The times., 1899-11-26
Spanish Influence on England.

Spanish Influence oH England.
Spanish Literature in the England Of
the Tudors' by John Garrett UnderhfI,
Viii prove interesting TO students of Eng
Iish literature in its formative period. and
il may surprise many OF the readers Of
this work TO discover how great an infu-
enee spain had upon English writer's o. this
tine. The aim Of the author is to deter
mine the place which the literature OF Spain
and Portugal occupied in the minds and
lives OF English writer's previous to the
death Of Elizabeth. It is not claimed that
the bibIiography at the close Of the book
Is complete, fer many Spanish books of
the time exist only in rare copies.
Mr. Uuderhiu points out that the num-
Der Of Spanish books circulated in England
was absolutely dependent upon the course
OF politics and commerce All through
the century Immediately following the dis
eovery Of America, spain was the pioneer
in exploration and commercial develop
ment. as she had been, through the wea th
and power OF the MOOrs. centre o. intel
lectual development II was natural,
therefore, that many books Of travel yalu-
able 10 English merchants and seafaring
men should be written in Spanish or at
any rate by Spanish authors; and
such books had a wide circulation
In England. The other factor in
the case was the political ALI
snce between the two countries which
existed during the lifetime Of Mary Tudor
and had existed for some time before tnat
This furnished the aristocratic as the other
gave the plebeian reason for the influx Of
Spanish literature in England. The au-
thor says Of this:
The Spanish books which were familiar in Eng
land during the sixteenth century were either oi
an occasional and didactlc character ~ purely
literary in their nature. The more pracucai Iub-
hcatiuns pTepcuderatcd greatly. The achieve
Tueuts of Gouzalo de Cordoba and Charles Y, Of
Cortes and Pizauo, arrested the gaze oi all Eu-
rope Ii was but natural that England which
was not only vitality interested in the progress Of
the Spanish vans IN the eastern and western
hemispheres but dependent for her knowledge Of
the peninsula upon men q action 90 whom they
were living topics OF Thought should give her
attention 10 q story Of discovery and conquest
UnequaIed in wonder in the annals of the past.
The book marts Of London were consequently filled
with an assortment Of bTJadsIdes, tracts, and
pamphlets, whose purpose was 10 convey inioTma-
ti0n about Portugal and Spain. They were writ
ten IN verse as wei as in prose ana since they
were derived from many sources, both native and
foreign approached their subjects from many
points % view. II was their function 10 gather
and record everything In the contemporary his
tory Of the peursJIlar States which possessed any
interes1 for the EBglishman. and also 20 repeat
his opinions upon the great international struggle
then taking place. Their Office was. therefore.
that Of the modern newspaper. An adequate ac-
count of the tracts issued by London printers 10
satisfy popular curiosity concerning spain would
be history q The foreign relations OF Eliza
bethan England.
But the mere dissemination OF informa-
tion Of this kind was but small part Of
the influence which Spain had upon the
development of English literature Nor
did this influence come through strictly lit
erary channels. The Italians had a much
greater sway than the Spanish authors in
this respect, for much Of English literature
in the Elizabethan age was modelled di-
rectly on Italian masterpieces. The real
strength Of Spanish thought as eXeTted in
the development of England was of Q diff
feronr character. and the condition of
things is well described by Mr. Underhill
in one Of the latter chapters Of his book.
de says:
L was the long wars Of spain upon the CONT
neut and against the Turk. ler daring in the
wilderness n America, and her enterprise in The
inLmemCrial cities Of India and CatHay, thar
crowned her banners with glory. Her power TO
Do iDdubitably developed and demonstrated her
greatness. for her achievement was most certain
and her influence mos profound In the practical
sphere. Hence il was thar her stafesmeu and her
ccurtlerS. her soldiers and her sailors. Do IA
Tniliarizing England with themselves. taught her
Truly the best lessons that Spain could teach
fhey preceded the poets and scholars Of their
country iu alien lands ID was through
actual contact. through the association Of man
with man. through the immediate dissemination
a its methods and its imperial ideals. and not
Through ils books, that Spain quickeued the
nerve and stIhened the fibre ri The English ma
ton.
In short. Mr.. Underhill points out that
gTo nations having something IN common
tith one another as regards national char
acter, both rich both powerful, both ad-
venturous and practical yet possessing a
strong vein Of idealism. and placed in q
position Of rivalry. could not fail 10 infu-
euce one another and that IN this case the
Spanish strength served 10 neutralize the
Trench lightness and the Italian sensuOus
weakness, as these c0uuteraCted the TN
formed crudity OF the native Anglo-SaXon
There was much that was sturdy and strong
IN the Spaniard in the sixteenth century,
though his strength often became cruelty
and his thrift rapacity. Coming in contact
with a nation not yet come TO its full
glory, superior 10 that nation in advan-
tages OF education and wealth, owing 10
the long prestige of the Moor in intellec-
tUal matters and the Spanish Jew in
finance, the Spaniard could not fail to leave
his imprint on the developing life OF the
nation and this is what the author Of the
present book seeks to portray. tNeW York:
The Macmillan Company 81