P. 431, c. 2—“Belles lettres,” bel-lĕt´ter. The French for polite learning, including history, philology, poetry, criticism, and language; the humanities.
P. 431, c. 2—“Runeberg,” run´e-berg.
P. 431, c. 2—“Romantic era.” That period in the history of literature in which the materials were drawn from the stories of the Middle Ages, and from imagination. The ideal in distinction from the real was treated, the beautiful and not the base, the fantastical and wonderful rather than the practical and common. The name was first used in Germany. Tieck and the Schlegels are considered the founders of this school. An essay translated from Heine, and published by Henry Holt & Co., gives a masterly analysis of the “romantic school.”
P. 431, c. 2—“Realistic.” A school of literature holding principles contrary to the romantic school. They contend that nature must be followed in all cases and things represented exactly as they are. Many of our first writers have followed these principles, though many have treated life as though the only real part were the vice and misery. The realistic school claims strength as its chief characteristic, that is, a direct expression of facts and passions unchanged by fancies or culture.
P. 431, c. 2—“Nadeschda,” nä-desch´da.
P. 431, c. 2—“Fjalar,” fyä´lar.
P. 431, c. 2—“Wirsén,” vir-sain´.
P. 431, c. 2—“Snoilsky,” snoil´ski.
P. 431, c. 2—“Viktor Rydberg,” vick´tor rid´berg.
P. 431, c. 2—“Kalevála,” kä-le-vä´la.