A Specimen of Vorspann Driving. — The Jew of Tyerhova and Sir Walter Scott. — Diffusion of English Literature. — Valley of Wratna. — A Jewish Landlady. — Sheep and Cattle of Northern

Hungary The Pupor. — Roads in Arva. — The Alas and the

Juden Knipe. — County of Arva. — Castle of Arva. — Peter Varda. — George Thurzo. — Flogging Block. — Rosenberg. — Church of St. Marie. — Inn at St. Miklos. — Cavern of Demenfalva. — Ice Pillars. — Hradek. — Wood Cutting and Floating 118

Chapter VI. The Constitution Of The Hungarian Chambers

Functions of the Diet. — History of the Diet under Maria Theresa ; under Joseph II ; his revolutionary Measures opposed and defeated ; under Leopold II ; under Francis I. — Gravamina and Preferentialia. — Reform Party. — Diet of 1 83^. — Urbarial

CONTENTS. XVll

Reforms. — Chamber of Deputies. — Sessio Circularis. — Petition in Favour of Poland. — Deputies' Salaries. — Composition of the Lower Chamber. — County Members. — Delegate System ; its Advantages in Hungary. — Borough Members. — Members of the Clergy^ of Magnates^ and of Widows of Magnates. — Business of the Diet. — Proposed Reforms in the Lower Chamber. — Chamber of Magnates. — The Palatine. — Debate. — Ferdinand the First or Fifth? — Trick of the Government. — Character of the Chamber — composed of Prelates, Barons, and Counts of the Kingdom, and titular Nobles. — Anomalous Position of the Chamber. — Reforms essential to its Independence and Useful* ness Page 153

CHAPTER Vn.

DANUBE FROM PRESBURG TO PEST.

Departure from Presburg. — The Danube. — Regulation of its Course. — Mills. — The Islands Great and Little Schiitt. — Raab. -— Komom. — Neszmely and its Wine. — Gran. — Crusaders and Turks. — The Dinner. — Contrast with a Voyage on the Danube before the Introduction of Steam. — Miserable Boats. — Company. — Journey. — Spitz. — Sleeping Accommodations. — The Toilette. — Wissegrad, and Wissegradi Clara. — Beautiful Scenery. — Waitzen. — Approach to Pest . . . . .185

CHAPTER VIIL

COUNT SZECHENYI ISTVA'n.

Count Szechenyi, an Officer of Hussars, a Traveller, a Reformer. — Improvement in the Breed of Horses. — Races. — Magyar Language. — Szechenyi's Writings — the "Credit" — his Judgment on England — Character of his Writings. — Establishment of Casino. — Bridge over the Danube. — Nobles taxed. — Steam Navigation. — Political Career. — Prudence. — M. Tasner . 204

XVlll CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IX.

BUDA-PEST.

Drive round the Town. — Fiacres. — New Bridge. — Casino. Redout. — Quays and Streets. — Sand-storms. — Increase of Pest. — Museum. — Learned Society. — Meyer Hofe. — Neugebtiude. — Plain of Rakos. — Ancient Diets. — Modern Reviews. — Races. — Shop Signs. — Bridge of Boats. — Tolls. — Rowing. — Elizabeth Island. — Buda. — Public Buildings. — Royal Statthalterei. — Austrian Policy. — Fortress, — Turks in Hungary. — Turkish Remains. — Environs of Buda. — Love for the Picturesque. — Godolo. — Bureaucracy. — Blocksberg . . . Page 229

CHAPTER X.

FURED AND THE BALATON.

Excursion to Fiired. — Inn at Marton Vasar. — Houses under ground. — Style of Travelling. — Stuhlweissenburg. — Veszprim.

— Minaret. — Bishop. — Treading out the Corn. — Fiired — our Reception — Theatre. — The Balaton. — Dinner Party. — Soiree.

