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LITERATURE, CONTINENTAL, IN 1872. 



Tourgu6nief and those of Nicholas TourguSnief 

 are very important for the reigns of Alexander 

 L, and Nicholas, but were published abroad, 

 and are forbidden by the Russian censorship. 



In the interests of literature, it is impossible 

 not to feel regret at the new strictness which 

 has been added to the laws of censorship. The 

 literature of the year has apparently been but 

 slightly affected by them as yet, though the 

 September and October numbers of the re- 

 view Conversation are still retained in the 

 censor's office. The changes of the law have 

 rendered necessary an official journal, the In- 

 dex to the Affairs of the Press, the title of 

 which sufficiently denotes its purpose. It is 

 curious in containing an Index Expurgatorim 

 of foreign literature, and thus pointing out to 

 the inquisitive the forbidden fruit, which they 

 will, therefore, be most anxious to taste. 



SERVIA AND ILLTEIA. In the literature of 

 the South Slavonians for the past year, we 

 find proofs of considerable progress in all 

 branches of science and art. The three chief 

 agents in our intellectual advancement are : 

 1. Brush tvo Slovesnosti (the literary union in 

 Belgrade) ; 2. The South Slavonian Academy 

 in Agram ; and, 3. Matica Srbska (the Servian 

 Bee in Neusatz). Their publications are, for 

 the most part, of an historico-philological char- 

 acter, and are calculated to arouse national 

 feeling, by lively pictures of the deeds of for- 

 mer heroes, as well as to enhance the love for 

 the national tongue, by pointing out the spirit 

 and the refinement of the Servian and Illyrian 

 dialects. Among the books published by in- 

 dividuals, and not by societies, we note : Os- 

 trozinsky's " Minor Songs," a volume of spirit- 

 ed lyrics, and his " Elements of ^Esthetics." 

 From the same author we have " Prototyp 

 Nedelsko," a national religious epic, much 

 valued by his countrymen. Not less popular 

 are the " Songs " of Peter Peradovic', an Aus- 

 trian general, whose poetry is placed on a level 

 with the old classics of the Ragusa school. His 

 imagination is genial, his language distin- 

 guished by beauty, and he is an ardent patriot. 

 Alexander Popovic' has made himself conspicu- 

 ous by his " Dzennet " (" The Paradise "). In 

 imitation of Dante, he chooses Hafiz for his 

 cicerone, and is, consequently, led through all 

 the delights of the Mohammedan Elysium, un- 

 til he extends his arms toward a lovely houri, 

 when every thing suddenly disappears, and ho 

 discovers that all has been but a dream. Ar- 

 minius Pavic' has written a " History of the 

 Drama of Ragusa," a work which has met with 

 a warm reception among his countrymen ; and 

 Stoyan Novokovich has published his " History 

 of the Servian Literature," in which he exhib- 

 its great diligence and knowledge, endeavor- 

 ing, at the same time, to encourage the idea of 

 a united Serbo-Croatian literature, a project 

 which it would be difficult to realize, as the two 

 nations differ in religion, have hitherto used 

 two different alphabets, and are, besides, sepa- 

 rated by essential differences in their dialects. 



Giving, for the first time, an account of tlie 

 South-Slavonian literature, it will not be su- 

 perfluous to mention some of our principal 

 savants. M. Novakovic' is busy with Servian 

 biography; M. Dubrovatz with historical re- 

 searches; Drs. Panc'ic' and Tchernagoratz 

 with botany and zoology ; the same branch is 

 cultivated by Joseph Dusl and Radovanovic' ; 

 Danc'ic' is the grammarian ; and Gavrilovic' 

 has made himself known by his works relating 

 to the statistics and geography of Servia. 



SPAIN. Political struggles exercise a most 

 unhappy influence upon Spanish literature. 

 However, notwithstanding these difficulties, 

 as many works have appeared during 1872 as 

 in the previous year, and in scientific sub- 

 jects a decided tendency to progress is visible. 



Dramatic literature, although not so copious- 

 ly represented as in past years, has given, in 

 1872, signs of vitality, although many of the 

 best dramatic authors, such as Iamayo,'Aynla, 

 Eguilaz, and others, have not written any 

 thing this year for the stage. Sefior Garcia 

 Gutierrez has brought out two dramatic works, 

 a tragedy and a comedy, which have been just- 

 ly applauded. The tragedy, which is histori- 

 cal and in verse, is entitled " Dofia Urraca." 

 Senor Gutierrez's drama is remarkable on 

 many accounts, and abounds in effective situa- 

 tions. The characters are admirably drawn, 

 the interest increases as the play goes on, and 

 the versification is brilliant. The other work 

 by the same author, which has just appeared at 

 the Teatro Espanol, is a comedy, " Crisalida y 

 Mariposa " (" Chrysalis and Butterfly "). It is 

 written in the style of Goldoni ; the plot is not 

 important, and the principal merit consists in 

 the general style. This play is full of graceful 

 sayings, and the dialogue is admirable. Among 

 other dramatic works which have been brought 

 out this year, the historical drama, "Dofla 

 Maria Coronel," by Sefior Retes y Echevarria, 

 deserves a special mention, for its versification 

 and the dramatic situations it contains. Two 

 comedies by Senor Marco, " La Muger Com- 

 puesta" ("The Fashionable Woman"), and 

 " La Feria de las Mugeres " (" Women's Fair '_'), 

 are full of dramatic interest and clever dia- 

 logue. Sefior Hurtado, a popular dramatic 

 author, is preparing a comedy, " El Wals de 

 Yenzano," which is intended to advocate 

 spiritualism. Lastly, an historical drama, by 

 Nufiez de Arce, has been brought out with 

 brilliant success, " El Haz de Lefia " (" The 

 Log of Wood "), a work full of interest from 

 beginning to end, and written in admirable 

 verse. The triumph of the author is well 

 merited. 



In the lyrical poetry of the year we find a 

 large number of works. We may mention 

 with praise the " Inspiraciones," which Seflor 

 Pefiaranda has published, with a prologue by 

 M. Victor Hugo, in which he shows the syrii- 

 pathy he feels for the Spanish poet. Sefior 

 Pefiaranda has also publisned two other vol- 

 umes, "Presentimientos," and "Notas de una 



