172. Mihály Tompa (1817–1868), poet.

Autograph letter, addressed "Tekintetes ur!" ("Honourable Sir!").
The recipient was probably Miklós Szemere, Tompa’s friend and mentor. Despite their close relationship, Tompa still used this formal address. At the beginning of the letter he writes about his experiences in Kassa. He notes with concern that hardly any Hungarian is spoken there ("there, Hungarian nationality is terra incognita"), then he complains about a ballet performance where girls aged 6–17 lifted their legs, which he considered improper. He talks in detail about his plans and his collection of folk songs, which remained in manuscript (and were only published in 1988 under the title Dalfüzér). He writes enthusiastically about Júlia Beleznay, widow of László Komáromy, chief county head of Torna, who lived in Selyeb: "I can tell you, an inspiring lady! I am almost in love with her." In fact, he had tender feelings for her. He also mentions his work Csörsz’s Ditch, which he sent to Ferenc Császár "for the victims of the flood in Arad". The story was indeed published that same year in Aradi vészlapok. He reproaches himself for being the laziest among "the scribblers of Hungarian literature". At the end he asks his correspondent to translate one of his poems into German.
4 written pages. 
Dated: Selyeb, 5 April 1844.
 
Starting price: 200 000,-