KEMBLE

kemble, john mitchell (1807-1857), english scholar and historian, eldest son of charles kemble the actor, was born in 1807. he received his education partly from dr richardson, author of the _dictionary of the english language_, and partly at the grammar school of bury st edmunds, where he obtained in 1826 an exhibition to trinity college, cambridge. at the university his historical essays gained him high reputation. the bent of his studies was turned more especially towards the anglo-saxon period through the influence of the brothers grimm, under whom he studied at gottingen (1831). his thorough knowledge of the teutonic languages and his critical faculty were shown in his _beowulf_ (1833-1837), _uber die stammtafel der westsachsen_ (1836), _codex diplomaticus aevi saxonici_ (1839-1848), and in many contributions to reviews; while his _history of the saxons in england_ (1849; new ed. 1876), though it must now be read with caution, was the first attempt at a thorough examination of the original sources of the early period of english history. he was editor of the _british and foreign review_ from 1835 to 1844; and from 1840 to his death was examiner of plays. in 1857 he published _state papers and correspondence illustrative of the social and political state of europe from the revolution to the accession of the house of hanover_. he died at dublin on the 26th of march 1857. his _horae ferales, or studies in the archaeology of northern nations_, was completed by dr r. g. latham, and published in 1864. he married the daughter of professor amadeus wendt of gottingen in 1836; and had two daughters and a son; the elder daughter was the wife of sir charles santley, the singer. kemeny, zsigmond, baron (1816-1875), hungarian author, came of a noble but reduced family. in 1837 he studied jurisprudence at marosvasarhely, but soon devoted himself entirely to journalism and literature. his first unfinished work, _on the causes of the disaster of mohacs_ (1840), attracted much attention. in the same year he studied natural history and anatomy at vienna university. in 1841, along with lajos kovacs, he edited the transylvanian newspaper _erdelyi hirado_. he also took an active part in provincial politics and warmly supported the principles of count stephen szechenyi. in 1846 he moved to pest, where his pamphlet, _korteskedes es ellenszerei_ (partisanship and its antidote), had already made him famous. here he consorted with the most eminent of the moderate reformers, and for a time was on the staff of the _pesti hirlap_. the same year he brought out his first great novel, _pal gyulay_. he was elected a member of the revolutionary diet of 1848 and accompanied it through all its vicissitudes. after a brief exile he accepted the amnesty and returned to hungary. careless of his unpopularity, he took up his pen to defend the cause of justice and moderation, and in his two pamphlets, _forradalom utan_ (after the revolution) and _meg egysz o a forradalom utan_ (one word more after the revolution), he defended the point of view which was realized by deak in 1867. he subsequently edited the _pesti naplo_, which became virtually deak's political organ. kemeny also published several political essays (e.g. _the two wesselenyis_, and _stephen szechenyi_) which are among the best of their kind in any literature. his novels published during these years, such as _ferj es no_ (husband and wife), _szivorvenyei_ (the heart's secrets), &c., also won for him a foremost rank among contemporary novelists. during the 'sixties kemeny took an active part in the political labours of deak, whose right hand he continued to be, and popularized the composition of 1867 which he had done so much to bring about. he was elected to the diet of 1867 for one of the divisions of pest, but took no part in the debates. the last years of his life were passed in complete seclusion in transylvania. to the works of kemeny already mentioned should be added the fine historical novel _rajongok_ (the fanatics) (pest, 1858-1859), and _collected speeches_ (hung.) (pest, 1889). see l. nogrady, _baron sigismund kemeny's life and writings_ (hung.) (budapest, 1902); g. beksics, _sigismund kemeny, the revolution and the composition_ (hung.) (budapest, 1888). (r. n. b.)