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The writer's job is not to take care of his lungs and heart, the writer's job is to take care of his soul and spirit, and the coffee house is that special, not at all healthy in the medical and gym teacher sense of the word, but only useful in the literary sense of the word an atmosphere where writers are somewhat sheltered from the temptations of the world, the trappings of office, and the harshness of money; their lungs and hearts wear out from nicotine and black, but their spirit blossoms, and that's what's more important. (...) There is no literature without a coffee house. Mr. Petőfi did not go skiing, but to "Pilvax", and Mr. Vörösmarty did not go to the beach, but to "Arany Ökör". Those are huge differences, please. (...) Literature should be faithful to itself, its laws, its atmosphere, its food, drinks, lifestyle, and everything that goes with it, so that people sometimes think of something that no one else has yet thought of, and then come out in perfect artistic form can finish it.

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English

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The writer's job is not to take care of his lungs and heart, the writer's job is to take care of his soul and spirit, and the coffee house is that special, not at all healthy in the medical and gym teacher sense of the word, but only useful in the literary sense of the word an atmosphere where writers are somewhat sheltered from the temptations of the world, the trappings of office, and the harshness of money; their lungs and hearts wear out from nicotine and black, but their spirit blossoms, and that's what's more important. (...) There is no literature without a coffee house. Mr. Petőfi did not go skiing, but to "Pilvax", and Mr. Vörösmarty did not go to the beach, but to "Arany Ökör". Those are huge differences, please. (...) Literature should be faithful to itself, its laws, its atmosphere, its food, drinks, lifestyle, and everything that goes with it, so that people sometimes think of something that no one else has yet thought of, and then come out in perfect artistic form can finish it.

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Hungarian

"Az írónak nem az a dolga, hogy a tüdejére és a szívére vigyázzon, az írónak az a dolga, hogy lelkére és szellemére vigyázzon, s a kávéház az a sajátos, a szó orvosi és tornatanári értelmében egyáltalán nem egészséges, de a szó irodalmi értelmében egyedül hasznos légkör, ahol az írók kissé védve vannak a világ kísértései, a hivatalnak packázásai és a pénz durvaságai ellen; tüdejük és szívük elkopik ugyan a nikotintól és a feketétől, de szellemük kivirul, s ez a fontosabb. (...) Kávéház nélkül nincs irodalom. Petőfi úr nem síelni járt, hanem a "Pilvax"-ba, s Vörösmarty úr nem a strandra járt, hanem az "Arany Ökör"-höz. Óriási különbségek ezek, kérem. (...) Az irodalom legyen hűséges önmagához, törvényeihez, légköréhez, ételeihez, italaihoz, életmódjához, s mindahhoz, ami kell hozzá, hogy az embernek néha eszébe jusson valami, ami másnak még nem jutott eszébe, s aztán tökéletes művészi formában ki is tudja fejezni azt."

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