ARANY, o'ronjr, Janos, Hungarian poet: b. Nagy-Szalonta, 1 March 1817; d. Pesth, 22 Oct. 1882. He was of humble parentage; his parents were very poor, but they made every effort to give him an education. At 15 he entered the college of Debreczin, where he distinguished himself. He was attracted to the stage, joined a company of strolling players, but soon returned discouraged to his father's house. He became a notary and lived in re tirement for several years. In 1845 he pub lished the satirical epic 'Az elveszett allcot many,' which won a prize for the most humor ous poem offered by the Kisfaludy Society of Pesth. Two years later he was awarded a second prize for the first part of 'Toldi,' his great trilogy founded upon Magyar traditions. This work brought him a widespread popular ity both among the learned and among the lowest ranks of the people, who recognized his gift of weaving their traditional legends and his appeal to the spirit of national pride so characteristic of the Magyar peoples. In 1860
he became director and afterward secretary of the Kisfaludy Society, and in 1870 he was ap pointed general secretary of the Hungarian Academy of Science. His more noteworthy works are (Murany