ISLA, es'13, Jose Francisco do la, Span ish literary man and ecclesiastic: b. Vidanes, in the province of Lean, 24 April 1703; d. BoIonia, 2 Nov. 1781. His father was governor of the district and a man of some importance. Jose was a boy of very superior ability, the develop ment of which the father encouraged, with the result that the son received his bachelor's de gree in law at the age of 12. Four years later he entered the Jesuit order, and after three years' study of theology and associated sub jects, he went to Salamanca to continue his ecclesiastical studies. On leaving Salamanca he became a teacher of theology and philosophy in various Jesuit colleges. He was noted as a preacher and his fame as an orator rapidly spread. The Jesuit authorities gave him plenty of opportunity in this line. Isla translated into Spanish, from Latin, French and other lan guages, numerous devotional and other works with such success that often the translation proved better than the original. He also de voted much of his time to historical and other investigations and original writing. Of these the most notable is 'Fray Gerundio de Cam pazas) a satire on the extravagances of the preachers of his day (Madrid 1758). The ridicule cut so deep that it was never forgiven by some of his fellow preachers; and they raised up for him powerful enemies who finally succeeded in having the sale of Germ:nil& prohibited, not however, until it had become popular throughout Spain and had been trans lated into several languages of Europe, among them, English, French, German and Italian.
Notwithstanding the ecclesiastical censure which prohibited the publication, reading, possessing or even discussing the book, it continued to be printed in Spain and abroad, and an edition of 1,500 was sold out in three days in Madrid alone. Among the excellent translations of Islas are 'Friendship and Old Age> (Cicero), and 'Satires> of Lucretius. In 1767 he was exiled from Spain with the rest of the Jesuits by royal decree, and took up his residence in Italy. There he was arrested and imprisoned for de fending the Jesuits (1773). Three years later satisfaction was given him and he returned to Bolonia.
Among the other published works of Isla are (Cartas de Juan de la Encina> (satire) ;