nations. His journeys to England produced a great and decisive effect upon Széchenyi. His sensitive nature readily took every impression. He learned much and with enthusiasm. His great reforms were mostly suggested by English examples. He learned political economy from Bentham. It seemed to English visitors who stayed in his castle, that they were in the house of an English nobleman ; this may be partly accounted for by the fact that he was related to an English aristocratic family. "The more I learned to know the English " he wrote, "the more I was compelled to love them." In the diary of his English travels we read "The Germans write much, the French talk much, and the English do much." In 1832, when he visited his "beloved England" for the third time, he wished to study thoroughly the manufacture of machinery, and he entered a factory as a workman, and laboured diligently. He was often the guest of George IV., while the latter was Prince Regent. It was characteristic of him that his favourite poet should be Byron, whom he resembled in his capricious melan- choly. It was to England, above all, that Széchenyi was indebted for a right estimation of the important part played by practical interests in the life of a nation. After Széchenyi, whom Kossuth himself called "the greatest Hungarian," Louis Kossuth and Francis Deák became the nation's leaders. LOUIS KOSSUTH (1802-1894) and FRANCIS DEÁK (1803- 1876) were Hungary's greatest orators. Kossuth's talents were in many respects in marked contrast with those of Deák. Deák was usually calm and moderate, while Kossuth spoke in tones of excitement and passion. Deák appealed to the intellect of his hearers, Kossuth to their imagination. Kossuth's fervour enchanted men; Digitized by Microsoft ®
