vantes, and, in his reluctance to have the aliquando dormitat applied to his idol, could only find in such an after-thought as this, an excuse for what he believed a defect. This is, indeed, the molinisme of the critic's art carried to the extreme! But whether it be that didactic controversy is apt to disturb those who are beginning the pursuit of an art, or that the spirit of enquiry which was just then directed towards the sciences might have somewhat impeded the creative springs of the imagination, it is certain, and very remarkable, that the first half of the eighteenth century exhibited not a single lyric poet of any note, and not one dramatic. It was not till 1750 that M Montiano y Layard* published his " Virginia," as a specimen of a genuine tragedy on the classical model. It was entirely a copy after Racine-the same simplicity of plot, purity of language, and servile conformity to rules. With all this, it has not been able to escape neglect. It is cold, formal, and spiritless, like the statue of Prometheus before the fire of Heaven had descended upon it. The same remark will apply to the "Ataulto," another of Montiano's tragedies. It is only his excellent disquisition on Spanish tragedy, accompanying his own tragedies, that has established his name in the estimation of posterity. This is, in truth, a masterpiece, both in its style and its perceptive character. After this period there occurred another void in the dramatic writing of Spain. From the time of Montiano and his contemporaries no remarkable production appeared until the days of La Huerta; from the latter up to our time, however, a pretty regular succession of novelties has been kept up. La Huerta is well known in Europe under the double character of a zealous defender of the old poets, and of a poet in his own person. In whichever of these relations we consider him, he is entitled to attention. He executed the laudable plan of collecting together the best plays of the old stock, which he published in 1785, under the title of " Teatro Hispanol." Had he availed himself only of this manner of reply to the intemperate attacks of the ultra-classicals, he had well achieved his purpose, notwithstanding the occasional errors of judgment in the selection he had made. But, growing heated himself, he fell into the same extravagances as those which he charged upon the critics of the other school. With a view to exalt his own partizans, he exerted himself to depreciate the other side. His prefaces to sundry volumes of the "Teatro Hispanol" are so many furious invectives against Corneille, Racine, and Moliere, or against their admirers: and, in short, the man who could pronounce the "Athalie" worthy only to be played by youthful boarders in a convent, and who could style the "Tartuffe" a miserable farce, was certainly not the best possible judge in a literary cause. The tragedies which Huerta has left us are three in number; and by one of those singular inconsistencies sometimes met with in the human mind, these performances, by the champion of the old style, are executed in the classic mode. The first of these was "La Raquel.” In Counsellor of State, and Director of the Academy of History, at Madrid. He confined himself nearly to publishing the comedies of Capa y Espada (ordinary life) and those of intrigue, leaving out the whole of Lope de Vega's plays. this he has put forth all the stately and rich qualities of the Castilian versification. Two of the characters are cleverly enough sketched-a courtier cringing to the capricious haughtiness of a loyal lady favourite; and an infanzon, or old Castilian knight, frank, brave, and loyal, combating the vices of a dissolute court, but never forgetting the respect due to his king. These two excepted, the characters possess little force, and the plot little ability. This tragedy, however, first performed in 1778, met with prodigious success, and is even now frequently exhibited on the Spanish boards. Its popularity is attributable to the true patriotic character of the piece, the charms of its poetic dress, and the constant allusions to peninsular politics. The other two productions of La Huerta are a poor imitation of the "Electra of Sophocles," and an admirable translation of Voltaire's "Zaire." Don Nicholas Fernandez de Moratin,* father of him who has since acquired the name of the Spanish Moliere, was likewise a poet of high reputation, and one of the chief writers who have promoted the ultimate advancement of the Belles Lettres, in Spain. The recent edition of his works, carefully edited by his son, may be recommended to all admirers of Spanish poetry. It is our present business-to view him only as a dramatic poet. He wrote both tragedies and comedies. The former, like those of Montiano, have been unsuccessful on the stage, by reason of their langour and want of striking effect; but they are relished in the perusal for their beauties