BUDA, the of the Romans, the capital of the circle of Pest, and metropolis of Hungary, is beautifully situated on an eminence on the west bank of the Danube, about 125 miles south-east of Vienna, and 150 north west of Belgrade. It is supposed to have received its name from Buda, the brother of Attila : this, however, seems only to be the Turkisn name, as it is called Offen by tile inhabitants, and throughout Germany. On the opposite side of the river stands Pest, the Contra ?Icinium of tne Romans, which is connected with Buda by a bridge of boats across the Danube, above 300 yards in length, and consisting of 63 large pontoons. In statis tical descriptions, they arc in general considered as one city, and are spoken of in the same ay as we do of London and Westminster. The city of Buda has neither fortifications nor gates. The castle stands at the ex tremity of the hill towards the east, and commands the greatest part of the city. It is encompassed with a deep moat, and is defended by an old-fashioned tower, anti other fortifications. The suburbs, or " Jews town," extends from the city to the Danube. The houses are mostly built of square stones, but the whole town has an ancient and sombre appearance. When Buda was the residence of the sovereign, in conjunction with Pest, it formed the largest and finest city of Hungary. But while it was under the dominion of the Turks, who possessed it above 150 years, its best buildings were suffered to fall into decay. Of the remains of these, the pr ncipal is the church of the Ascension of the Virgin lary ; and in their stead arose many mosques and minarets ; several of which were, in their turn, destroyed in the last war by the German artillery. There is here a convent of Carmelite nuns, and several churches belonging to the Franciscans. It has also a considerable number of caravanseras and mosques, some of which are very elegant buildings ; but the finest edifices of Buda are its warm baths, which vie with the most magnificent in Europe. These warm springs were considered by the Turks as the most valuable luxuries which they found in Hungary ; and several remains of baths, built in the Turkish fashion, are still to be traced. They were generally circular rooms, of considerable dimensions, with cupolas closely per forated, and studded over with small hemispherical glasses. The baths of Buda have been long famous,
and in many cases are esteemed specific. The water is impregnated with sulphur, giauber-salt, and iron ; and the heat is 49 degrees by the thermometer of Reaumur. The chief public and private buildings, however, are in Pest, which. from being principally inhabited by foreign merchants, has more of the modern style in it, and of resemblance to other large towns. It is surrounded with a wall and moat, and contains the royal palace, which is a large and respectable edifice, a military hospital, six convents, and several churches. The university of Pest is the first school of learning in the kingdom. It was founded at Tyrnau in 1655, by Peter Pazmann, the primate of Hungary. who endowed it with 100,000 florins, and put it under the direction of the Jesuits. It was some time ago transferred to Pest, and, by the suppres sion of the Jesuits, and the confiscation of their pro perty, its funds were increased to nearly half a million of florins. The original institution consisted only of schools for philosophy and theology ; a school of law was added in 1667, and one for medicine in 1770, by the Empress Maria Theresa. The university at present is composed of 32 professors, besides assistants, indepen dent of the theological classes ; 6 for law, 10 for medi cine, and 16 for philosophy. The school for theology is a Catholic. seminary, under the inspectioo of the Arch bishop of Gran. Instruction is here entirely gratuitous, but the student must follow a certain course of study prescribed e% cry year by the professors. Attached to the university is an observatory, which is situated at Buda; a library, a museum of natural history, of ma chinery, and of medals, which may be ranked among the fine collections of Europe. ; a theatre of anatomy, an hospital, and a botanical garden ; and a printing-house, employing twelve presses, and fourteen compositors. Besides the university library and garden, Pest has a royal library, founded by Count Szccseny, and enriched with many scarce editions, and valuable manuscripts, the gifts of several grandees, and learned Hungarians ; and a royal garden, which is one of the richest in Europe, and contains a great number of exotic plants, which arc cul tivated with particular care.