The sun., 1919-11-02

Two books not included in the list
sbove have made a greater continent
tai name for Galdos than some which
are more highly esteemed in Spain.
They are "Nazarin" and "Misericor-
dia," admirable examples of a type OF
fiction represented to us by Tolstofs
Resurrection" In effect these Span
ish novels are more touching because
their heroes are poor, ignorant and
humble, who forget their own suffer
ings in the effort to relieve the suffer
ings of others. An equal popularity
was won by the last volume of the
National Episodes" where again no
scored by the timeliness of the book.
Tho title of this book is "Bodas
Reales' ("Royal Marriages'D, and it
came out about the time Of the un-
popular marriage Of the Princess Of
the Asturias, the Kings sister and at
that time a possible successor.
| Galdos Is a member of the Spanish
Academy and was once a member OF
the Cortes. He is pronounced radi-
cal in politics. His creed is thus eN-
pressed: THE one element Of truth is
the people in it's ignorance and inno-
cence; that is why 1t is the donkey
The novelist is intensely patriotic,
and while his partiality is for Spain as
a whole, without distinction of races
or languages, he has done something
in his national epic to stimulate the
pride of almost every city in the PENN
sula The social life and politics of
the capital are clearly indicated in his
stories and plays and the scandals, the
| eos l,n i0l-a oil GY7d
place there. He does not idealize, but
tries to present things and places as
they are. This. as we know, was and
is one Of the great sources of the
popularity of Cervantes. And, like his
! great master, Galdos rarely suffers
! himself to be tempted to take high
flights into the regions Of philosophy
and metaphysics. He presents to US
no complicated problems Of science
and religion, but contents himself with
the function of interpreting the past
life of the Spanish people for the bene-
fit of the new generation.
Vanishing Civilization.
Il treat of a time," writes Galdos,
when poor modern civilization was
vanishing, rubbed out like paint that
had been badly put on. and having be-
hind it feudal quarrels. mystic zeal
and superstition, horrible cruelties and
eminent virtues. heroism and poetry
the wars and Instructions of angels
and devils, who walked about the
world. unhampered and at liberty"
And no matter what he treats,
whether It be the past or contem-
porary events, this author, in the
judgment OF his countrymen. has
never failed in a profound knowledge
of the Spanish character. It is this
which causes the critics to say OF
Galdos that his great influence on the
Spain Of to-day is his chief gift to his
contemporaries.
Many things exist in Galdos which
branch from Cervantes, or seem to do
so. 1t Is possibly truer to say that
Spanish characteristics exist as prodI-
gally now as they did in the Don
Quixote period, and Galdos, as a faith
ful observer, sets them down without
rejecting that Cervantes did 80 be
fore him. The modern author merely
by picturing the life around him would
resemble the ancient. at least by his
tendency to build legends and make
myths. The reason for this Is that
more than any modern people the
Spaniards continue to do this thing;
they make myths and build legends
with the zest Of Don Quixote, but their
methods are different. They work on
modern lines, taking to prose instead
of poetry, and only occasionally un-
furlipg wings.