76 



JReport on General Literature. 



To enter more particularly into the subject, we find, that 

 during the year, we have suffered largely in the loss of 

 men of genius. In England, there have fallen from the 

 ranks Dean Alford, whose labors, though in a modest field 

 and of a critical nature and addressed to the understanding 

 of only a few, were yet of value to the world ; and Charles 

 Dickens, whose writings were for the million, and who 

 needs not now any especial artistic examination, it being 

 sufficient to remember that, though his genius may of late 

 years have been upon the wane, enough excellence remained 

 to continue him in his honored position, at the head of all 

 living novelists. From French literature we notice the 

 loss of Prevost Paradlo, one of the soundest critics and 

 thinkers of the day ; and Alexander Dumas, whose pecu- 

 liar genius none can question, however much some may 

 be disposed to object to the style or tendency of his writing. 

 Other nations have also sustained their losses in literature, 

 of course more to their injury than our own, since we are 

 generally so comparatively unfamiliar with the treasures of 

 most other languages ; yet eventually our loss also, as the 

 process of translation and retranslation tends to make of 

 the culture of all people, one universal property in brother- 

 hood, and, to replace these losses, few men of especial 

 mark have made their appearance. Certainly, no great 

 genius has anywhere developed himself, making us aware 

 of his existence by one flash of brillancy ; while, if, in the 

 meantime, of those whom we already possess, there may 

 be some who, during the year, have been steadily climb- 

 ing into a more startling and enduring fame, their progress 

 has been so gradual, that, as yet, we do not recognize it ; 

 and their increase of reputation has certainly not proved 

 sufficient to recompense us for those of whom from time 

 to time we have been so suddenly deprived. 



If this balance of loss were only the accidental misfortune 

 of one year, which could be recompensed to us during the 