— Hungarian Beauty. — Ball. — Waltzing. — H — 's Adventures at Tihany. — Supper at the Restaurant's — its Consequences. — Serenade. — Gipsy Band. — Four-in-hand Driving. — Tihany. — Monastery. — Fossils. — Tradition of the Peasants. — Second Ball.

— The Polonaise. — The Hungarian Dance. — Return . 255

CHAPTER XI.

COUNTRY LIFE AND PEASANTRY.

Occupations of the Hungarian country Gentleman. — Silk-growing. — Merino Sheep. — Granary. — English Horses. — Hunting.

— Peasants. — Peasant Cottages at Z . — Arrangement —

Furniture — Plenty and Comfort. — Contrast with other Vil-

CONTENTS. xix

lages. — Former State of Peasantry. — Urbarium of Maria Theresa.— Improved Urbarium of 1835. — Peasants not Serfs. — Evil Effects of present System. — Similarity of Urbarial Tenure to English Copyhold. — Grievances of the Peasantry. — Prospect of Improvement Page 281

CHAPTER XIL

SCHEMNITZ AND THE MINES OF HUNGARY.

Waitzen Schlag-baum. — Bishop and Bigotry. — Deaf and

Dumb School. — Austrian Financial Measures. — Tobacco Inn

at Tereny and Magyar Host. — Nemeti. — The Hack-bred. — Entrance to Schemnitz. — The Calvary Hill. — Legend of the Miner s Daughter. — Mines. — School of Mines. — Mining Students.— Visit to the Mines. — Roman Mines. — Method of Mining among the Romans. — Direction and Management of the Mines. — Pay of the Miners. — Joseph the Second's Adit. — Washing Mills Prince Coburgs House. — Magistrates of Schemnitz. — Impertinence of an Ober-notair The Castle. — The

Dwarf and his Spurs. — The Haiduk's Roguery . .317

CHAPTER XIII.

SCHEMNITZ AND THE MINES OF HUNGARY.

Departure from Schemnitz. — Sunday Dress of the Miners and their Wives. — NeusohL — The Landlord's Room. — The Market.— The Sclavack Belt. — Dyetva Peasants. — Visit to a Country Gentleman Kind Reception. — Smelting-house. — Collection of Minerals. — Beet-root Sugar. — Manufactures in Hungary. — Castle of

Lipcse. — Field Nursing. — Mysteries of the Castle. — Sliacs

Bathing in Company. — Altsohl. — Mathias Corvinus.— Prisons

and Prisoners Flogging. — Werbbczy Burnt Village. •— The

Veil. — Kremnitz. — Mines Mountain Fall. — Mint.— The Sil-

berblick ......... S5S

XX CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE HUNGARIAN NOBLES.

Nobility in Hungary a Privilege^ not a Bank. — Bulla A urea, similar to our Magna Charta. — Privileges of Nobles. — Tenure of Property not feudal. — The Insurrection. — Non-payment of Taxes. — Classes of Nobility. — The Magnates. — Count Crachat.

— The Gentry. — The " One-house'* Nobles — their Hospitality.

— The Constituency of Hungary compared to that of other constitutional Nations. — The Costume of the Nobles . . Page 398

CHAPTER XV.

THE NORTHERN CARPATHIANS.

The Carpathians. — The Krivan. — The Lomnitzer Head. — SchmockSj a Bathing-place. — Excursion to the Valleys of the Kahlbach^ and Five Lakes. — A Country Gentleman of the Old School. — Hungarian Freedom compared with English. — A Chamois Hunt. — A Scene in the Mountains. — The Jagers, and their Story of the Bear and the Wood-ranger. — Kesmark and the Tokolys. — The Zipser Protestants. — Caraffa's Persecutions. — Mysterious Adventure at Leutschau , . . ,422

CHAPTER XVI.

The Church of Kirchdrauf. — Cholera Troubles in Zips. — The Stadt-Hauptmann of Eperies. — Kaschau. — Austrian Officers. — Stephanas Dismissal. — Mines of Schmolnitz. — Cementwasser.

— German Settlers. — Rosenau. — Mustaches. — Castle of Murany.

