In 1849 Mr. Webster compared Kossuth to Wycliffe, by the quotation of
the lines:
"The Avon to the Severn runs,
The Severn to the sea;
And Wycliffe's dust shall spread abroad,
Wide as the waters be."
It is not easy to form an opinion of Kossuth's place as an orator,
when considered in comparison or in contrast with other orators. He
had but one central theme, the cause of Hungary, and on that theme he
spoke many hundred times, and never with any offensive or tedious
repetitions. In Massachusetts alone he delivered thirty-four speeches
and orations, and it may be said that all of them were carefully
prepared, and most of them were reduced to writing. His topics were
the wrongs inflicted upon Hungary, the sufferings endured by his
country, the dominating and dangerous influence of Russia in the
affairs of Europe, the duty of England and America to resist that
influence, the mission of the government and people of the United
States to labor for the extension of free institutions and the
blessings of liberty to the less favored nations of the world,--all
made attractive by references to general, local and personal histories.
As one test, and a very important test, of the presence of unusual
power, it can be said that no other orator ever made so many acceptable
addresses upon allied topics.
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