of rhyme, and the felicitous sayings interspersed through them. In one of them, "La Hormesinda," we have a superior example of epic style, in the description of the battle of the Gaudalete, wherein the hapless Rodrigo paid so dear a forfeit for a moment's forgetfulness. The comedies of the elder Moratin have displayed greater merit. With considerable ease of style, and spirit of dialogue, they are very deficient in that penetration into human character that has so peculiarly marked the productions of his son. They contain personages insufficiently developed, and plots indifferently conceived and terminated. Nevertheless, being probably the first who attempted in Spain the manner of Terence and of Moliere, he is regarded as one of the founders of the new school: it is certain, besides, that to him is chiefly owing his son's preparation for dramatic writing. Two of his best comedies are "La Petimetra," (the female fribble) and "Hacer que hacemos" (great cry and little wool). After the elder Moratin we meet no one deserving of remark before Don Thomas Yriarte,† so renowned for his literary fables, and his antimusical poem called " Music," which obtained him so many flattering compliments from Metastasio. This writer produced some very good comedies, which have maintained an honourable repute on the stage. One of these, "El Senorito Mimado," (the Spoiled Child) represents with striking accuracy the social results of a too indulgent, or, in other words, a neglected education. The characters of the mother and the son are admirable. M. Yriarte has likewise afforded us an excellent translation of Destouches's "Philosophe marié." We may here mention the dramatic lucubrations of M. Jovellanos, * Attached to the household of the Queen Widow. + Holding an office under the minister for foreign affairs. Published in 1787. which were published at the period we are now treating of, although his death is of no earlier date than 1811. The hame of Jovellanos* excites in us cherished recollections. He who bore it was at once the most honourable man, the most enlightened citizen, the most liberal public officer, the most correct, philosophical, and eloquent writer, that Spain has seen in the present century. His virtues and his sufferings for his country have become alike proverbial. Heaven grant that country may one day acknowledge the extent of her obligations towards this worthy man! At an early age M. Jovellanos wrote the tragedy of " Munuza,” the subject of which is much the same with that of " the Hormesinda❞ of Moratin the elder, but less skilfully versified; in fact, his manner of rhyming was not good. The doubtful reception afforded to this piece soon created in him a distaste for the drama. His mildness of character and tenderness of heart scarce allowed him to feel interest in a study which requires the base and brutal parts of human nature to be sometimes exposed. It was not until several years afterwards that feelings of indignation and philanthropy impelled him to pen his comedy of "El Delinquente Honrrado" (the Honest Criminal). This composition belongs to the sentimental class, and is somewhat akin to the Fils Naturel of Diderot. In both these instances the authors array themselves against certain laws equally cruel to the individual and powerless in the public opinion. The edict of Philip V. (pragmatica) in prohibition of duels, was copied from that of his grandfather Louis XIV. It threatened with death all the parties implicated in any degree in an affair of honour. But rigour can never be substituted with effect for the process of enlightening, where popular prejudices are to be subdued; and the result was, that duels were even multiplied in Spain, by this cruel mode of resistance to them. M. Jovellanos has portrayed in his hero an involuntary victim to the point of honour, and has worked up with a masterly skill the materials of language, character, situation, sentiment, social interest, and moral aim. In the first scenes of this piece we discover, moreover, some touches of the genuine comic, proving that M. Jovellanos, had he pleased, might have excelled in that style. To see it well represented invariably produces emotion-to read it, charms us at every line with the generous spirit of its author. We may here perhaps be reminded that, after all, the "Delinquente Honrrado" is but a drama; be it so; we will add, however, that it is the best of all the Spanish dramas. It is impossible to name Jovellanos without an immediate reference in memory to Melendez. These men were united by the ties of a friendship honourable to themselves and to human nature. M. Melendez is the author of a comedy entitled "Las Bodas de Camacho," (the Marriage of Camacho,) which although rather feeble as a dramatic effort, is always read with pleasure for its charming versification. The limits of this article deny us the space to estimate the pretensions of