— Wesselenyi's Wooing of Szecsi Maria. — Requisites for Travelling in Hungary. — Cavern of Aggtelek. — A Bivouac. — Miskolcz. — Tokay. -— The Theiss. — The Wine of Tokay

ILLUSTRATIONS

TO THE FIRST VOLUME.

PORTRAIT OF COUNT SZECHENYI,

TO FACE TITLE PAGE.

COLOURED MAP, TO FACE PAGE 1

PRESBURG

SCLAVACK PEASANTS

THEBEN ON THE DANUBE

FORCHTENSTEIN

VORSPANN

HAIDUK

PILLORY

CASTLE OF CSEJTA

BETZKO

TRENTSIN

HUNGARIAN TINKERS

STRECSNO

. 116

ARVA ....

KUBIN

BYZANTINE CAPITAL AT ST. MARIA

GOTHIC NICHE AT ST. MARIA

ICE GROTTO OF DEMENFALVA

CASTLE OF WISSEGRAD

PEST

PEST RACES

.

BUDA, FROM THE BLOCKSBERG

VOL. I.

XXll

ILLUSTRATIONS.

HOUSES UNDER GROUND FURED

TIHANY FOSSILS

INTERIOR OF PEASANT'S COTTAGE

TOLL-BAR3 NEAR WAITZEN

NEMETI

MINING STUDENTS OF SCHEMNITZ

DYETVA PEASANTS

FIELD NURSING

A BATHING PARTY AT SLIA'cS

GATEWAY AT ALTSOHL CASTLE

VEILED PEASANT WOMAN

FALL OF MOUNTAIN AT KREMNITZ

SMELTING-HOUSE AT KREMNITZ

NOBLE AND SERVANT IN FULL COSTUME

LOMNITZER HEAD

VALLEY OF THE FIVE LAKES

A GENTLEMAN OF THE OLD SCHOOL

HUNTING SCENE IN THE CARPATHIANS

A ZIPSER GIRL .

GERMAN SETTLERS OF SCHMOLNITZ

CASTLE OF MURA'nY

TOKAY.

PAGE 256

S7S

HUNGARY

TRANSYLVANIA,

PAGET'S HUNGARY

ERRATA.

Vol. I.

Vol. IL

Page 121, /or "Trianus," read " Tratanus."

132, /or '' Demikarpi," read '-' Detnirkapi."

A2T , for " Fagaras," read '' Fogaras." ,, 462, for '' depriving," read '' in depriving." ,. 488, yor " Klausen," read '' Klausenburg." ,. bO'lyfor "the professors," read ''the other professors." „ 526, /or '' Kblsey," read '' Kolcsey."

547, /or '' Shroeder," read '' Schroeder."

556, for '' their," rea^d '' your."

568, /or "is it,'* read ''it is.'^

605, /or '* Almas, read " Almasi^"

6 19, /or " Exercise, read " Excise.*'

THANSYLViVNlA

N

(Uiil Wnllncks.

{ Rr,1 Szrklcrhnul ron-

Leoben5

X'

Dois

SMezi^ Tai mr o

J^. liajbHcli

^Haj a

(f/i/ohii S l^ j94«

%ftmtfoVit '"'^

Dafya^ \ ^:/

Jio^m/ir )

Ui^s

'fj>mtf

Waff.

BeilnT^

i"

u

R

Ji^ 1

/Smi

4^

i„ c,. ^ oFkmcadva J tgj,-^

Drawn A Eriffraycd by J.AC.

Chapter I. Presburg

Viennese Reports of Hungary. — Presburg. — Castle. — Inhabitants. — Members of the Diet. — Dinner Party. — Youth of Hungary. — Theben. — Theatre. — Promenade. — Booksellers. — Journals.

It was about the middle of June, 1835, that we shook the dust of Vienna from our feet, and bent our steps towards the confines of Hungary. Full of the hope of adventure, with which the idea of entering a country familiar only in history or romance fills even older heads than ours, we had been for some days impatient at the dull delays of the Austrian police, and were commensurately rejoiced at their termination, and the actual commencement of our journey.

