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Title: History of Spanish Literature, vol. 1 (of 3) Author: George Ticknor Release Date: June 17, 2017 [EBook #54928] Language: English Character set encoding: UTF-8 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SPANISH LITERATURE *** Produced by Josep Cols Canals, Ramon Pajares Box, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries) Transcriber's note Table of Contents HISTORY OF SPANISH LITERATURE. VOL. I. [p. i] HISTORY OF SPANISH LITERATURE. BY GEORGE TICKNOR. IN THREE VOLUMES. VOLUME I. N E W Y O R K : HARPER AND BROTHERS, 82 CLIFF STREET M DCCC XLIX. [p. iii] Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1849, by George Ticknor, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. [p. iv] P R E FA C E . In the year eighteen hundred and eighteen I travelled through a large part of Spain, and spent several months in Madrid. My object was to increase a very imperfect knowledge of the language and literature of the country, and to purchase Spanish books, always so rare in the great book-marts of the rest of Europe. In some respects, the time of my visit was favorable to the purposes for which I made it; in others, it was not. Such books as I wanted were then, it is true, less valued in Spain than they are now, but it was chiefly because the country was in a depressed and unnatural state; and, if its men of letters were more than commonly at leisure to gratify the curiosity of a stranger, their number had been materially diminished by political persecution, and intercourse with them was difficult because they had so little connection with each other, and were so much shut out from the world around them. It was, in fact, one of the darkest periods of the reign of Ferdinand the Seventh, when the desponding seemed to think that the eclipse was not only total, but “beyond all hope of day.” The absolute power of the monarch had been as yet nowhere publicly questioned; and his government, which had revived the Inquisition and was not wanting in its spirit, had, from the first, silenced the press, and, wherever its influence extended, now threatened the extinction of all generous culture. Hardly four years had elapsed since the old order of things had been restored at Madrid, and already most of the leading men of letters, whose home was naturally in the capital, were in prison or in exile. Melendez Valdes, the first Spanish poet of the age, had just died in misery on the unfriendly soil of France. Quintana, in many respects the heir to his honors, was confined in the fortress of Pamplona. Martinez de la Rosa, who has since been one of the leaders of the nation as well as of its literature, was shut up in Peñon on the coast of Barbary. Moratin was languishing in Paris, while his comedies were applauded to the very echo by his enemies at home. The Duke de Rivas, who, like the old nobles of the proudest days of the monarchy, has distinguished himself alike in arms, in letters, and in the civil government and foreign diplomacy of his country, was living retired on the estates of his great house in Andalusia. Others of less mark and note shared a fate as rigorous; and, if Clemencin, Navarrete, and Marina were permitted still to linger in the capital from which their friends had been driven, their footsteps were watched and their lives were unquiet. Among the men of letters whom I earliest knew in Madrid was Don José Antonio Conde, a retired, gentle, modest scholar, rarely occupied with events of a later date than the times of the Spanish Arabs, whose history he afterwards illustrated. But, far as his character and studies removed him from political turbulence, he had already tasted the bitterness of a political exile; and now, in the honorable poverty to which he had been reduced, he not unwillingly consented to pass several hours of each day with me, and direct my studies in the literature of his country. In this I was very fortunate. We read together the early Castilian poetry, of which he knew more than he did of the most recent, and to which his thoughts and tastes were much nearer akin. He assisted me, too, in collecting the books I needed;—never an easy task where bookselling, in the sense elsewhere given to the word, was unknown, and where the Inquisition and the confessional had often made what was most desirable most rare. But Don José knew the lurking-places where such books and their owners were to be sought; and to him I am indebted for the foundation of a collection in Spanish literature, which, without help like his, I should have failed to make. I owe him, therefore, much; and, though the grave has long since closed over my friend and his persecutors, it is still a pleasure to me to acknowledge obligations which I have never ceased to feel. Many circumstances, since the period of my visit to Spain, have favored