The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Fáy, Andreas

FÁY, fī or fäy, Andreas, Hungarian author: b. Kohány, Zemplin, Hungary, 30 May 1786; d. Budapest, 26 July 1864. Till the appearance of Kossuth on the scene (1840) he was the foremost leader at Budapest of the Opposition party; thereafter he took no considerable part in politics, but promoted many important national enterprises. His volume of poems, ‘New Garland’ (1818), established his fame as a poet, but his admirable prose ‘Fables’ (1820) attained a far wider popularity. Among his dramatic works are the tragedy, ‘The Two Báthorys’ (1827); and several comedies, the most notable being ‘The Old Coins; or the Transylvanians in Hungary’ (1824), and ‘The Hunt in the Matra’ (1860). His social novel, ‘The House of the Béltekys’ (1832); ‘Dr. Javor and his Servant Ambrose’ (1855), and a number of short stories, entitles him to a place among the great masters of Hungarian prose.