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LITERATURE, CONTINENTAL, IN 1884. (GERMANY.) 



saries imposed upon it, and it pushes its sys- 

 tem to the fullest logical consequences, with 

 all the processes proper and needful to it. Pos- 

 sibly, nay probably, a reaction will ere long 

 set in, as the public are beginning to weary of 

 the monotonous and rather unsavory feast so 

 largely furnished. Poetry, during the year, 

 has given but faint signs of healthful, free life. 

 Victor Hugo's voice is silent, as is but natural 

 in view of his increasing years. M. de Lisle 

 has issued a volume entitled " Poemes Tra- 

 giques," which the critics praise as addressed 

 to the select few, but which can never become 

 popular ; and M. Richepin has put into print 

 his "Les Blasphemes," in which it is thought, 

 by some, that he rivals the intense, passionate 

 melancholy and deeply-rooted conviction of 

 Lucretius, in a field that the Roman poet has 

 rendered immortal in literature. A large num- 

 ber of songs, idyls, poems, etc., has appeared, 

 but few if any are deserving of mention in this 

 place. The novel continues to hold its su- 

 preme position in popular favor. M. Zola still 

 writes with his accustomed force and devotion 

 to a kind of literature with which his name is 

 inseparably linked. Daudet, in his "Sapho," 

 deals with a subject repulsive to most minds. 

 Huysmans, a disciple of Zola's, furnishes a 

 striking product of realistic pessimism. His 

 " A Rebours " describes the life of an aristo- 

 crat, aiming at a life unlike that of other men, 

 seeking morbid sensations, and dying of spleen 

 and ennui. Harry- Alis, in u Reine Soleil," has 

 made a study of the courtesan, in imitation of 

 Zola's book on the same subject, powerfully 

 written, but open to the fatal objection of be- 

 ing an improper topic to treat of in books in- 

 tended for moral, decent people. Cherbuliez 

 has taken in hand a study of the miners and 

 their industrial surroundings. Among books 

 of a healthier tone and purpose the number 

 published during the year is not small. Lit- 

 erary criticism appears to be almost at a stand- 

 still. Only a few publications of the year indi- 

 cate attention to this department, such as 

 Brunetiere's " History of Literature," Rolland's 

 biographical recollections of Lamartine, Des- 

 chanel's volumes on Racine, Amiel's book on 

 the character of Juste Lips and other human- 

 ists of the sixteenth century, etc. The publi- 

 cation by his family of letters by Guizot has 

 done good service for the reputation of the 

 great statesman and author. Taine's new vol- 

 ume of the " History of the Revolution " ex- 

 hibits the writer's usual power, and is praised 

 by the critics as a vigorous and, in a measure, 

 successful effort to get rid of the revolutionary 

 legends, and to face the truth in regard to the 

 origin of modern France. Several other works 

 in political, constitutional, and literary history 

 have appeared, and give evidence of devotion 

 of French scholars to subjects of grave im- 

 portance to the well-being of the republic. In 

 like manner higher branches of thought are 

 well represented in books on social questions 

 philosophy, morality, and physical science. 



Germany. Literature in Germany manifests 

 no diminution in production of books, how- 

 ever many of these may prove to be of trifling 

 value. In number of authors, and in amount 

 of publication on all sorts of subjects, the 

 country of Goethe and Schiller, of Heine and 

 Uhland, of Lingg and Hamerling, of Spielhagen 

 and Heyse, holds the front rank among the na- 

 tions on the Continent. Emanuel Geibel, who 

 has been termed " the poet of the German la- 

 dies," died in April of this year, at the full age 

 of threescore years and ten. His reputation 

 for the higher and nobler qualities of the poet 

 is very great, and hardly any lyric poet, except 

 Heine, has been so universally popular as 

 Geibel. W. Jensen's " Skizzenbuch " is much 

 praised for its poetic stories, and Von Wilden- 

 bruch has obtained the highest honor as a 

 lyric poet as well as a dramatist. The Grill- 

 parzer and Schiller prizes were both bestowed 

 upon him. Paul Heyse also has obtained simi- 

 lar recognition of his skill and power as a 

 dramatist. Lohwag's "Iphigenia in Delphi" 

 is much praised by the critics, as an able study 

 in character and tone, and also as a faithful 

 re-echo of Goethe's "Iphigenia in Tauris." 

 Schack and Caro have also produced tragedies 

 of merit. The archaeological novel is still said 

 to be master of the situation. Eckstein's 

 " Prusias," which brings up afresh the insur- 

 rection of the slaves in Rome under Spartacus, 

 and Dahn's "Brissula," descriptive of a fair- 

 haired Swabian girl, and her brave resistance 

 against Roman oppression and outrage, are 

 noted for fidelity and skill in depicting man- 

 ners and customs. Spielhagen, in his latest 

 novel, " Uhlenhaus," has returned to the shores 

 of the Baltic, and deals in a thoroughly artistic 

 manner with politico- social economy and its 

 development. This writer maintains his place 

 at the head of German novelists. Numerous 

 other authors have written on the inexhausti- 

 ble theme of the distinction between social 

 grades, and have met with varying success. 

 Von Redwitz, Heyse, Lindau, Voss, and oth- 

 ers, contribute to this department of literature. 

 A large number of works, partly historical, 

 partly biographical, with more or less of ro- 

 mance commingled, has appeared during the 

 year. Von Treitschke's " German History in 

 the Nineteenth Century" received a prize from 

 the Berlin Academy. Other works in German 

 history are much praised by the critics, as 

 those by Wagener, Von Reumont, Busch, etc. 

 The last volumes of Metternich's Memoirs are 

 brought to a close in the eighth volume, and 

 mark the peculiar power and diplomatic skill 

 of the Austrian chancellor, in the former halt 

 of the century. The German " man of iron " 

 (Bismarck) of the latter half of the century 

 has furnished material for literary workers, 

 among whom M. Busch has been most suc- 

 cessful. Several contemporary memoirs have 

 appeared from A. Meissner, B. Auerbach, H. 

 Wagener, G. Meding, etc., which are pro- 

 nounced by competent judges to be valuable 



