734 



HUNGARIAN STATES 



100 florins a bottle ; and ten florins is a common price for a bottle containing about a pint. 

 The Tokay has in its favor " infallible " testimony, for the Pope himself, at the Council of 

 Trent, was sustained by the council, in pronouncing it to be the best of wines. Considerable 

 quantities of rosoglio are consumed, and also of Maraschino, a cordial made of acid cherries. 

 These are made chiefly in Dalmatia, where there is distilled also a spirituous liquor, from the 

 arbute tree. The Dalmatians are given to excess in the use of spirituous liquors. Tobacco is 

 universally used in smoking, and as snuff. 



The chief maladies are gout, and the diseases occasioned by exhalations from marshes. In 

 Lower Hungary, epidemic disorders are not uncommon. 



In Hungary there are inns, but they afford little beside shelter ; and the traveler has frequent- 

 ly to purchase his provisions at the large towns. The post coaches are often but carts, and 

 generally the facilities for traveling are few. 



The Hungarians are distinguished for a military spirit, but they are social and hospitable, 

 though proud and irritable. The two great pursuits are agriculture and arms, and there are few 

 trades. In a people so variously compounded, or rather in a coiaUry with so many distinct 

 races, the character and customs must be various.* Hungary may be considered the home of 

 the Gypsies, but even here, that singular race have the same restless, wandering disposition, that 

 distinguishes them elsewhere. They are the traveling tinkers and musicians ; and when they 

 have a settled or temporary residence, it is, in summer, a cave or a tent, and in winter, a hut 

 like the den of a wild beast, from which light is excluded. The most usual trades followed by 

 the Gypsies, are those of black and white-smiths, though they act as farriers, carpenters, and 

 turners. They are universally the executioners and hangmen. The Transylvanian character 

 is not widely different from the Hungarian, though less national, and the manner of life approach- 

 es more to that of the orientals. In describing the character of the various people composing 

 the Austrian empire, geographers have seldom attempted to give any but the most general 

 views. There are more athletic amusements than in Austria, and dancing is equally common, 

 though with a greater variety of modes. Combats of animals, hunting, and the usual European 

 games are common. In Hungary the peasants who cultivate the earth are by no means enlight- 

 ened. More of tliem, however, can read and write than those of the same class in some parts 

 of Germany ; and the schools are sufficiently numerous to scatter more knowledge. The 

 Catholics have 3,561 teachers, 1 university, and several colleges. The united Greeks and Ar- 

 menians have 3S2 schools ; the Greeks, 1,226 schools and 2 gymnasiums ; the Calviriists, 

 1,600 teachers and 3 colleges ; the Lutherans, 1 lyceum, 1 college, and 629 teachers, and the 

 Jews 100 teachers. There are, besides, agricultural schools and schools of industry. 



The arts are not successfully cultivated except music. The national music, however, is 

 practised almost exclusively by the Gypsies, who have produced several eminent artists in this 

 department. Oeser, the painter, and Mind, the Raphael of cats^ were natives of Hungary. 



* " Tlie Hungarian incontestiblj possesses the most 

 fiery temper, and is completely qualified both for uncom- 

 monly good and bad actions. The Slovvack is much cool- 

 er, and still more so the German; then follows the Wal- 

 lachian and Servian, and last of all, the Rulhenian. The 

 poor Jew is totally destitute of courage, and may be fright- 

 ened with an empty meal-sack beyond the Carpathian 

 mountains. The Hungarian soon forgets injuries, the Ger- 

 man later, but the Slowack and Wallachian, never. The 

 Rulhenian is continually quarrelmg, the Jew is for ever 

 involved in lawsuits, but is ready to be reconciled, as soon 

 as danger threatens his family or one of his nation. The 

 Magyar is proud of being mounted on a fine horse ; the 

 Slowack, when he is permitted to converse rather famil- 

 iarly with people of high rank ; the German, when he may 

 carry a cane in his hand (as judge of his village) ; the 

 Wallachian, when he can exhibit a shining hatchet ; the 

 Ruthenian, when he is admitted to the honor of clerical 

 orders ; the Jew, when he has got farmers on his rent-roll ; 

 and the Gypsy, when he is dressed in scarlet breeches. 

 When the Magyar is in liquor, he is melancholy, nay , even 

 careless of his life ; the Slowack pretends to be witty ; the 

 German is talkative and very tiresome ; the Wallachian is 

 quarrelsome, and ready to shed blood ; the Ruthenian 

 mutters inwardlv,and is reserved and prone to revenge. 

 When the Magyar or Slowack is going to cheat a person, 

 he praises hiin ; the German offers him his services; the 



Wallachian protests to be his friend ; the Ruthenian feigns 

 to be stupid ; the Servian is submissive ; the Jew promises 

 mountains of gold ; the Gypsy jokes. Whenever a quar- 

 rel arises, the German screams and threatens ; the Croat 

 swears and curses; the Ruthenian spits at his adversary, 

 and seizes him by his hnir ; the Slowack makes use of his 

 fists, and boxes his enemy ; the Magyar cudgels him till 

 blood begins to flow ; the Gypsy assails his face with his 

 nails; the Wallachian strives to strike him dead, and the 

 Jew screams and takes to his heels. When the Magyar 

 swears, he always takes God to witness, while the Slow- 

 ack calls upon the devil to take him. The cursing Mag- 

 yar, Wallachian, and Servian use an immense variety of 

 abusive names ; the Slowack hurls a thousand thunder- 

 bolts at his opponent, and the German ever calls the dev- 

 il to his aid. The Magyar preferably appropriates to him- 

 self, without paying for it, (i. e. steals,) cattle, especially 

 horses, then oxen; the Slowack. eatables ; the Sclavonian, 

 iron and leather utensils; the Wallachian, money; the 

 latter does not hesitate murdering a traveler for the sake 

 of a few shining buttons, which he takes for gold ; while 

 the German, without discrimination, pilfers whatever he 

 can get. When the Slowack abstains from stealing, he 

 does it because he believes theft to be criminal ; the Ruthe- 

 nian from fear of punishment; the Magyar, because he is 

 not in the humor for it; and the German, from want of 

 an opportunity." — Foreign Review. 



