Mexican Literature

The early literature of the Argentine Republic is filled with the revolution ary spirit that gave birth to the nation. Of the early Argentine poets one of the best is Juan Cruz Varela (1794-1839). His work ex presses well the spirit of his age in its intense ness and intolerance. Two of his dramas, (1823), and (1824), were very popular with his own party, as was also his campaign poetry directed against the tyrant, Juan Manuel Rosas, President of the republic by right of conquest. A poet of much promise, marked simplicity and charm was Florencio Balcarce (1815-39) whose naturalness made him a great favorite. The most influential, how ever, of these early Argentine poets was Este ban Echeverria (1803-51). A profound student of English, French, German and Spanish poetry, and partially educated in Europe, he decided to make literature his life work. He published sets forth a new literary creed for Latin America and breaks away from established and entrenched literary forms. For this reason it has had much influence upon sub-. sequent Latin-American literature. Among his other longer poems are and (Avellaneda.' Like many of his contemporaries, Echeverria spent his latter years in exile from which he thundered against the tyrant ruler of the Argentine. Another exile, Jose Marmol (1818-81), a companion of Echeverria in Montevideo, was a poet, novelist and political writer of great force, imagination and considerable originality. His most notable works are his novel which was widely read; his numerous quatrains; his long nar rative Byronesque poem (El Peregrino> and his two dramas (El Cruzado' and (El Poeta.> Two other political exiles and writers of in fluence were Claudio Mamerto Cuenca (1812 52), and Jose Rivera Indarte (1814-45). The former left two dramas. Other poets of talent of this same period are Vicente Fidel Lopez (1815-1903) ; Juan Bautista Alberdi (1810-84) ; Luis Domin guez (1819-98) and Bartolome Mitre (1821 1906). The latter, who became President of the republic and who proved himself a very successful soldier and leader of men, was a poet of considerable merit, a noted journalist and one of the best historians and biographers of his country. Another journalist, Domingo Faustino Sarmiento (1811-88), played a very prominent literary and political part in the history of the Argentine, becoming a powerful journalistic factor, a leader in politics, Presi dent of the republic, a reformer in education and a university professor of note. His book (Facundo> which reveals his political and social ideas, is characterized by brilliant descriptions of Argentine and mountain scenery and pic tures of the life of the country, especially that of the interior on the great pampas. Among his other works of note are popu lar,' por Europa, Africa y America,' and 'Recuerdos de Provincia' ; but his com plete writings make up close upon 50 volumes, in which the treatment of educational and po litical subjects form a very considerable part. It is probable that Sarmiento was influenced in his descriptions of the gaucho and his life by the work on the same subject by Hilario Asca subi (1807-75) whose 'Media Cana del Campo' became almost a text in the army fighting Rojas. His other important works, all essen tially Argentine in sentiment, subject and treat ment, are (Paulino Lucero> (a series of gaucho espisodes published between 1839 and 1851) ; and 'Santos Vega.' The gaucho con tinued to play an important part in Argentine literature for a considerable time and to aid in forming the realism of the national literature on a sounder basis. This gaucho movement, combined with the traditions of the Classicists and the influence of the Romantic movement in Europe and especially in France, may be said to have been the motor power behind the move ment that produced the Modernists in the Ar gentine and other Latin-American countries. Of the Argentine classical writers one of the most important leaders was Carlos Guido y Spano, who was born in 1829 and continued, throughout a long life, to influence the literature of his country for purity of style and love of classical tradition, through his journalistic articles and his published works. His best known collection is 'Hojas al viento' (1871). Jose Fernandez (1834-86), another journalist, was one of the most widely read poets and writers in his country. His 'Martin Fierro> (1872), and 'La Vuelta de Martin Fierro> offer some of the best pictures of gaucho life in the Argentine presented in any work to date. Estanislau del Campo, a year younger than Fernandez, also helped to make the gaucho famous. His 'Fausto,> a poem written in the gaucho dialect, is full of the spirit of the wild presented in a very artistic and spirited manner. Olegario Victor Andrade (1838-83), who was 42 years of age before he was any way well known in literary circles, became suddenly famous not only in his own country but out side it and acquired the reputation of being one of the two or three best poets of the country; and by many critics he is held to be the best. The most characteristic and worthy of his poems is 'Prometeo.) To this period be longs Ricardo Gutierrez (1836-96), poet and novelist, who is credited with being the best of all the interpreters of criollo life in the Argen tine. His work shows a powerful imagination, great sympathy and striking ability to depict the life, feelings and passions of the lower classes on the great plains of Argentina. Carlos Encina (1839-82), in his two works 'Canto al arte> and 'La lucha por la idea' made him self the leader of what may be called the aes thetic school in Argentine literature, a school which was destined to widely influence Latin American literature and to have its effect on that of Spain through the Modernistas. Martin Coronado, a contemporary of Encina, was a narrative poet of considerable power and the possessor of a large fund of humor. Among his most popular works are 'Los Hijos de la Pampa,' 'Angela,' and several dramas, the best of which are 'La Rosa Blanca' (1877), and 'Luz de Luna y Luz de Incendio> (1878). One of the best Argentine interpreters of nature is Rafael Obligado, a follower of the school of Echeverria. His poetry is romantic in form, tender in sentiment and free in movement. Gervasio Mendez (1849-98), the poet of melan choly, bed-bound most of his life, set the faghion for a sort of melancholy poetry 'which was in great favor in the Argentine during the latter quarter of the 19th century. Eugenio Cambaceres, a contemporary of Mendez, was his direct opposite. His naturalism was so

