CHAPTER X

SUBCHAPTERs:

Bibliography

For the general background to the Hungarian novel, L. György: A magyar regény előzményei (1941); E. Császár’s often disregarded, but useful A magyar regény története (1922), and J. Szinnyei’s Novella- és regényirodalmunk a szabadságharcig, 2 vols. (1925-6). Of the major figures treated in this chapter, for Széchenyi’s biography, ideas and the background to the Age of Reform cf. G. Bárány’s detailed monograph: S. Széchenyi and the Awakening of Hungarian Nationalism, 1791-1841 (Princeton U.P., 1968), unfortunately still without a sequel. A special issue of the Journal of Central European Affairs (1960) is devoted entirely to Széchenyi. The literature on Széchenyi is quite extensive in Hungarian and German; Bárány’s book contains a bibliographical essay evaluating most of those writings. Fáy and the minor novelists are neglected by recent scholarship. In English cf. Gyula Kornis: ‘Andrew Fáy’ (Hungarian Quarterly. 1940). There is a competent biography of Jósika by L. Dézsi (1916), but no recent work worth mentioning. In English, Arthur Yolland: ‘Walter Scott’s Influence on Jósika’ (Oxford Hungarian Review, 1922). Also A. Katona: ‘The Impact of Sir Walter Scott in Hungary’ in A. Bell ed. Scott Bicentenary Essays (Edinburgh, 1973).

The literature on Eötvös is copious. In Hungarian the basic biography is by Z. Ferenczy (1903). Of the numerous studies, J. Péterfy’s excellent essay ‘Báró Eötvös József mint regényíró’ was published in Budapesti Szemle (1881, reprinted in his Összegyűjtött munkái, 1901-3, and also in a recent Válogatott művei, 1962 ed. by B. G. Németh). D. Szabó’s penetrating study of The Village Notary was originally published in Nyugat (1912, republished in his Tanulmányok és jegyzetek, 1927, forming vol. 16 of his Művei). The standard monograph is by I. Sőtér (1953; 2nd enlarged ed. , 1967) with a good bibliography.

In English D. Mervyn Jones’s portrait in his Five Hungarian Writers (Oxford, 1966) is outstanding, with detailed descriptions of most of Eötvös’s works. P. Bődy’s excellent book Joseph Eötvös and the Modernization of Hungary, 1840-1870 is devoted largely to the political career and writings of Eötvös (Philadelphia, 1972). J. Reményi’s essays, originally published in Symposium (1952, reprinted in his Hungarian Writers and Literature, Rutgers U.P., 1964) shows little understanding of Eötvös. For a detailed survey of the reception of The Village Notary in the English Press, with extensive quotations, cf. L. Czigány: ‘A Hungarian Classic and Its Victorian Critics’ (New Hungarian Quarterly, 1971). For a detailed analysis of the Dominant Ideas cf. D. Mervyn Jones: ‘The Political Ideas of Baron József Eötvös’ (Slavonic and East European Review, 1970); B. Menczer’s article ‘Joseph Eötvös and Hungarian Liberalism’ (Slavonic and East European Review, 1938) is an early scholarly introduction to Eötvös in English, also his ‘A Liberal Philosophy of Social Transition: Baron Joseph Eötvös’ (Contemporary Review, 1963). S. B. Várdy: ‘Baron Joseph Eötvös: Statesman, Thinker, Reformer’ (Duguesne Review, 1968) treats Eötvös essentially as a social reformer.

Texts

For a good selection from the works of Széchenyi cf. G. Szekfű: A mai Széchenyi (1935), also Válogatott írásai ed. by I. Barta (1959). There are no modern editions of Fáy’s works, except for short selections of his aphorisms and fables. A few fables have been translated into English by E. D. Butler in his Hungarian Poems and Fables (1877) and The Cheap Dinner (1876).

The best collected edition of the works of Miklós Jósika was edited by F. Badics: Összes művei (1900-11), 31 vols. only published. His Jő a tatár has been translated into English by S. Gaye: ‘Neath the Hoof of the Tartar (1904), and ‘Király és koldus’ from Regényes képletek: King Matthias and the Beggar Boy tr. also by S. Gaye (1906). Both are among his less important works.

Eötvös novels The Village Notary and Hungary in 1514 are widely available in modern editions. His best completed works were edited by G. Voinovich and published in 20 vols. Összes munkái (1901-3). Most of his works are also available in German. The Village Notary was published irt 1850 in an excellent English translation by Otto Wenckstern and with a good introduction and notes by Ferenc Pulszky.