w so easily from his pen. They have little in
common with the graceful story-telling spirit of Boccaccio and his
followers, and still less with the strictly practical tone of Don Juan
Manuel's tales; nor, on the other hand, do they approach, except in the
case of the 'Impertinent Curiosity,' the class of short novels which
have been frequent in other countries within the last century. The more,
therefore, we examine them, the more we shall find that they are
original in their composition and general tone, and that they are
strongly marked with the original genius of their author, as well as
with the more peculiar traits of the national character,--the ground, no
doubt, on which they have always been favourites at home, and less
valued than they deserve to be abroad. As works of invention, they rank,
among their author's productions, next after Don Quixote; in correctness
and grace of style they stand before it.... They are all fresh from the
racy soil of the national character, as that character is found in
Andalusia, and are written with an idiomatic richness, a spirit, and a
grace, which, though they are the oldest tales of their class in Spain,
have left them ever since without successful rivals."

The first three tales in this volume have merely undergone the revision
of the editor, having been translated by another before he was engaged
on the work. For the rest he alone is responsible.

W.K.K.

DEDICATION

TO DON PEDRO FERNANDEZ DE CASTRO, COUNT OF LEMOS, ANDRADE, AND VILLALBA,
&c.

Those who dedicate their works to some prince commonly fall into two
errors. The first is, that in their dedicatory epistle, which ought to
be brief and succinct, they dilate very complacently, whether moved by
truth or flattery, on the deeds not only of their fathers and
forefathers, but also of all their relations, friends, and benefactors.
The second is, that they tell their patron they place their works under
his protection and safeguard, in order that malicious and captious
tongues may not presume to cavil and carp at them. For myself, shunning
these two faults, I here pass over in silence the grandeur and titles of
your excellency's ancient and royal house, and your infinite virtues
both natural and acquired, leaving it to some new Phidias and Lysippus
to engrave and sculpture them in marble and bronze, that they may rival
time in duration. Neither do I supplicate your Excellency to take this
book under your protect