KISFALUDY, Charles (Karoly), Hun garian poet and dramatist: b. Tet, 5 Feb. 1788; d. Pest. 21 Nov. 1830. A brother of Sandor Kisfaludy (q.v.), he early showed the family bent for literature and its talent for imagina tive thinking and description. After some time spent in literary preparation he went to Pest in 1817 and there began turning out, with won derful rapidity, work covering almost every field of literary endeavor, until he soon placed himself in the fore rank of poets and drama tists in his own country. He became by far the most popular of the Hungarian dramatists of his day; and he made of comedy a feature of the Hungarian stage to such an extent that be is to-day looked upon as the founder of the Hungarian drama. Many of his comedies have been translated into German, French and other European languages. He also wrote tragedies which are only slightly inferior to his comedies, but superior to the work of his contemporaries. The best of his tragedies is
forts in this direction created a school of younger writers who, if they did not equal the work of their master, at least helped to make the literature of the country imaginative and truthful to life. But his services in the devel opment of the Hungarian theatre surpass all his other efforts and have justly made him one of the foremost figures in Hungarian literary life. The Kisfaludy Society, founded in honor of him and his brother, to promote the in terests of Hungarian literature, has recog nized, to the full, his literary services and has made his work well known, not only at home but in foreign countries. Consult BanOczi, for his life and works (Budapest 1882) ; Gaal,