HERREROS, Manuel Breton de, Span• ish poet and dramatist: .b. Quel (Logroilo),,I9 Dec. 1796; d. Madrid, 8 Nov. 1873. He left school to enter the army. as a volunteer id 1814, in which he served until 1822. On his retirement from the army he held various offices under the government. In the 'mean time he gave considerable attention to litera tune, and in 1824 his comedy, la veld viruelas,' met with flattering success. Like other dramatic authors of I is age, this initial success brought him employment in the way of translations and adaptations of dramatic works from French, some in prose and others in verse. This work included the masterpieces of several noted authors and covered 62 trans lations and 10 adaptations. 'Los dos sobrinps,1 an original comedy, appeared in 1825, and Madrid me vuelvo' in 1828.. In all he wrote over 100 original comedies and dramas around which there was perhaps more bitter ,discussion than around the work of any other Spanish dramatist. So bitter and persistent in their attacks had his enemies become that he was forced to present his' dramas under An asi maned name. In 1831 he published a volume of poems had already 'appeared in the newspapers; and in 1837 he wasi elected a member of the Royal' Spatish 'Academy of which he soon became perpetual secretary. He was for some time editor of the Gaceta (18434 47). He resigned to become head. of the Bibliotica Nacional, a position he retained until his death. Breton de Herreros was one of the really great dramatists of Spain. ' He gave life mid individuality to the Spanish drama of customs and characters, nearly all of which he drew from the ranks of the middle class, which he knew intimately and which he depicttd vividly and true to life. Many of the
French dramas which he adapted he revivified with his imagination and his dramatic genius, thus making them better than the originals; Among his published works are 'Achoques a los vicios> (1830);
Ensayo' (11331); 'El Tempi° de la Gloria' (1833); 'Un novio pans la nifia) (1834) ;
(1834); 'El Hombre gordo> (1835); 'La redoccidin de un periodico) (11336); 'Las improvisaciones> (1837); 'El honibre pacifico> (1838); 'Vellido
(1839); (El Pelo de la dehesa' (1840) ; 'Don Frutos en Belchite> (1840); 'Cuentas atra sadas) (1841); 'La escuela de las casadas> (1842); 'Estaba de Dios' (1843);
to hecho pea& (1844);