John Paget - Hungary and Transylvania - 1850

The two parts bound in one volume. The binding is originally lightly discolored on the spine. The binding is complete with map and all illustrations and is in very good condition.

Hungary and Transylvania; descriptions of their social, political and economic condition is an influential two-volume travelogue and sociological study, written by the British agronomist and traveler John Paget. The book was first published in 1839 by John Murray in London. The 1850 edition was popular because after the Hungarian Revolution and War of Independence (1848-1849) the demand for reliable information about the region in Western Europe greatly increased. Publishers such as Lea & Blanchard and John Murray brought out important new editions in 1850. These volumes became fundamental reference works that were frequently consulted by journalists and editors who wanted to understand Hungarian society.

Main themes and impact:
Debunking myths: Before Paget's work, Western Europeans often regarded Hungary and Transylvania as exotic, dangerous, and hidden areas. Paget offered a comprehensive, relatively unbiased account that dispelled these misconceptions. The book describes interactions with the Hungarian Diet in Pressburg (Bratislava), analyzes the tension between liberal and conservative political currents, and sketches the harsh reality of both the peasantry and the aristocracy.

Important figures: It contains a fascinating and highly regarded contemporary portrait of the great reformer Count István Széchenyi.

Paget was not merely a passerby; he married in 1836 to a Hungarian baroness (Polixena Wesselényi) and settled in Hungary.

Weight 1600 g.

See the photos; they form part of the description.