VOL. I. B

2 VIENNESE REPORTS

The reader would certainly laugh, as I have often done since, did I tell him one half the foolish tales the good Viennese told us of the country we were about to visit. No roads ! no inns ! no police ! we must sleep on the ground, eat where we could, and be ready to defend our purses and our lives at every moment ! In full credence of these reports, we provided ourselves most plentifully with arms, which were carefully loaded, and placed ready for immediate use ; for as we heard that nothing but fighting would carry us through, we determined to put the best face we could on the matter. It may however ease the reader's mind to know that no occasion to shoot anything more formidable than a partridge or a hare ever presented itself ; and that we finished our journey with the full conviction, that travelling in Hungary was just as safe as travelling in England.

Why or wherefore, I know not, but nothing can exceed the horror with which a true Austrian regards both Hungary and its inhabitants. I have sometimes suspected that the bugbear with which a Vienna mother frightens her squallcr to sleep, must be an Hungarian bugbear; for in no other way can I account for the inbred and absurd fear which they entertain for such near neighbours. It is true, the Hungarians do sometimes talk about liberty, constitutional rights, and other such terrible things, to which no well-disposed ears should ever be open, and to which the ears of the Viennese are

OF HUNGARY. 3

religiously closed. Worthy people ! How satisfied must the old emperor, der gute Franzel, have beeu with you ! When a certain professor once remonstrated with him on the censorship of the press, and represented it as the certain means of checking the genius of his people, he was answered: "I don't want learned subjects — I want good subjects." As regards the first part of his wish no man had more reason to be contented than the late Emperor of Austria; for a more unintellectual, eating aud drinking, dancing and music-loving people do not exist, than the good people of Vienna. As long as they can eat (febackene Hendel at the Sperl, or dance in the Augarten, and listen to the immortal Strauss, as he stamps and fiddles before the best waltz band in Europe, so long will tliey willingly close their ears to all such wicked discourses ; and, despite the speculations of philosophers or the harangues of patriots, nothing will ever induce them to desire a change.

Our party consisted, beside myself, of my friend

Mr. S , and Mr. H ; the latter, a young

artist, to whom the reader is indebted for the cuts with which this work is embellished. Of ourselves I need say nothing more, as our personality will have little place in our travels. We were provided with a good strong carriage from Brandmeyer s ; a preliminary to a journey through Hungary, without which I should recommend no one to attempt it, at least for pleasure. An Italian ser-

B 2

4 PASSPORTS.

vant, who had accompanied me through Italy, I was obliged to dismiss ; for he was not only useless from his ignorance of the languages of the country, but an absolute encumbrance from his unfitness to put up with the various inconveniences to which an Hungarian traveller is subject. An Hungarian w^as soon found to supply his place.

In this guise, after a few hours' posting on the dusty road between Vienna and Presburg, we approached the boundary of Hungary. I proffered my passport, as usual, to the guard who opened the barrier ; but it was declined with a polite bow, and an assurance that I was in Hungary and had no longer need of it. I appeal to those who have travelled in Italy and Germany for sympathy with my delight at being once more free from the annoyance of passports, a system of impediment to the honest traveller, and of protection to the rogue. An efficient police does not require it — a bad one is only rendered more inefficient by its fancied security. My heart beat more gaily in its prison, my blood flowed more freely through my veins, as I blessed the land where some trace of personal liberty still existed.

As we approached Presburg, the huge square castle came in sight ; and before long, we were crossing the bridge of boats over the Danube and entering the town.

Presburg is prettily situated along the banks of the Danube ; and, for a town of its size, offers a greater number of handsome buildings than are often seen.

