THE NECROLOGY OF 1877.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5308, 30 March 1878, Page 6 (Supplement)

THE NECROLOGY OF 1877.

(From the New York iVation, January 10.) Necrologically speaking, 1877 has been generally treated by the Press as an “offyear and doubtless the sudden quenching of splendid names has been more striking and impressive in former years. Among rulers, the Queen of Netherlands was the only one of note who died in the midst of her reign, unless we except Brigham Young and his imperium in imperio. Thiers seemed to lose a possible return to power together with his life, but we can now rejoice that the opportunity did not come, and perceive how well able France was to spare kirn, even in the gravest of crises. The death of Rosas, the Gaucho dictator of Buenos Ayres, in exile in England, was as great a surprise as that of the forgotten Abbd Sieyhs to his contemporaries (or, as we might more fitly say, his posterity). The list of departed statesmen is certainly not brilliant, nor was he the greatest whose death was really of the most political importance, Indiana’s Favorite Son, Senator Morton; The better part of French politics could sincerely regret the loss of MM. Ernest Picard and Alexandre GlaisBizoin ; the worser part could hardly mourn M. Drouyn de Lhuys. Agitators like Dr. Johann Jacoby and George Odger will be variously classed, but they at least helped to raise questions which statesmen had to settle. No soldier of undying renown passed away, shough the list includes a veteran of many generations, Field-Marshal You Wrangel, and Generals Von Steinmetz, Ohangarnier, and D’Anrelle de Paladines ; in this country, the Confederate General Forrest, of unsavoury memory. Rear-Admiral Sir Edward Belcher, of the naval dead,' is sure of being long remembered, by Arctic preservation, as we may say. Rear-Admiral Wilkes left his mark “ under the frozen serpent of the South,”, and had peculiar claims to a pretty far-reach-ing notoriety in connection with the history of the rebellion. His associates, Rear-Ad-mirals Alden, Bailey, Davis, and Goldsborougb, had each a lustre of their own, but must sooner be forgotten. Admiral Semmes, on the other hand, may vie with Wilkes in remembrance.

Two journalists of the first rank, Francois Buloz and Walter Bagehot, the one mainly an editor, the other mainly a writer, adorn the necrology of 1877. Nor is the roll of authors insignificant, especially if we name Thiers again in this class. By a curious coincidence the Frenchman who did most to foster the Imperial legend died in the same year with tho Frenchman who did most to uproot it— Pierre Lanfrey, the lamented historian of Napoleon I. Spain lost Fenian Caballero, whose skill as a novelist was ecpialled by her mediaeval obscurantism ; Denmark, the poet Winther ; Sweden, her greatest living poet, Johan Ludvig Runeberg ; Germany, the Anglo-Saxon scholar, Grein; Russia, the erudite Joseph Bodianski, the ardent Slav antiquarian, and Anthony Mukhlinski, the eminent Orientalist. Among English-speaking writers, the fame of our own Motley will be most enduring; but neither Edmund Quincy nor Lorenzo Sabine will be quickly forgotten, being also historians, each of his own kind. Unique, too, was John S. C. Abbott. An interesting period in our revolutionary history—the intervention of France—had been only partially treated by Thomas Batch when his labors were brought to a sudden close. In England, Julia Kavanagh, the late lingering Lady Stirling Maxwell (Mrs. Norton), and Samuel Warren will not be missed from the ranks of active literary producers. Metaphysical writers of distinction were Alexander Bain, Tayler Lewis, and Henry B. Smith. Authors, too, were Arabroise-Firmin Didot and William Longman, and these, with Fletcher Harper, represent well the great publishing interests of their respective countries. In science Le Vender's name leads all the rest; but Philip Carpenter and John G. Anthony, conchologists, and F. B. Meek, palaeontologists, wanted neither ardor nor ability in their several fields, and with them, if of a somewhat lower rank, James Orton should be mentioned and remembered. Art has lost Gustave Courbet, tho painter, who led in the destruction of the Venddme column, and Margaret Foley, a meritorious Boston sculptor and cameo-cutter. The stage loses, of playwrights, Philip Edward Devrient, the Viennese Moaenthal, and Theodore Barrifere ; of actors, Matilda Heron, E. L. Davenport, and Edwin Adams ; and singers, Titiens ; of critics, John Oxenford, A great inventor, Fox Talbot, for ever to be associated with the discovery of photography, also takes a high rank among scientists and scholars; Ross Winans and R. P. Parrott, inventor of the gun which hears his name, were America’s losses in this class. Americans, too, were those geniuses of enterprise, Henry Meiggs and Cornelias Vanderbilt ; while James Brown and Moses H. Grinnell won a more legitimate distinction in commerce and exchange. Two philanthropists, Robert Dale Owen and Mary Carpenter, and one prelate, Cardinal Sforza, conclude our list without completing it.