my successive attempts to increase the Spanish library I then began. The residence in [p. v] [p. vi] [p. vii] [p. viii] Madrid of my friend, the late Mr. Alexander Hill Everett, who ably represented his country for several years at the court of Spain; and the subsequent residence there, in the same high position, of my friend, Mr. Washington Irving, equally honored on both sides of the Atlantic, but especially cherished by Spaniards for the enduring monument he has erected to the history of their early adventures, and for the charming fictions, whose scene he has laid in their romantic country;—these fortunate circumstances naturally opened to me whatever facilities for collecting books could be afforded by the kindness of persons in places so distinguished, or by their desire to spread among their countrymen at home a literature they knew so well and loved so much. But to two other persons, not unconnected with these statesmen and men of letters, it is no less my duty and my pleasure to make known my obligations. The first of them is Mr. O. Rich, formerly a Consul of the United States in Spain; the same bibliographer to whom Mr. Irving and Mr. Prescott have avowed similar obligations, and to whose personal regard I owe hardly less than I do to his extraordinary knowledge of rare and curious books, and his extraordinary success in collecting them. The other is Don Pascual de Gayangos, Professor of Arabic in the University of Madrid,—certainly in his peculiar department among the most eminent scholars now living, and one to whose familiarity with whatever regards the literature of his own country, the frequent references in my notes bear a testimony not to be mistaken. With the former of these gentlemen I have been in constant communication for many years, and have received from him valuable contributions of books and manuscripts collected in Spain, England, and France for my library. With the latter, to whom I am not less largely indebted, I first became personally acquainted when I passed in Europe the period between 1835 and 1838, seeking to know scholars such as he is, and consulting, not only the principal public libraries of the Continent, but such rich private collections as those of Lord Holland in England, of M. Ternaux- Compans in France, and of the venerated and much-loved Tieck in Germany; all of which were made accessible to me by the frank kindness of their owners. The natural result of such a long-continued interest in Spanish literature, and of so many pleasant inducements to study it, has been—I speak in a spirit of extenuation and self-defence—a book. In the interval between my two residences in Europe I delivered lectures upon its principal topics to successive classes in Harvard College; and, on my return home from the second, I endeavoured to arrange these lectures for publication. But when I had already employed much labor and time on them, I found —or thought I found—that the tone of discussion which I had adopted for my academical audiences was not suited to the purposes of a regular history. Destroying, therefore, what I had written, I began afresh my never unwelcome task, and so have prepared the present work, as little connected with all I had previously done as it, perhaps, can be, and yet cover so much of the same ground. In correcting my manuscript for the press I have enjoyed the counsels of two of my more intimate friends; of Mr. Francis C. Gray, a scholar who should permit the world to profit more than it does by the large resources of his accurate and tasteful learning, and of Mr. William H. Prescott, the historian of both hemispheres, whose name will not be forgotten in either, but whose honors will always be dearest to those who have best known the discouragements under which they have been won, and the modesty and gentleness with which they are worn. To these faithful friends, whose unchanging regard has entered into the happiness of all the active years of my life, I make my affectionate acknowledgments, as I now part from a work in which they have always taken an interest, and which, wherever it goes, will carry on its pages the silent proofs of their kindness and taste. Park Street, Boston, 1849. I cannot dismiss the last sheet of this History, without offering my sincere thanks [p. ix] [p. x] to the conductors of the University Press at Cambridge, and to Mr. George Nichols, its scholarlike corrector, for the practised skill and conscientious fidelity with which, after it was in type, my work has been revised and prepared for publication. [p. xi] CONTENTS OF VOLUME FIRST. FIRST PERIOD. The Literature that existed in Spain between the First Appearance of the Present Written Language and the Early Part of the Reign of the Emperor Charles the Fifth, or from the End of the Twelfth Century to the Beginning of the Sixteenth. CHAPTER I. Introduction. Origin