542 



LITERATURE, CONTINENTAL, IN 1885. 



criticised as lacking in rigid impartiality re- 

 specting momentous questions at issue. The 

 other work referred to is P. Havard's " Henry 

 IV and the Princess de Conde," which, though 

 displaying in full the king's discreditable habit 

 of gallantry, is nevertheless said to be drawn 

 from entirely trustworthy sources. M. Na- 

 meche's "Cours d'Histoire Nationale," from 

 the Roman Catholic stand-point, has reached 

 its fourteenth volume, and covers part of the 

 Spanish period in the sixteenth century. Sev- 

 eral volumes have appeared, devoted to the 

 history of religious persecution in Belgium, to 

 military costume, to the War of the Austrian 

 Succession in Belgium, 1740 to 1748, and to 

 the "Public Finances of Belgium " since 1830. 

 Also, three academicians have discussed the 

 obscure question as to the origin of the Flem- 

 ish population in Belgium. Bibliography has 

 been largely cultivated during the year. The 

 last volumes of F. Vander Haeghen's " Biblio- 

 theca Belgica" are very noticeable for rare and 

 valuable matter. The Chevalier G. Van Havre 

 has published a second edition of his remark- 

 able " Bibliographie Liegeoise," which is a 

 catalogue of all the books published in Li6ge 

 since the seventeenth century, and of all the 

 works concerning the old prince-bishopric of 

 Liege. Various other works similar in de- 

 sign and character have appeared. In the fine 

 arts, especially painting and music, H. Hy- 

 man's work respecting Flemish, Dutch, and 

 German painters is particularly worthy of no- 

 tice. Honorable mention also is to be made of 

 Vander Straeten's and Gregoir's volumes on 

 Netherland and Belgian musicians. The lit- 

 erature of travel and colonization is actively 

 cultivated, and numerous volumes of merit 

 have been published on Japan, the Congo State 

 in Africa, Liberia, etc., together with travels 

 in the United States and Mexico. Moral and 

 political science has been enriched with several 

 striking works, such as J. Delbceufs "Sleep 

 and Dreams," G. d'Alviella's essays on the 

 origin of idolatry, Woeste's political, religious, 

 and historical sketches and studies, Prins's essay 

 on penal science, and Laveleye's third edition of 

 his " Contemporary Socialism." " Young Bel- 

 gium," as noted last year, is active and efficient, 

 chiefly in fiction, in which C. Lemonnier, Hins, 

 and Bodenbach are prominent. Notes on mod- 

 ern literature are furnished by F. Nautet, and 

 P. de Decker has written a life of the novel- 

 ist Hendrik Conscience (who died in 1883). 

 Sleeckx's " Literature and Art," and Rooses's 

 " Sketch - Book," are excellent productions. 

 The latter treats of contemporary Flemish au- 

 thors and poets, and gives a lengthened study 

 on Taine. F. de Potter has begun a history 

 of Ghent, from early to present times, and va- 

 rious other contributions to Flemish history 

 have been published. In poetry not much has 

 been done that requires mention. Pol de Mont 

 and Julius de Geyter seem to stand foremost 

 in this department. Miss V. Loveling's new 

 tale, " Sophie," a vivid picture of clerical tyr- 



anny in Flanders, has excited much attention 

 and had a large sale. 



Bohemia. Bohemian literature, though here- 

 tofore not reckoned as of much account in our 

 annual survey, deserves a paragraph at least. 

 It has of late years been making progress, and 

 in poetic and dramatic productions the record 

 is very good. Fiction also is prosperous. Snri- 

 lovsky and Trebizsky, two of Bohemia's best 

 writers, have recently died ; but Cech, ScLulz, 

 Vlcek, and others, sustain the national reputa- 

 tion. Illustrated works are much in favor. 

 Bohemia and the castles and palaces of Bohe- 

 mia are set before the reader with both ]>en 

 and pencil, in highly creditable style. In his- 

 tory, philology, and philosophy, Bohemian 

 writers have done well. The " History of the 

 City of Prague," by Tomek, and "The History 

 of Moravia," by Dudik, together with other 

 works in this department, are highly praised. 

 Also, a history of Bohemian literature, a very 

 large and full Bohemian dictionary, and a his- 

 tory of philosophy, give abundant tokens of 

 spirit, scholarship, and enterprise of Bohemian 

 savants, as well as of an appreciative public. 



Denmark. Although political troubles have 

 been prominent in Denmark, still the book 

 market of 1885 gives evidence of life and in- 

 terest in literature. Romances and novels art 

 numerous, if not specially brilliant or profound 

 New writers have appeared in this field will: 

 success, and the men of established reputaticr 

 have supplied various additions to the novel; 

 and stories of the year. T. Large, V. Eergsce 

 and S. Schandorph, are criticised by the press 

 as hardly equaling previous ccntributiens 

 " Youthful Love," by H. Pontoppidan, one c: 

 the younger authors, is said to be the most in 

 teresting tale of the year. Several femal 

 writers also have taken ebare in this worl? 

 O. M. Moller, in " The Reformer of Galilee, 

 has tried to picture forth the life of our Sav 

 iour on earth, and with about as much near 

 ness to success as can be expected on sncl 

 a topic. In lyric poetry H. V. Kaalund' 

 "Posthumous Poeins," and C. Hostrup' 

 " Newer Poems and Songs," are worthy of no 

 tice here. H. Drachmann, the highly giit 

 Danish poet, is censured by the critics M 

 having deserted the position maintained b; 

 him in former years. In the drama there i 

 hardly anything of importance to mention, j 

 Brandes, E. Christiansen, and J. Lange, in hi 

 "Art and Politics," have contributed fairly t< 

 the drama. The field of history, especial; 

 Danish history, is industriously cultivated 1>; 

 Thorsoe, Bache, Nielsen, and others, and the 1 

 contributions are regarded as valuable. 

 Brandes gives a lively narrative of his expen 

 ences and observations in " Berlin." 

 mann portrays " Life in Paris." Several ii 

 esting autobiographical works have appeared 

 as also a goodly number of new books 

 travel. In philosophy C. Lange furnishes 

 work of real value, showing the connecti( 

 the emotions with the physiological altera 



