LITERATURE, CONTINENTAL. 



LOUISIANA. 



443 



Nibbles"; A. Martin, in his " La Extraviada," 

 etc. Novel writing is largely practiced, and 

 seems to be on the increase. Don Luis Alfon- 

 so's stories represent the beastly proclivities of 

 the Zola French school. Don Baltasar Ortez 

 de Zarate has published "Los do Gumia," 

 lauded by the critics for its ability, but yet of 

 very doubtful moral tendency. Dofia E. P. 

 Bazan, noted last year for her contributions, 

 has not produced any new work. The sixth 

 volume of Don Jose M. de Pareda's collected 

 works has been issued, under the title "Types 

 and Landscapes"; Pareda is generally acknowl- 

 edged to be a consummate artist. Other names 

 of less note we pass by. Philology has made 

 some advance, and Seflor Echegaray has un- 

 dertaken to compile an etymological diction- 

 ary of the Spanish language. Two parts have 

 already appeared. At Barcelona the issue of 

 new books illustrated by native artists is on 

 the increase. In addition to two more vol- 

 umes of the " Espafta Monumental " (that 

 splendid work noted in former records), there 

 have been issued Puiggara's " Monografie del 

 Traje," Sala's "Nuevas Fabulas," with one 

 hundred and forty etchings, Cardenas's "El 

 Arte en la Sociedad," and Ixart's "El Afio 

 Passado, Letras y Artes en Barcelona." In 

 general literature Zuloaga's treatise, "La Nue- 

 vas Ciencia Penal," treats with critical acumen 

 of the genesis of the new school, crime and the 

 criminal, punishment and trial. Seflor Rubira 

 has undertaken to prepare a series of biograph- 

 ical studies of selected eminent public men, and 

 Sefior Rahola has made a useful contribution to 

 Spanish political economy in the sixteenth and 

 seventeenth centuries. A collection of inedited 

 poetry, chiefly satirical, has been made by 

 Bartolome and Lupercio Argendolas. The 

 critics regard it as an admirable help to the 

 study of manners and customs in the first half 

 of the seventeenth century. 



Sweden. Literature in Sweden during 1887 

 presents much the same general characteristics 

 as were noted in last year's records. Strind- 

 berg, the representative of the Zola carnalistic 

 school, and a thorough pessimist, has not pro- 

 duced much, for the significant and sufficient 

 reason that no publisher dares to print such 

 books as he is in the habit of writing. One of 

 his works, entitled "The Father," has been 

 dramatized and put upon the stage by the 

 author himself. Two of the best novels of the 

 year are "Marianne," by Ernst Ahlgren, and 

 "Autumn Storms," by Mathilda Ross. Women, 

 it may be noted, show themselves to be spe- 

 cially active in literature in Sweden. Besides 

 Frederika Bremer and others who are known 

 to Americans, a younger generation is making 

 its mark, such as Mrs. Agrell, Mrs. Benedixon, 

 Amalia Fahlstedt, Mrs. Edgren, Hilma Strind- 

 berg, etc. A. Fahlstedt has published a col- 

 lection of stories called "Ears and Straw"; 

 Hilma Strindberg, in her book "From the 

 "West," describes life and manners in the west- 

 ern part of Sweden. Georg Nordesvan, a 



writer of some note, has brought out a volume 

 of short stories, entitled "Amusements," and 

 G. af Geijerstam, in general of the Strindberg 

 school, has published two stories, "Until 

 Further Notice," and "Pastor Hallin." F. 

 Hedberg is credited with a large volume, in 

 which is described life in Stockholm and its 

 surroundings. His majesty, King Oscar, has 

 issued a new edition of his poems and speeches, 

 and Count Snoilsky has made a charming col- 

 lection of poems under the title "Swedish 

 Pictures." A. Ahnfelt (noted last year) has 

 brought to a completion his work on the art- 

 ists of Europe. The " Swedish Encyclopedia " 

 is nearly finished, Vol. XI having recently 

 been published. A. Nystrom, the eminent 

 philosopher, has brought out Vol. .II of his 

 valuable "General History of Culture." Two 

 or three works of travel may be mentioned in 

 conclusion: S. Hedin's "Journey in Persia, 

 Mesopotamia, and the Caucasus"; C. Boval- 

 lins's " Travels in Central America " ; and 

 Vol. I of P. Moller's " Three Years in Congo." 



LOUISIANA. State Government. The following 

 were the State officers during the year : Gov- 

 ernor, Samuel D. McEnery, Democrat ; Lieu- 

 tenant-Governor, Clay Knobloch ; Secretary of 

 State, Oscar Arroyo; Auditor, Ollie B. Steele ; 

 Treasurer, Edward A. Burke ; Attorney-Gen- 

 eral, Milton J. Cunningham; Superintendent 

 of Public Education, Warren Easton ; Register 

 of Lands, J. L. Lobdell; Commissioner of 

 Agriculture, Thompson J. Bird ; Commissioner 

 of Immigration, W. H. Harris ; Chief- Justice 

 of the Supreme Court, Edward Bermudez ; 

 Associates, Felix P. Poche, Robert B. Todd, 

 Lynn B. Watkins, and Charles E. Fenner. 



Finances. The consolidated debt of the State, 

 bearing 4 per cent, interest, amounts to over 

 $15,000,000, and is constantly increasing, as, 

 in the absence of any provision to meet accru- 

 ing interest, it is paid by further borrowing. 

 The bonds constituting this debt are quoted at 

 85. In addition to these there is another class 

 of bonds, called "baby-bonds," amounting to 

 over $1,400,000, on which interest has been 

 unpaid for some time. Another increase in 

 the debt is produced by an excess of annual 

 appropriations over the revenues for the past 

 four years. For 1884 there are unpaid war- 

 rants outstanding to the amount of $104,212 ; 

 for 1885, $162,980 ; for 1886, $218,148; and a 

 larger sum for 1887. This unfavorable show- 

 ing is made in spite of the fact that the rate of 

 taxation 6 mills is higher than in any other 

 Southern State, except Alabama, and that the 

 assessed valuation is constantly increasing, 

 being over $217,000,000 for 1887, or $4,000,- 

 000 in excess of 1886. 



Education. The public-school system of the 

 State is acknowledged to be inefficient. Al- 

 though the number of attendants is increasing, 

 the additions do not keep pace with the growth 

 of the school population. Instruction is given 

 on an average about four months in the year, 

 in inadequate and ill-equipped buildings. The 