of Modern Literature 3 Its Origin in Spain 4 Its earliest Appearance there 5 Two Schools 5 The National School 6 It appears in troubled Times 6 The Arab Invasion 7 Christian Resistance 8 Christian Successes 8 Battle of Navas de Tolosa 9 Earliest National Poetry 10 CHAPTER II. Early National Literature. Appearance of the Castilian 11 Poem of the Cid 12 Its Hero 13 Its Subject 15 Its Character 16 Book of Apollonius 24 Saint Mary of Egypt 25 Three Holy Kings 26 All anonymous 27 Gonzalo de Berceo 28 His Works 28 His Versification 29 His San Domingo 30 His Milagros de la Vírgen 30 CHAPTER III. Alfonso the Wise, or the Learned. His Birth 35 Letter to Perez de Guzman 36 His Death 38 His Cántigas 39 Galician Dialect 40 Querellas and Tesoro 44 His Ultramar 45 Castilian Prose 46 Fuero Juzgo 47 Setenario 49 Espejo 49 Fuero Real 49 Siete Partidas 49 Character of Alfonso 54 CHAPTER IV. Lorenzo Segura and Don Juan Manuel. [p. xiii] [p. xiv] Juan Lorenzo Segura 56 His Anachronisms 57 His Alexandro 58 Los Votos del Pavon 60 Sancho el Bravo 61 Don Juan Manuel 61 His Life 62 His Works 64 Letter to his Brother 68 His Counsels to his Son 69 His Book of the Knight 69 His Conde Lucanor 70 His Character 74 CHAPTER V. Alfonso the Eleventh. — Archpriest of Hita. — Anonymous Poems. — The Chancellor Ayala. Alfonso the Eleventh 76 Poetical Chronicle 77 Beneficiado de Ubeda 78 Archpriest of Hita 78 His Works 79 His Character 84 Rabbi Don Santob 86 La Doctrina Christiana 88 Una Revelacion 88 La Dança General 89 Fernan Gonzalez 91 Poema de José 95 Rimado de Palacio 99 Castilian Literature thus far 103 Its Religious Tone 103 Its Loyal Tone 103 Its Popular Character 104 CHAPTER VI. Old Ballads. Popular Literature 106 Four Classes of it 108 First Class, Ballads 108 Theories of their Origin 109 Not Arabic 110 National and Indigenous 111 Redondillas 111 Asonantes 112 Easy Measure and Structure 113 General Diffusion 114 Their Name 115 Their History 116 Their great Number 118 Preserved by Tradition 119 When first printed 120 First Ballad-book 126 Other Ballad-books 128 Romancero General 128 Not to be arranged by Date 129 CHAPTER VII. Old Ballads concluded. Ballads of Chivalry 131 On Charlemagne 132 Historical Ballads 134 On Bernardo del Carpio 135 On Fernan Gonzalez 138 [p. xv] On the Infantes de Lara 139 On the Cid 140 On various Historical Subjects 145 Loyalty of the Ballads 145 Ballads on Moorish Subjects 146 On National Manners 148 Character of the Old Ballads 153 Their Nationality 154 CHAPTER VIII. Chronicles. Second Class of Popular Literature 156 Chronicles and their Origin 157 Royal Chronicles 157 Crónica General 158 Its Divisions and Subjects 159 Its Poetical Portions 161 Its Character 166 Chronicle of the Cid 166 Its Origin 167 Its Subject 169 Its Character 172 CHAPTER IX. Chronicles continued. Chronicles of Alfonso the Wise, Sancho the Brave, and Ferdinand the Fourth 173 Chronicle of Alfonso the Eleventh 175 Chronicles of Peter the Cruel, Henry the Second, John the First, and Henry the Third 177 Chronicle of John the Second 183 Chronicles of Henry the Fourth 187 Chronicles of Ferdinand and Isabella 189 Royal Chronicles cease 190 CHAPTER X. Chronicles concluded. Chronicles of Particular Events 192 El Passo Honroso 193 El Seguro de Tordesillas 195 Chronicles of Particular Persons 197 Pero Niño 197 Alvaro de Luna 198 Gonzalvo de Córdova 200 Chronicling Accounts of Travels 202 Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo 203 Columbus 206 Balboa, Hojeda, and Others 211 Romantic Chronicles 212 Don Roderic 212 Character of the Chronicles 215 CHAPTER XI. Romances of Chivalry. Origin of Romantic Fiction 218 Appearance in Spain 220 Amadis de Gaula 221 Its Date 221 Its Author, Lobeira 221 Portuguese Original lost 223 Translated by Montalvo 223 Its Success 224 Its Story 225 Its Character 229 Esplandian 231 [p. xvi] Family of Amadis 233 Influence of the Amadis 234 Palmerin de Oliva 235 Primaleon and Platir 236 Palmerin of England 236 Family of Palmerin 238 CHAPTER XII. Romances of Chivalry concluded. Various Romances 241 Lepolemo 242 Translations from the French 243 Carlo Magno 244 Religious Romances 245 The Celestial Chivalry 246 Period of Romances 249 Their Number 249 Founded in the State of Society 250 Knight-errantry no Fiction 251 Romances believed to be true 252 Passion for them 253 Their Fate 254 CHAPTER XIII. The Early Drama. Religious Origin of the Modern Drama 255 Its Origin in Spain 257 Earliest Representations 258 Mingo Revulgo 260 Rodrigo Cota 261 The Celestina 262 First Act 263 The Remainder 264 Its Character 267 Its Popularity 268 Imitations of it 269 CHAPTER XIV. The Early Drama continued. Juan de la Enzina 273 His Works 274 His Representaciones 275 Eclogues in Form 276 Religious and Secular 276 First acted Secular Dramas 277 Their Character 278 Portuguese Theatre 282 Gil Vicente 282 Writes partly