LITERATURE, CONTINENTAL, IN 1899. 



451 



contemporary German life"); and Beitriige zur 

 amerikanischen Litteratur- und Kulturgeschichte 

 (1898), by E. P. Evans (written in clear, idiomatic 

 German, and with an American's knowledge of 

 the subject). Goethe literature has been increased 

 by an Anderweite Folge of W. v. Biedermann, 

 noteworthy Goethe-Forschungen; Felicie Ewart's 

 Goethe's Vater: Eine Studie ("well meant; well 

 written") ; And. Fischer's Goethe und Napoleon; 

 Ueber das Pathologische bei Goethe, by P. J. 

 Mobius, a noted neuropath; and other mono- 

 graphs. The problems of the modern stage are 

 discussed in Hans Sittenberger's Studien zur 

 Dramaturgic der Gegenwart; Erste Reihe: Das 

 dramatische Schaff'en in Oesterreich (thorough, 

 clear, and interesting) ; E. Zofoel's Zur modernen 

 Dramaturgic: Studien und Kritiken iiber das 

 auslandische Theater (best in characterization of 

 actors) ; Edgar Steiger's delicately appreciative 

 but rather enthusiastic Das Werden des neuen 

 Dramas; and Max Banner's Das franzosische 

 Theater der Gegenwart (a trustworthy guide). 

 In Das litterarische Miinchen, both portraits and 

 text are by Paul Heyse. J. v. Widmann gives 

 charming descriptions of travel in Sommerwan- 

 derungen und Winterfahrten. 



The. long list of fiction proves much activity 

 on the part of the older writers, from whom 

 we have Das Wanderbuch, a dramatic story, by 

 the late Georg Ebers; the late Theo. Fontane's 

 Der Stechlin (product of a ripe mind of unim- 

 paired power; a picture of the author's beloved 

 Brandenburg; almost no action, but "a book 

 of the most intimate charm ") ; F. Spielhagen's 

 Herrin (story of an emancipated Jewess, who 

 strives for business and social success; the au- 

 thor's strongest novel, according to some; not 

 equal to his best, according to others) ; Der Sohn 

 seines Vaters und andere Novellen (not remark- 

 able), by Paul Heyse (a subtle psychologist in 

 the solution of his always interesting problems; 

 maintains his dignity even when dealing with 

 equivocal subjects) ; A. Wilbrandt's Vater Rob- 

 inson (characterization excellent, as always; 

 somewhat unlikely story, but well invented; di- 

 dactic) and Der Sanger; W. Raabe's Hasten- 

 beck (story of the Seven Years' War; signs of 

 decreasing power, though the old humor and " joy 

 in pure hearts " are still there) ; Wilhelm Jen- 

 sen's Die Sehnsucht: Drei Novellen (remarkable 

 inventiveness, wealth of moods; among author's 

 best works), Eine Sommermondnacht, and Luv 

 und See ("mood pictures" of the sea); E. Eck- 

 stein's not remarkable Die Klosterschiilerin : 

 Roman aus der Gegenwart; J. Wolff's Der Lands- 

 knecht von Cochem; E. Wichert's Vom alten 

 Schlage (1898; old school; healthy; not exactly 

 important) ; and P. Rosegger's charmingly fresh 

 Idyllen aus einer untergehenden Welt. Further 

 novels and short stories which have been more 

 or less favorably received by the critical journals 

 of Germany are Anton v. PerfalPs Die Sonne 

 (second edition; conventional, but effective 

 through skillful construction and a certain verve 

 in writing) and Das Goldherz; Arthur Schnitzler's 

 Die Frau des Weisen : Novelletten ; Paul Lindau's 

 Agent (thrilling account of a criminal case; of 

 no literary importance) ; G. v. Ompteda's Philister 

 iiber dir! Pas Leiden eines Kunstlers; Gah- 

 rungen: Aus dem Leben unserer Zeit, by F. Ser- 

 vaes (good modern observative art; striving after 

 special expression often results in a wretched 

 mannerism) ; Montblanc, by R. Stratz (sensation- 

 al; lively description); Adalbert Meinhardt's 

 Still-Leben (" atmosphere of hallowed medita- 

 tion") ; L.Jacobowski'sLold. Roman eines Gottes 

 (fantastic fairy tale; one of the best works of re- 



cent times; mature); Wald: Novollo (socond edi- 

 tion), by W. v. Polcnz (strong ell'oct without mod- 

 ern raftincmcnt) ; Karen: Kino Syltcr Gcschichtc, 

 by G. Mengs (plain, unconventional) ; Das Frsiu- 

 lein von Villanders: Roman aus der Zcit des 

 Erzherzogs Ferdinand II, by Arthur von Uodank 

 (pseudonym of Count Arthur von Wolkenstein- 

 Rodenegg), who writes not without talent, but 

 in a certain light, dashing manner; Rainer Marie 

 Rilke's Am Leben hin (in a gray and chilly light) ; 

