In the period 1860-80 was formed the in fluential literary society Junitnea (Youth). Prior to the establishment of this society the art of writing had been carried on in rather an inconsequential manner, i.e., without restraint. Authors had had the liberty to write as they saw fit. There is no doubt that therein pro truded a grave danger. It had the effect of organizing factional or separatistic schools, as the Transylvanian, the Wallachian and the Moldavian. At the head of the conflicting forces stood Titu Maiorescu (1839-1917) as the spiritus rector of the Junimea (Jassy, Moldavia), and B. P. Hasdeu (Bucharest, Wallachia). B. J. Hasdeu (1838-1907), a poet, philosopher, historian and critic, was the editor of Columna lui Traian. He was aided by V. Urechia, a prolific writer and able historian, who was editor of Revista Contemporana.
In the field of pure literature during the second half of the 19th century were distin guished Al. Macedonski, poet and editor of Literatorul; Matilde Curler Poni (b. 1853) ; Veronica Miele (1853-89) • T. (b. 1839) ; A. Sihleanu (1834-57) and especially Mihail Eminescu (1849-89). The latter had a determining effect upon Rumanian literature, and knew how to express the most profound thoughts in a form which gave new life to the Rumanian language. The period in which Eminescu wrote and lived was characterized by the multiplicity of the sources of inspiration and the diversity of the kinds and groups of writers. Personal independence and perfection of form were features of the time, in which strove the conflicting forces of romanticism and popular literature on one side, and modern European literature on the other. C. Dobro geanu Gherea (b. 1853) showed himself to be a man of great talent who understood the various literary tendencies and foreign influences in his country. He is the critic who gave in theory the correct formula for the reconciliation of the form and the matter, and, in practice, the in dependence of the personal inspiration of the artist from the milieu. The ideas of Gherea were best represented and explained by J. Nadejde and V. G. Morzum, directors of the Contemporanul in Jassy.
However, the most notable name of this era was that of George Colibuc (b. 1866), a poet endowed with deep human feeling, with energy and a great love of nature. He spread respect for national tradition which he fused with the most audacious innovations, profoundly Ruma nian. He was without equal, a man of enormous activity and facility in composition and sup pleness of style. There could also be men tioned between Eminescu and Coabuc, Nicolae Volenti, Nicolae Beldiceanu(1844-96), and Alecsander Vlahula (b. 1858). The latter aided in establishing Emanescu's reputation, but the Transylvanian, Colbuc, almost outshone Emi nescu with his poems which were more thor oughly based upon the national ballads of the country. At present the two Transylvanians, Stefan Josif (d. 1913) and Octavian Goga, founder of the review Luceafarud (eThe Morn ing Star))) and, in Rumania proper, Alecsander Stavoi and H. Lucca, wrote in Colbuc's way.
Josif shows resemblances to Verlaine, and this new style has made that writer the bright young star in the firmament of Rumanian poesy. Helene Vacaresco and the Countess Mathieu de Noailles, as well as other members of the Rumanian nobility, write in French.
In fiction appear the names of Joan Ereanga (1837-89), Jacov Negruzzi (b. 1842), whose father Constantin Negruzzi (1806-66) was the well-known translator of Pushkin and Victor Hugo, and Joan Slavici (b. 1848), the lyrical story-writer. Other recognized authors of fiction are l)uiliu Zamfirescu (b. 1857) with his romance Country Life," Al. Vlahuta with his social novels which treat of modern Russia, Nicolae Ganea (b. 1840) who translated Dante, and Barbu Stefanescu (b. 1859) whose works, inspired by modern French literature, were published under the pseudonym of Dclvrancea. A. Odobescu created the Rumanian historical novel by his Voda' (1858) and (Doemna Kiajna) (1860). The modern short story was cultivated in Transylvania by Slavici, Jon Russu4irianul, Constantin Sandu and Mihail Sadovcanu. Occasionally Sadoveanu and Joan Ciocarlan revived the setting of old Rumania in their stories of the past. In gen eral the writing of romances, just as among the South Slays and Neo-Greeks, was given little attention. Authors as well as a public were equally absent. The pathological romance of Constantin Mille entitled (Dims (1880) was a result of the socialist wave; Vlahup wrote a romance concerning the woes of an idealist entitled (Dan); and Sofia Nadejde and George Adam tried the experiment of divorce stories.
The drama received but meagre treatment. The light pieces on contemporary life written by Alecsandri and Joan Luca Carageale (1853 1902), the Gogol of Rumanian literature, found their opposites in the heavier and more earnest plays of H. Lucca and R. Rosetti, which par took of French themes. Historical dramatic writings, which in the 70's and 80's appeared in great number, again entirely disappeared in the decades following. The modern Rumanian stage was supplied principally from France, just as that country also monopolized the theatre of the other Balkan nations.
Bibliography.— Gaster,
popu lara romans' (1883) ' • Murray, (Dolne, or the National Songs and Legends of Rumania) (1854); Vacaresco, (Rumanian Folk-songs' (1891); Pompilin, (Antologie romans' (1887) ; Adamescu,