. The earth and its inhabitants .. . HUNGARY AND TRANSYLVANIA. (Magyars and Rumaîîians.) General Aspects.—Mountains. UNGARY, with Transylvania, possesses, in its geographical homo- geneity, a great advantage over the Cisleithan half of the Aiistro- Hungarian Empire. Very inferior to German Austria in popula- tion, wealth, and civilisation, Hungary nevertheless enjoys superior political advantages. The former is an incoherent conglomeration of territories stretching from the banks of the Rhine eastward to the Vistula, whilst Hungary presents itself as an oval plain encircled by mountains. Tliis
. The earth and its inhabitants .. . HUNGARY AND TRANSYLVANIA. (Magyars and Rumaîîians.) General Aspects.—Mountains. UNGARY, with Transylvania, possesses, in its geographical homo- geneity, a great advantage over the Cisleithan half of the Aiistro- Hungarian Empire. Very inferior to German Austria in popula- tion, wealth, and civilisation, Hungary nevertheless enjoys superior political advantages. The former is an incoherent conglomeration of territories stretching from the banks of the Rhine eastward to the Vistula, whilst Hungary presents itself as an oval plain encircled by mountains. Tliis plain is the basin of an ancient lake, and the dominant race, numerically as well as politically, occupies it, and all the other races gravitate towards it. Thus, in spite of wars and national jealousies, the various peoples inhabiting Hungary, owing to the geographical homogeneity of the country, have generally been united by the same political bonds. Together they succumbed to the Turks, and subsequently to Austria ; and together they now form a self-governing state, proud of having reconquered the outward signs of its independence. Whatever the future may have in store, the nation which has established itself in the huge arena encircled by the Carpathians must always enjoy a preponderating influence in the territory conquered and hitherto maintained by it. It has been said that the future belongs to the Aryans, and that all other races will have to submit to them in the end. It promises well for the destinies of mankind that a nation of non-Aryan origin should have planted its foot in the centre of Europe. In answer to the haughty pretensions of the Indo-Europeans, the Magyars are able to refer to their history. They have had their periods of apathy, no doubt, but what neighbouring nation can boast of being their superior in intelligence, bravery, or love of liberty ? The Alps play a very subordinate part in the orography of Hungary. Standing upon the heights above Vien
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade18, booksubjectgeography, bookyear1883
