THE
VIA1~0RIAN Fae et Spera
VOLUME 26
JUNE, 1909
NUMBER. 9
LITERARY LOSSES OF A YEAR
J. W.
Mlaguilie, 'og.
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INCE the publication of the last Senior number of the Viatorian the dread companion of T 'i me has thrice entered the garden of literature, and plucked the three fairest flowers that grew: therein___,Algernon s Swinburne, George M·e redith, and FranCJis · Marion Crawford-leaving the garden desolat·e of anything but a few wild ·flowers and rank w·eeds. For some years we have listened to the lament of literary critics that there is no literature today, and that all the great wizards of the pen were dead, but this was hardly true while, at any rate the first two of thes·e three were alive, for they have surely earned a niche in the Hall of Literary Fame. They flourished in the nineteenth century, and added their brightness to the glorious br.iiriance of that golden age, whrich gave to the world SheUey, Byron, Tennyson, Thackeray, D'i ckens, E1liot, Cole11idge, Browning and others. There seems to be little doubt that if Swinburne and Meredith had not had the misfortune of coming just after some, and of being the contemporaries of others of thes·e great lritt'Tary geniuses, I have mentioned, they would more quickly and easily have gained fame, and would not have suffer;ed as much as they have through unfavorable comparison ,w jth these writers. The year, however, cannot be allowed to pass, without som·e little appreciation of their work, and a certain attempt to localize it in the realm of letters. If we accept the definlitions of prose and poetry, as given by Coleridge, namely, that prose is words. in the best order and poetry is the best words in the best ord.er, the place of honor belongs to poetry, so it will be proper to speak of Swinburne first as he was the poet of this tnio. Of him we can say-:~---''The last great Englishman is low" so fa·r as the poets are concerned, for