in Spanish 283 Auto of Cassandra 285 O Viudo 289 Other Dramas 290 His Poetical Character 292 CHAPTER XV. The Early Drama concluded. Slow Progress of the Drama 293 Escriva 293 Villalobos 294 Question de Amor 294 Torres Naharro 295 His Propaladia 295 His Eight Dramas 296 His Dramatic Theory 296 [p. xvii] La Trofea 298 La Hymenea 299 Intriguing Story and Buffoon 301 His Versification 303 His Plays acted 304 No Popular Drama founded 305 CHAPTER XVI. Provençal Literature in Spain. Provence 306 Its Language 307 Connection with Catalonia 308 With Aragon 309 Provençal Poetry 310 Its Character 311 In Catalonia and Aragon 312 War of the Albigenses 312 Provençal Poetry under Peter the Second 313 Under Jayme the Conqueror 314 His Chronicle 315 Ramon Muntaner 318 His Chronicle 318 Provençal Poetry decays 322 CHAPTER XVII. Catalonian and Valencian Poetry. Floral Games at Toulouse 326 Consistory of Barcelona 328 Poetry in Catalonia and Valencia 329 Ausias March 331 His Poetry 332 Jaume Roig 333 His Poetry 334 Decay of Catalonian Poetry 337 Decay of Valencian 338 Influence of Castile 338 Poetical Contest at Valencia 338 Valencians write in Castilian 340 Preponderance of Castile 340 Prevalence of the Castilian 343 CHAPTER XVIII. Courtly School in Castile. Early Influence of Italy 346 Religious 347 Intellectual 348 Political and Commercial 349 Connection with Sicily 350 With Naples 351 Similarity in Languages 351 Italian Poets known in Spain 351 Reign of John the Second of Castile 352 His Poetical Court 354 Troubadours and Minnesingers 355 Poetry of John 356 Marquis of Villena 357 His Arte Cisoria 360 His Arte de Trobar 361 His Trabajos de Hércules 362 Macias el Enamorado 364 CHAPTER XIX. The Courtly School continued. [p. xviii] The Marquis of Santillana 366 Connected with Villena 370 Imitates the Provençals 371 Imitates the Italians 372 Writes in the Fashionable Style 373 His Comedieta de Ponza 375 His Proverbs 377 His Letter to the Constable of Portugal 378 His Character 378 Juan de Mena 379 Relations at Court 380 His Works 382 Poem on the Seven Deadly Sins 383 His Coronation 383 His Labyrinth 384 His Character 387 CHAPTER XX. Courtly School continued. Progress of the Language 389 Villasandino 391 Francisco Imperial 393 Other Poets 393 Prose-writers 394 Gomez de Cibdareal 395 His Letters 395 Perez de Guzman 398 His Friends the Cartagenas 399 His Poetry 400 His Generaciones y Semblanzas 401 CHAPTER XXI. The Manriques, the Urreas, and Juan de Padilla. Family of the Manriques 403 Pedro Manrique 403 Rodrigo Manrique 404 Jorge Manrique 406 His Coplas 406 Family of the Urreas 410 Lope de Urrea 411 Gerónimo de Urrea 411 Pedro de Urrea 411 Padilla el Cartuxano 412 CHAPTER XXII. Prose-writers of the Latter Part of the Fifteenth Century. Juan de Lucena 415 His Vita Beata 416 Alfonso de la Torre 417 His Vision Deleytable 417 Diego de Almela 418 His Valerio de las Historias 419 Alonso Ortiz 420 His Tratados 420 Fernando del Pulgar 420 His Claros Varones 421 His Letters 422 Romantic Fiction 424 Diego de San Pedro 424 His Carcel de Amor 424 Question de Amor 426 CHAPTER XXIII. The Cancioneros and the Courtly School concluded. [p. xix] Fashion of Cancioneros 428 Cancionero of Baena 428 Cancioneros of Estuñiga, etc. 430 First Book printed in Spain 431 Cancionero General 432 Its different Editions 433 Its Devotional Poetry 433 Its First Series of Authors 435 Its Canciones 437 Its Ballads 438 Its Invenciones 438 Its Motes 439 Its Villancicos 440 Its Preguntas 440 Its Second Series of Authors 441 Its Poems at the End 442 Number of its Authors 443 Rank of many of them 443 Character of their Poetry 444 Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella 444 State of Letters 445 CHAPTER XXIV. Discouragements of Spanish Culture at the End of this Period, and its General Condition. Spanish Intolerance 446 Persecution of Jews 446 Persecution of Moors 446 Inquisition, its Origin 447 Its Establishment in Spain 448 Its first Victims Jews 448 Its next Victims Moors 449 Its great Authority 450 Punishes Opinion 451 State of the Press 451 Past Literature of Spain 452 Promise for the Future 453 SECOND PERIOD. The Literature that existed in Spain From the Accession of the Austrian Family to its Extinction; or from the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century to the End of the Seventeenth. CHAPTER I. Condition of Spain during these Two Centuries. Periods of Literary Glory 457 Period of Glory in Spain 458 Hopes of Universal Empire 458 These Hopes checked 459 Luther and Protestantism 460 Protestantism in Spain 460 Assailed by the Inquisition 461 Protestant Books forbidden 461 The Press subjected 462 Index Expurgatorius 462 Power of the Inquisition 463 Its Popularity 465 Protestantism driven from Spain 466 Learned Men persecuted 466 Religious Men persecuted 467 Degradation of Loyalty 468 Increase of Bigotry 468 [p. xx]