Page:Poetry of the Magyars.djvu/70

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xlviii
INTRODUCTION.

the formation of a Literary Society, but failed in the attempt. In 1790, the Diet reintroduced the Hungarian language into the elementary public schools, and established Magyar chairs in the university academies. A number of small societies have since grown up, and each in its little circle has co-operated for the common object. It was only by assisting such minor associations that Révai and others could forward their patriotic designs in favour of the language of their nation. Révai published many Latin poems. Notwithstanding his broken health, he, on being called to the professorship of Hungarian Literature at Pest, devoted himself with unbounded and unbroken zeal to the topics of his chair. His large Hungarian Grammar appeared 1803-6. He died in 1807, leaving behind him many valuable philological MSS. and translations from the Greek, Latin, and German.

Szabó was a Transylvanian, who also belongs to the classical school. Some of his Epigrams are happy, and his works were deemed excellent for their classical correctness. He wrote on Magyar prosody, and a description of rural life. The criticisms of Kacinczy have diminished the number of Szabó's admirers.

Ráday (Gedeon), the son of Pál, made some