Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-10-22
SUNNY SPAIN.
A BRIEF HISTORICAL REVIEW oP TEE
LITERATURE OF SPAIN.
Why It's Originality Declined-The Re-
vival OF This Day-The Best Writers
of the Past and the Present.

why It's OrISlnalltY Oecllneu-Tne h6-
vival OF This Day-The Best Writers
of the Past and the Present.
NADIA deja In vida TRANSITIONAL
Del que pass sin honor nj fama,
Pues Sc srasforma en- polvo su nemoria
Y es NADIA Ell polyo en- Ia epopeya hunana-
Solo tn deias tn Ira planidera
Nos legara acento dolorido,
Que tn memorial bara impereceders,
forque ell Genio jamas baja al divide.
la. Silva.
A wrong impression is still prevalent
among many people that Spain never pos
sessed literature worthy of the name !;
that her only good work, containing the
critic of all the rest, was Don Quixote.
A study of Spanish literature, however,
proves the fallacy of such an idea. Spain
has produced numerous writer's. who have
furnished large number of remarkable
works; and if she has borrowed from
other nations, she has also given them
models worthy OF imitation. Viewed as
whole, Spanish literature may be divided
into four periods, two of which
represent its original development.
The first is that of the Middle Ages. with
its essays of epopee, it's brilliant roman
Zero, its hroaicles and soon after its didac
tic poetry. It's duration was from the
twelfth to the sixteenth century. The
second period, embracing the sixteenth
-, ! AZ, rx-<ok ~ ,1ort;n, of &ba uavanfaanth
century, shows blooming state of the
literary genius of Spain in every direction.
Then came period Of torpor and sterility,
which fills entirely the sixteenth century.
The nineteenth century manifests move
ment of revival tending to procure
for Spain an honorable place among ad.
vanced nations. The early invasion of the
Arabs, with their
LOVE OF POETRY,
History and philosophical speculations, ex-
erted beneficial influence upon the van
auished descendants of the Goths, who, being
intrenched in the mountains of Asturla,
were greatly their interiors IN intellect and
culture. The Moors spread their scientific
knowledge, their oriental spirit and their
chivalrous customs over q great portion OF
Spain and even after the fall of Granada,
their last stronghold. and their retreat
from the territory, they left an impression
which has never been entirely oblitsrated,
Side by side heroic or romantic poetry,
called Romancero, and religious poetry
were the first successful attempts of Span
ish literature. Ferdinand Ill took the
growth of arts and sciences under his pro-
lection new and learned style, didaetic
poetry, was introduced. Alphonso X
following the example Of his father in this
civilizing work, tried to hberate the Span
ish language from foreign yoke. Sancho
w., Alphonso XI. and John II. OF Castillo
took an active part in the progress OF their
national literature. Prose and romance
were also cultivated in that first period.
Prominent among the old and romantic
chronicles is the chronicle of Don Roderic
and the destruction of Spain. 1t gives an
account of King Roderic's reign, of the
conquest of the country by the Moors and
the first attempts to recover 1t, IN the be.
ginning of the eighth century. Then came
the religious romances of chivalry and the
religious drama, followed by the Celestina
and Cancioneros. The secular drama was
inaugurated by Juan de la Enzina, the
founder of the Spanish theater. De Torres
Naharro, his follower, deserves special
mention as dramatist. Don Enrique de
Vlllena, son of Fernando l., King OF Ara
gon, distinguished himself in the fifteenth
century through his erudition and
LEARNED STYLE
OF wiring this, however, was rather un-
fortunate for, being considered a sorcerer,
the Kings confessor at his death threw
into the fire nearly all his writings without
even reading them. a poet attached to
Villena was Macias ell Enamorado. or
Macias the Lover, name which he earned
through his amorous disposition. Indis-
cretions in his love affairs sent him to
prison, where he was assassinated by an
outraged husband.
The poet Lopez de Mendoza deSautillana,
a contemporary of both and friend OF
ViiIena was held in high estimation at the
court of Castillo Another writer bearing
a proud name and enjoying the friendship
of John IL was Fernan Perez de Guzman.
He was at the same time warrior, poll
tician and literary man. AS a historian
of note figured about the same time Fer
nando del Pulgar. Brought up at court
and at first Secretary to Henry ". of
France, he became Secretary and counselor
to Ferdinand and Isabella, and exerted
considerable influence in his time. In this
first period we find
A WHOLE FAMILY OF POETS,
The Manriques-Pedro, Rodrigo, Gomez
and Jorge. These lines are from Jorge
Manrique
Our lives are rivers, gliding free
To that unfsthomed, boundless sea,
The silent grave,
Thither all earthly pemp ana boast
Roll, 10 be swallowed up and lost
In one dark wave.
Thither the mighty torrents stray,
Thither the brook pursues its way,
And tinkling rill.
There all are equal. Side by side
The poor man and the son Of pride
Lie calm and still.
Translation from coplas.
Away, malignant, cruel world,
With sin and sorrow rife
seek the meeker, wiser way
That leads to heavenly life.
Thy fatal pOisons here we drink
Lured by their savors sweet,
Though, lurking in our flowery path,
The serpent wounds our feet.
Away with thy deceitful snares.
Which all too late fl -
l. who, coward, followed thee
Till MY last years are nigh;
Til thy most strange, revolving sins
Force me to turn from thee,
And Dive me forth 10 seek repose,
Thy service hard to flee.
Away with all thy wickedness,
And all thy heartess toll,
Where brother, to his brother false,
Ia tFeachery seeks for spoil =
Dead IS all charity in thee,
All good in thee is dead;
seek port where from thy storm
To hide my weary head.-lTranslation
DURING THE SECOND PERIOD
The destiny of Spain was greatly enlarged
the reunion of the crowns of Aragon and
Castillo, and the discovery of America.
had brought power and riches. Under
Philip IL Spain possessed fourishing colo
MES, and was master of Portugal, the
Kingdom of Sicily and the Netherlands.
L at;,rih,r ,r.ne en1,nl 70 This new and