each author. We are, besides, eager to arrive at the brilliant epoch of the theatre of our own days, rendered illustrious by Moratin * He was a minister of Charles IV. and a member of the Central Junta in 1808 and 1809. + Fiscal, or king's attorney, in the council of Castile. the younger. In the mean while we will just observe, by way of clearing the field for our next subject, that M. Fornar has written a very respectable comedy under the name of "The Philosopher in Love;" that M. Candido Yrigueros is advantageously known by his comedy of "El Precipitado," (the Blunderer,) and by his remodelling several of Lope de Vega's plays, especially that of " Sancho Ortiz de las Roelas;" that Llaguno has excellently translated the "Athalie" of Racine; that Ayala has given us the tragedy of "Numancia Destruida," (the Destruction of Numantia,) which is on a plan different from that of Cervantes, and has been frequently exhibited on the Spanish stage, although not destitute of faults; that Don Ramon de la Cour has written the cleverest interludes, and has translated or imitated most of the short pieces by Moliere and Regnard; and, in fine, that Valladores, Comella, Zamora, and numerous others, have supplied the theatres with an abundance of plays, either in the historical or the larmoyant kind. Of these we shall say a word or two in our next article ; reserving, however, the principal portion of it for a critical account of the productions of Moratin the younger. EATING SONG.-BY SCARRON. WHEN I'm hungry, and am eating Scratching where the maggot bites: When a soup we're gaily swilling, The transports through the body thrilling But a mess her jaw to wag on. Four times can an active fellow The wisest brains are wash'd away. * Scarron had lost the use of his lower limbs. A COUNTRY BALL. Junctæque Nymphis Gratiæ decentes, A SHORT time since I received an invitation to spend a few days with a friend in the country, and was puzzled to account for the unusual attention. On my arrival at his house, through which a happy bustle and gay confusion seemed to prevail, the mystery was speedily unravelled. I was shewn into the drawing-room, where various symptoms of approaching smartness were discoverable. A parcel of white gloves strewed the table, a gay bodice was suspended on a skreen, and scraps of satin and net remained on the carpet, to prove that recent alterations had been made in the evening paraphernalia. To the uninitiated some of these appearances might have been less intelligible; but I have five sisters above sixteen; and a man so circumstanced has knowledge "thrust upon him." I felt a strong internal persuasion that a ball was approaching, and my hostess speedily confirmed my suspicions, by informing me that there was to be an assembly that very night at a neighbouring town. She had scarcely had time to make this communication ere a message summoned her to the privy council above, where the young ladies of the family were "reasoning high Of Levantines, new fashions, lace, and gauze, I could imagine the eager converse that was there carrying on, and fancied I heard distant murmurs of that concert of tongues produced by the habit peculiar to females of all talking at once on an interesting subject. I caught occasional glimpses of smiling girls who came into the drawing-room on some important errand, and who cast favouring glances on me as if the joys we were going to participate created a bond of amicable union between us. One pretty creature was stripping a myrtle of its branches; some of her companions were practising quadrilles in the library, from whence they had dislodged their half-smiling, half-frowning father; and a delicate girl of about eighteen was conducted to a sofa, "magnâ comitante catervâ," and obliged by the strong arm of power to lie down and preserve her strength and spirits for the voluntary fatigues of the evening. This fragile plant, whose name was Caroline, and a sister called Anna, two years her junior, were going to their first ball—the former having been kept in longer than usual by delicate health, and the latter being forced out sooner than the law directs by the irresistible and demoralizing power of the approaching assembly. I soon caught the spirit of my party, and positively longed for the evening; yes! I, who go to at least thirty balls in the three spring months, was really impatient for the pleasures of a country assembly. But, then, the bright faces of my young companions-their gay prophecies, and eager anticipations; their spirits foaming over into the most sparkling mirth; their choruses of ringing laughter; their steps buoyant as if they already heard the music of the orchestra ;-these were all very different notes of preparation from the languid tones in which I had been accustomed to hear the evening's dance discussed, from those assurances that "it will be stupid, and that it will not be necessary to go |