eatest that his country has produced, was the
romanticist (who introduced romanticism into Argentina
directly from France), Esteban Echeverria page 280
(1805-1851), author of _Los Consuelos_ (1834), _Rimas_
(1837) and _La cautiva_. The latter poem is distinctively
"American," as it is full of local color. Juan Valera, in
his letter to Rafael Obligado (_Cartas americanas, primera
serie_), says truly that Echeverria "marks the point of
departure of the Argentine national literature." (_Obras
completas_, 5 vols., Buenos Aires, 1870-74).

Other poets of the early period of independence are:
the literary critic, Juan Maria Gutierrez (1809-1878),
one-time rector of the University of Buenos Aires and
editor of an anthology, _America poetica_ (Valparaiso,
1846); Dr. Claudio Mamerto Cuenca (1812-1866; cf. _Obras
poeticas escogidas_, Paris, 1889); and Jose Marmol
(1818-1871), author of _El peregrino_ and of the best of
Argentine novels, _Amalia_ (_Obras poeticas y dramaticas,
coleccionadas por Jose Domingo Cortes_, 3d ed., Paris,
1905).

In parenthesis be it said that Argentina also claims as
her own the poet Ventura de la Vega (1807-1865), who
was born in Buenos Aires, as Mexico claims Juan Ruiz de
Alarcon, and as Gertrudis Gomez de Avellaneda is claimed
by Cuba.

As in Spain Ferdinand VII had driven into exile most of
the prominent writers of his period, so the despotic
president, Juan Manuel Rosas (1793-1877: fell from power
in 1852), drove from Argentina many men of letters,
including Varela, Echeverria and Marmol.

Down to the middle of the nineteenth century it may be
said that the Spanish-American writers followed closely
the literary movements of the mother country. Everywhere
across the sea there were imitators of Melendez Valdes
and Cienfuegos, of Quintana, of Espronceda and
Zorrilla. During the early years of romanticism
some Spanish-American poets,--notably the Argentine
Echeverria,--turned for inspiration directly to the French
writers of the period; but, in the main, the Spanish
influence was predominant. The Spanish-American page 281
verses, for the most part, showed insufficient preparation
and were marred by many inaccuracies of diction; but
here and there a group of writers appeared,--as in
Colombia,--who rivaled in artistic excellence the poets of
Spain. In the second half of the nineteenth century the
Spanish-American writers became more independent in
thought an