"In 1802, Count Ferenc Széchényi offered his collection of books, artworks, artifacts, relics, and other precious and rare items 'to the common good of the Hungarian homeland.' In doing so, he laid the foundations of the National Széchényi Library. Over the course of the past two centuries, hundreds of collectors, patrons of the arts, and librarians have followed the example he set. With this book, which examines the lives, careers, and collections of many of the most important people to have followed in Széchényi's footsteps, we pay homage to the individuals whose efforts as collectors and custodians of the precious treasures of Hungary's and Europe's cultural heritage have enriched the holdings of the National Széchényi Library and preserved so much of the scholarship and art of the past for future generations"--Back cover.