LUZAN, loo-thiin, Ignacio de, Spanish writer: b. Zuragoza, 1702; d. Madrid, 19 May 1754. He was son of Antonio de Luthn, Lord of Castillazuelo and governor of Aragon, while his mother belonged to. the family of the counts of Villar. He was graduated with the degree of doctor of theology from the University of Catena (Sicily) in 1727 with an excellent knowledge of ancient and modern languages, mathematics, philosophy, literature, history and theology. In 1747 he was appointed secretary to the Spanish embassy at Paris. On his re turn to Spain, two years later, he occupied several important public offices, among them head of the mint and treasurer of the Real Bibliotecn. He became a great favorite with the king who liberally pensioned his widow. He was a voluminous writer and he left at the time of his premature death over 60 works, the most important of which are 'Chronologia pant use del estudi& ; 'Compendjo del las cuatro prin cipales partes de la Filosofia' ; 'Tratados de Dote,' etc.; 'Resumen de las Instituciones, con notas en auxilio de los textos del Codigo' ; 'Relorica de las conversaciones' ; 'Tratado de Ortografia espafiola' ; (Metodo pars eusefiar y aprender las lengnae • 'La Poetica' • 'Discurso apologetic& Gegantein0 • 'Perspectiva ; virtud coronada' (comedy); (Origen y Patria de los godos' • 'Doctrine politica sacada de proverbios y palabras de la Sagrada Escritura ; 'La rathn Contra la mode (comedy, translated work of Nivelle de la Chaussee); Gatomiomaquia' (satire).
His literary work also includes many and varied translations, among them being odes of Sapho, Anachreon, Metastasio, Ovid, Horace and Biblical poetry, especially the Psalms. He also composed poems in Latin and Italian. The range of his literary work was very wide, cover ing poetry, philosophy, politics, grammar and languages, criticism and translation. Spanish trans place him among the foremost writers of Spain; Spanish reviewers who have paid much attention to his work are inclined to rank his poems and his criticism as superior to his other productions. Of the latter his 'Poetics' is best. Luzin is distinguished by imagination, beauty of style and clearness of thought. All these qualities are present in the (Poetica,i which is a notable work for the age in which it was written. It has, therefore, had a powerful influence on the development of Spanish litera ture. Consult Ticknor, 'History of Spanish White, Blanco, 'Life of any good history of Spanish literature.