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THE LITERATURE OF THE YEAR.

Foremost among the other enduring literature of the year we must place the great work of Mr. Darwin, "On the Expression of the Emotions in Men and Animals." The book is of itself, and as regards its immediate subject, a distinct contribution both to the literature of the emotions and science of human nature. But perhaps its greatest scientific value is derived from the new and very powerful support it brings to Mr. Darwin's theories of the genesis of man. As embodying the researches of many years the new work is quite worthy to take its place in the series of Mr. Darwin's works on the Theory of Natural Selection, the argument of which it takes up from a new stand point and completes. In History we can record nothing which can be said to occupy a foremost place. Contributions towards history, monographs on interesting points, polemical dealing with great historic themes, we have noticed in their time and place; but no work of the year stands out above the crowd sufficiently to be marked as a feature in the retrospect. Nor can we note any really great book in the other serious departments of literature. If great theologians are among us, they have done nothing great. Philosophy has almost confined itself to pamphlets; and Mr. Darwin's book, named above, is the only considerable contribution to the literature of science which really belongs to the year. […]