by those who have themselves closely followed it in the past, and the rise of a lyric poetry whose aim is to be the exponent of the miseries of the wretched. Hence academic poetry with its fixed poetic systems is falling into disuse, and it is not possible to save it. Upon its ruins is rising a new type of lyric poetry, devoting itself to otiose meanderings. The first fact need occasion nothing but rejoicing; the second should warn us to advance somewhat circumspectly. Since a young poetess, Ada Negri, with the true poetic instinct, strong and original, has carried a generous wrath into glowing verses, too many have thought themselves to be inspired by the social muse; but its notes are harsh and sombre. No longer do we see the old-fashioned Arcadia with its piping shepherds, but another type of Arcadia—perhaps a less pleasing one—with its oppressed and its barricades."
Among novels we are especially asked to note Signer Praga's "La Biondina," Signer de Rossi's "Mai d'Amore," Signer Farina's "Amore Bugiarda," Signer Mambrini's "A Bordo," and Signora Serao's "Castigo." In miscellaneous literature, Signora Beri's "In Calabria," Senatore Pasolini's "Caterina Sforza," Signer Centelli's "Caterina Cornaro e il Sue Regno," and Signer Carducci's "La Storia del Giorno di Giuseppe Parini," seem to be particularly noteworthy.
Señor Riaño leads off his discussion of contemporary Spanish letters with some remarks upon the books called forth by the Columbus centenary. Among these we note "Autógrafos de Cristobal Colon y Papeles de America," a volume of original documents published by the Duchess of Berwick and Alba, and Señor Asensio's "Fuentes Históricas Sobre Colon y America." The writer thus concludes the Columbus section of his article:
"To end with this topic, which is becoming rather tedious, I may conclude by saying that two important points have been gained: one is that it is almost certain that Columbus's birthplace was Savona; the other that Amerigo Vespucci never thought of giving, or pretended to give, his own name to the new continent discovered by Columbus, but that it was entirely the fault of those who drew the first charts of the discovered continent."
We are also told of the Congress of Americanists assembled last October at Huelva, and of the linguistic studies stimulated by that gathering. There has been of late a considerable revival in Spain of interest in Arabic studies, as the following paragraph will show:
"For some time past my countrymen seem to have arrived at the conviction that the study of the Oriental languages, and principally of the Magrebi or Western Arabic, is not only indispensable for the complete knowledge of the national annals, but also useful in view of Spain's mercantile and political relations with Morocco. Hence it is that the number of chairs or professorships at the universities has been increased; that manuscripts have been bought at Tunis, Algiers, and elsewhere; and that numerous publications are daily being made on the history and geography of Mohammedan Spain. I scarcely need call your readers' attention to the collection of Hispano-Arab historians which the learned Professor of Arabic at the University of Madrid is now continuing, and the eighth volume of which, containing the text of Ebu Alfaradhí, a writer of the fourteenth century of our era, has just appeared. Under the title of 'Estudios sobre la Invasion de los Arabes en España,' Saavedra (Don Eduardo) has published what may be rightly denominated a luminous essay on the invasion of Spain by the Moors."
In belles-lettres, nothing of special importance has appeared during the year, unless we accord that distinction to "Mariana" and "Dolores," two comedies by Señor Echegaray.
M. Paul Fredericq's Belgian article opens as follows:
"The two principal events in the annals of French literature in Belgium during the last twelve months are the republication of the 'Légende d'Uylenspiegel' of the late Charles de Coster, and the production at Paris of the 'Pelléas et Mélisaude' of M. Maurice Maeterlinck."
Other works deemed worthy of special mention are M. Nautet's "Histoire des Lettres Beiges d'Expression Française," M. Eekhoud's "Au Siècle de Shakespeare," M. Kurth's "L'Histoire Poétique des Mérovingiens," the conclusion of "L'Œuvre de P. P. Rubens," by M. Rooses, and the conclusion of the "Cours d'Histoire Nationale," by Mgr. Namèche. Of the latter work we read:
"The twenty-ninth and last volume of Mgr. Nameche's great 'Cours d'Histoire Nationale' has just made its appearance, although the author died, at the age of eighty-two, in January last. This volume stops at the year 1804, and deals with the history of Belgium under the Consulate. The first volume of this vast and scholarly composition was published forty years ago."
Among books written in the Flemish language, the writer gives the place of first importance to M. van Zuylen's "De Belgische Taalwetten Toegelicht," a work "designed to furnish an account of the laws on the official use of the two national languages." The death of Laveleye has been the great loss of the year in Belgian letters.
From Holland, Mr. Taco H. de Beer writes to inform us that "there is a dreadful monotony about the middle-class Dutchman and about the ordinary society of the Dutch East Indies, which form the staple materials of our novelists." The successes in Dutch fiction have been "Eene Illusie," by Mr. Couperus, "Johannes Viator," by Mr. van Eeden, and "De Brederos," a historical novel by Professor Jan ten Brink. Among plays, "Petrus Dathenus," by Mr. Hoogewerf, and "Het Goudvischje,"
