c Castilian in the century. He admired Luis de
Leon and imitated him in paraphrases of the Psalms. The
volume of his verse is small but unsurpassed in surety of
taste and evenness of finish. The _Murcielago alevoso_ has
passed into many editions and become a favorite in Spain.
The pure and commanding figure of JOVELLANOS (1744-1811)
dominated the whole group which listened to his advice
with respect. It was not always sure, for he led Diego
Gonzalez and Melendez Valdes astray by persuading them to
attempt philosophical poetry instead of the lighter sort
for which they were fitted. He was in fact a greater man
than poet, but his satires and _Epistola al duque de
Veragua_ are strong and dignified.

Juan MELENDEZ VALDES (1754-1817) was on the contrary a
greater poet than man. Brilliant from the first, he was
petted by Cadalso and Jovellanos who strove to develop his
talent. In 1780 he won a prize offered by the Academy for
an eclogue. In 1784 his comedy _Las bodas de Camacho_, on
a subject suggested by Jovellanos (from an episode in _Don
Quijote_, II, 19-21), won a prize offered by the city of
Madrid, but failed on the stage. His first volume of poems
was published in 1785; later editions appeared in 1797 and
1820. He attached himself to the French party at the time
of the invasion in 1808, incurred great popular odium and
died in France. He is the most fluent, imaginative poet of
the eighteenth century and is especially successful in the
pastoral and anacreontic styles. Fresh descriptions of
nature, enchanting pictures of love, form an oasis in
an age of studied reasonableness. His language has been
criticized for its Gallicisms. Jose IGLESIAS DE LA CASA
(1748-1791), a native of Salamanca and a priest, wrote
much light satirical verse, epigrams, parodies page xxxi
and _letrillas_ in racy Castilian; he was less successful
in the graver forms. Nicasio ALVAREZ DE CIENFUEGOS
(1764-1809) passes as a disciple of Melendez; he was a
passionate, uneven writer whose undisciplined thought and
habit of coining words lead to obscurity. Politically he
opposed the French with unyielding vigor, barely escaped
execution at their hands and died in exile. The verse of
Cienfuegos prepared the way for Quintana. Differing
from him in clarity and polish are Fr. Sanchez Barbero
(1764-1819) and Leandro F. de Moratin, the dramatist
(1760-1828).

One curious result of rationalistic doctrines was the
"prosaism" into which it