Mendoza, Diego Hurtado de, a distinguished Spanish statesman, soldier, and historian, was born at Granada in 1503. After studying at the Universities of Granada and Salamanca, he entered the service of the Emperor Charles V., and was employed in Italy both as diplomatist and general with equal success. He at last fell under the displeasure of Philip II. of Spain, and in 1567 was banished. He died at Madrid in the year 1575. His greatest work is “La guerra de Granada contra los Moriscos”; he also wrote some fine poetry; and claims the merit of producing in “Lazarillo de Tormes” the first model of the novela picoresca, peculiar to the literature of Spain. “Lazarillo” was translated into English as early as 1586 by David Rowland, of which rendering as many as twenty editions are known, and which was re-edited in the seventeenth century by James Blakeston, with but slight alterations. Like other books enjoying a wide reputation, it produced many imitations, among them a “Second Part” of little merit. See Book of Jokes.
Mesonero Romanos, Ramon de (El Curioso Parlante), born in Madrid, 1803, died in 1882, who appeared in the literary world, almost simultaneously, with de Larra, and together with him and Estébanez de Calderón belongs to the writers of “costumbres,” seems to an English reader inferior to these two in style and conception, though Spaniards consider his “Escenas Matritenses” one of the great works of the nineteenth century, and they are held by Blanco García to be invaluable photographs of life in the writer’s days. Mesonero Romanos was also a composer of light and piquant verses, and distinguished himself in the critical world by his collections of Spanish dramatists, published by Rivadeneyra.
Moratin, Leandro Fernandez, died 1828, the more famous son of a famous father (Nic. Fern. Moratin).
Newspaper Humour. The strictly humorous Spanish periodical literature of to-day is of no great merit, and often borders upon impropriety. Of the papers from which cuttings are here given, La Ilustracion Española y Americana (the Spanish Illustrated News), is first-rate in its class—Fernandez Bremen is a well-known contributor. The daily paper—El Imparcial—devotes a sheet every Monday to lighter and more amusing literature under the direction of Señor Ortega Munilla. Manuel Palacio is the comic poet of the day. Taboada, who writes for El Madrid Comico, the nearest approach to our Punch, is nothing if not vulgar. Blanco y Negro is a fairly successful attempt of humour with propriety. The famous periodical, El Padre Cobos, is not represented here as (it appeared in the years 1854-56) it cannot be considered to belong to the present day. It is, moreover, purely political.
Ossorio y Bernard, Manuel (nineteenth century). A humbler member of the Spectator school, or “autores de costumbres.”
Palacio Valdés, Armando (nineteenth century). One of the Spanish novelists of the day, and of great popularity, especially in America, where nearly all his novels have been translated into English. “Sister Saint Sulpice” is perhaps his masterpiece. Of his later novels, “Froth” should be avoided as a disagreeable work, and no true picture of aristocratic Spanish circles. “El Maestrante,” the last work of this author, is to be brought out shortly by Mr. Heinemann.
Pardo Bazan, Emilia, native of Corunna, September 16, 1851, married in 1868, is one of the most gifted women of the times, and in fame the Madame de Staël of Spain. She belongs to the Naturalistic school of novelists; does not, however, lack tinges of idealism. Her critical power is manifest in the review, El Teatro Critico, for three years the product of her pen alone, and the issuing of which, it is to be regretted, she has—owing to stress of work—suspended for this year (1894). She is, furthermore, editor of a series of works of special reference to women (whether of fiction, or of scientific, historical, and philosophical interest), for which she has already translated John Stuart Mill’s “The Subjection of Women,” while she promises, among other volumes, a Spanish version of “Adam Bede.” The little tale “First Love” is given here as being suitable for this volume, rather than as typical of Doña Emilia’s pen. Her works are too numerous to be here recounted.
“Pedigree of Fools.” This was versified at a later date.
Pérez Galdos, Benito, born in Las Palmas (the Canary Isles) in 1845, came to Madrid in 1863, where he took his degree in law. His fame rests upon the “Epistodios Nacionales,” in which, following in the steps of Erckmann-Chatrian, he illustrates his national history in a series of romances. The first series, to which the volume “Gerona” belongs, covers the period from the battle of Trafalgar to the entry of Ferdinand VII. into Spain (1814). Unlike his French prototypes, Pérez Galdos is furnished with no small amount of humour. In “Gerona” the grim horrors of the siege are well contrasted by passages, such as those given, and a third, in which the two boys Manolet and Badolet catch rats in the cellars, in danger themselves of being devoured by the army of famishing rodents, which are led by a huge fat rat, abused by the boys under the name of Napoleon, and which they finally catch and propose to sell in the market for at least ten reals (2s.) Pérez Galdos changes his residence according to the scenes of the subject at which he is working, and is at present at Santander.
Pinedo, Luis de. See Book of Jokes.