 Marco Brociner's Der neue Glaube; Baron Karl 

 Torresani's Steirische Schlosser (author more 

 serious than usual) ; O. v. Leitgeb's Psycho (fine, 

 clear, and truthful psychological delineation) ; 

 A. v. Klinckowstrom's clever Verlorene Liebes- 

 miih (Berlin local color) ; Franz Ferdinand Heit- 

 miiller's Tampete: Novellen (realistic delineation 

 coupled with tender poetic feeling) ; Walther Sieg- 

 fried's Um der Heimath Willen: Novelle (au- 

 thor abandons the standard of most modern art 

 for the older methods of Keller) ; R. Breden- 

 briicker's Keine Sommer ohne Wetter and Warim 

 der Hauser der Waebi nimmer zugeht (dialect; 

 genial humor; bright); Novellen vom Genfer See, 

 by C. E. Ries; Pater Maternus, by A. Hausrath 

 (George Taylor) ; and the usual group of pro- 

 ductions by women: Lou Andreas-Salome's Fe- 

 nitschka: eine Ausschweifung, and Menschen- 

 kinder (fine psychological analysis, especially of 

 female characters) ; Halbtier, by H. Bohlau (Frau 

 al Raschid Bey, an original intellect, who appar- 

 ently harms the cause of woman by her immature 

 style and exaggeration) ; Die Schuldnerin, by Ida 

 Boy-Ed, who belongs to those who represent, " if 

 not the most artistically valuable, yet, on the 

 whole, the most satisfactory result of the new 

 literary movement " ; Use Frapan's Die Betro- 

 genen (strong, but never offending realism), and 

 Wir Frauen haben kein Vaterland (simple, pa- 

 thetic story of a woman student) ; Goswina von 

 Berlepsch's Bergvolk: Novellen (fresh and natu- 

 ral) and Heimat: schweizer Novellen; A. v. 

 Gersdorff's Von Todes Gnaden (" smoothly and 

 skillfully written"); Clara Viebig's Es lebe die 

 Kunst (a "pure and pleasurable union of idea 

 and realism"); A. G. v. Suttner's Die Tscher- 

 kessen (characters well drawn, action stirring) ; 

 Bernhardine Schulze-Schmidt's Eiserne Zeit: Eine 

 Familiengeschichte aus den Befreiungskriegen 

 (" a good family novel ") ; Elisabeth Gnade's Sar- 

 koschin (a promising debut) ; Marie Janitschek's 

 Kreuzfahrer (mystical, sad) ; Hedwig Dohm's 

 Schicksale einer Seele (in the service of the eman- 

 cipation of woman) ; Emma v. Egidy's Marie- 

 Elise (praised by W. v. Polenz; tiresome, accord- 

 ing to Megede) ; Louise Schenck's Moderne Rom- 

 fahrt (truth and fiction; " thin and pale '') ; Marie 

 zur Megede's Liebe: Novellen (plain language, 

 easy progress of action) ; and Elisabeth Dauthen- 

 dey's Im Lebensdrange (a first appearance; well- 

 told story; pictures with the warmth of life). And 

 a few more works by authors with familiar 

 names, selected from the lengthy records: Max 

 Kretzer's Verbundene Augen; Jos. Joachim's Der 

 Herrenbauer: eine schweizerische Dorfgeschichte ; 

 C. v. Dincklage's Die Erbtochter und andere No- 

 vellen; W. Fischer's Grazer Novellen; W. Berger's 

 Von Gluck und Leid; Die Starkere, by Hs. v. 

 Zobeltitz; Alex Romer's Am Ziele; and new works 

 by S. Junghans, Hm. Heiberg, H. Hoffmann, H. 

 Schobert, K. Telmann, and A. Zapp. There is 

 not much poetry to speak of; a tendency toward 

 eccentricity is noticeable, and work of the first 

 order seems rare. Mention is deserved by Fried- 

 rich Adler's Neue Gedichte (sympathetic; out- 

 pouring of a feeling heart) ; K. Fiescher's Das 

 Balderspiel: Bin deutscher Weihgesang (good 