PRESBURG. 5

Our first object after making our arrangements as comfortably as possible at the Goldene Sonne, was to visit the castle. A large square mass of building without architectural ornament, and little relieved by the ill-proportioned towers which protrude themselves from each corner, cannot in itself have much to interest the lover of the picturesque ; but from the esplanade before it, a magnificent view opened on us. As far as the eye can reach into Hungary, extends a vast wooded plain, through wliich the gigantic Danube spreads itself wild and uncontrolled. Sometimes dividing into several branches, nearly as wide as the parent stream, it forms large islands of several miles in extent ; then collecting its scattered forces, it moves forward in one vast mass of irresistible power, till division again impairs its strength. At our feet lay Presburg itself, and we could distinguish the remains of the gates and walls which marked its former boundaries ; these, however, it has long outgrown, and its straggling extremities reminded us of the school boy's arms and legs, which the garments of an earlier age would in vain restrain within their narrow limits.

Of historical association, the castle had little to interest us ; indeed, in its present form, it has existed scarcely one hundred years. As late as 1811, it still served as a fortress and barrack for troops, but being unprovided both with wood and water, except what was carried there upon the backs of its occupants, it struck the Italian regiment, by whom it b PRESBURG.

was then held, how very ill it was adapted to the purposes it served. They were just employed in laying in a store of wood, when the idea, equally patriotic and philanthropic, came into their heads of setting fire to the castle, and thus ridding the country of a bad fortress, and saving themselves and their successors from any further trouble in carrying wood and water to such an unreasonable height. So strongly did the idea seize upon their imaginations, that it was no sooner conceived than put in execution, and its blackened walls still stand a monument to the wit and laziness of the Italian soldiery.

As for sights, few places have less of them than Presburg. In the great church we could discover nothing of interest save a bronze font of elegant workmanship, bearing the date of 1409. The object pointed out with the greatest care to the stranger's notice, is an insignificant elevation on the banks of the Danube, called the Konigsberg. It is to this spot that the King of Hungary, at his coronation, clothed in the very dress formerly worn by St. Stephen, and bearing the apostolic crown on his head, rides up his charger ; and striking the sword of state to the four quarters of the world, swears to defend the country from enemies on every side. *

The delivery of letters of introduction, and the consequent formation of acquaintance, cost us but

* In Mr. Spencer's work on Circassia, it may be observed, that a similar ceremony is performed by a Circassian Prince^ who is sent to receive and conduct home his brother's bride ; an interesting fact when connected with the Hungarian claim to a Caucasian origin.

INHABITANTS OF HUNGARY. 7

little time, for everywhere we were received with a kindness which at once forbade us to consider ourselves strangers. The hospitality of the Hungarians is almost proverbial, and, I doubt not, that every foreigner feels its welcome influence ; but I am inclined to think that the name of Englishman was not without its recommendation in our favour. I must not, however, anticipate : future events, I think, will prove that I am right.

It was a constant source of amusement for us, during the first days of our arrival to watch the groups of 2^easants collected under the windows of the hotel. The neighbourhood of Presburg is chiefly occujDied by Sclavacks and Germans, two of the many distinct races by which Hungary is peopled. The reader must not imagine that he is about to visit one people on entering Hungary, but rather a collection of many races, united by geographical position and other circumstances into one nation, but which still preserve all their original peculiarities of language, dress, religion, and manners. The Magyars,* or Hungarians proper, the dominant race, and to whom the land may be said to belong, do not amount to more than three millions and a half out of the ten millions at which the whole population is estimated. The Sclavacks may be reckoned at two millions ; other members of the Sclavish race, but differing in religion and dialect, at two and a

'^ It may be as well to remark at once, that the word Magyar should be pronounced Mod-yor.

8 RELIGIONS OF HUNGARY.

half; the rest of the population, being made up of Wallacks, Jews, Germans, Gipsies, &c. There is scarcely less difference of religion than of origin in this motley population. The Catholics are predominant, as well in number as in power; but the two sects of Protestants, the Lutherans and Calvinists, and the members of the Greek Church, both united and non-united, are numerous, and enjoy nearly the same rights as the Catholics. The Jews are tolerated on the payment of a tax, but cannot exercise any political functions.