marked that he had difficulty in gaining the attention of the public. His first two works, (Sibidos de un vago> (1882) ; (MUsica senti mental' (1883) and 'Sin rumbo> (1885), gradu ally overcame the antipathy of the public and his (En la sangre) (1887) made his reputation as a painter of the national life, especially of the mixed population of Buenos Aires. Martin Garcia Merou, born in 1862, is one of the most voluminous of modern Argentine writers, hav ing already published some 16 volumes covering literary criticism, descriptive studies of foreign countries, tales and poems, novels and history. The list of younger Argentine writers is long and includes, among others, Domingo Martinto, Luis S. Ocampo, Alberto Navarro Viola, Adolfo Mitre, Julio E. Mitre, Enrique E. Rivarola, Ruben Dario (q.v.), Juan Mas, Emilio Berisso, Manuel Galvez, Eugenio Diaz Romero, Ricardo Rojas, Alvaro M. Lafinur, Albero Giraldo, An tonio Argerich, Paul Groussac, Lucio Vicente Lopez and Enrique Rodriguez Larreta. Some of the later Argentine novelists are worthy of special attention. Among these are two who have won attention in Europe. Carlos Maria Ocantos has an audience throughout Spain and Latin America. He has written many novels, the best of which are 'Leon Saldivar,> 'Don Perfecto,' 'El Peligro.' Emma de la Barra, who writes tinder the pen name of "Cesar Duayen,p is the best of the woman novelists of the Argentine. Her most popular story, 'Stella,' depicts, in a vivid manner, fashionable society in the capital. In this field she disputes sover eighty with Martin.Alden whose novel u'La Novela de Torquato is in itself a vivid picture of the life of Buenos Aires.

Chile.— From the earliest days of the con quest Chile has been a land of historians and chroniclers, to some of which reference has been made in the earlier section of this suttee. Many of the historical works of Chile are excellent; and the has shown considerable talent for essays and writings of a like nature. But it is in the novel, in more recent times at least, that Chilean literature has given the greatest promise. One of the earliest and most voluminous of Chilean novelists was Liborio Brieba, whose plots are set in the revolutionary period of native history. They are often spoiled by crude presentation of crime and fart.. tastic plots. The work of Martin Palma (1821 84) is in every way better than that of Brieba. He was journalist, controversialist, free-thinker and tractarian. Among his novels are 'Los Secretos del Pueblo' (180) • 'La Felicidad del (1870) ; 'Los Misterios del Con fesionario' (1874, translated into English), The success of his novels brought forth numer' ous imitators. Miguel Luis Amunitegui (1828 ::) who worked with his younger brother Gregorio, was the first trustworthy critic of Latin-American poetry and poets. Their works include, among much published matter, (Juicios criticos de hispano-americanos'; 'La Alborada poetics en Chile' and representaciones dramaticas en Chile.' The most copious biographer of Chile and probably of Latin America is Benjamin Vicuna Mackenna (1831-86), who has written more than 150 vol umes on biographical-historical subjects. Diego Barros Arana one of the most learned men and deepest thinkers of Chile, has left the best history of his native land, 'Historic General de Chile,' among numerous other his torical works. Alberto Blest Gana, whose liter ary activity began in 1858, with a volume of striking stories dealing with contemporary society, is one of the best story writers and' foremost novelists of Chile. Among his novels are 'Pago de las Deudas> (1860); 'Martin Rivas' (1862) and numerous shorter stories, all of which. move along swiftly displaying one vividly painted scene or characterization after another. Ram6n Vial (1833-96), a dramatist and comedy writer of considerable talent, pos sessed of an inexhaustible fund of humor and resources in dramatic comedy. Among his numerous works some of the best are 'Mujer hombre' ; 'Los extremos se and 'Grati tud y amor.' Three writers all bearing the same family name, Daniel Barros Grez (born 1839), Vicente Grez (born 1843) and Borja Orijuela Grez, have all made names for them selves in Chilean literature. The former is the best of the Chilean writers of historical fiction. Among his novels are 'El huerfano,) 'Primeras aventuras del maravilloso perro Cuatro Remos en and 'Pipiolos y Pelucones' (Liberals and Conservatives), all of which are written with keen wit, satire and humor. He was also successful as a writer for the stage, his best dramatic production being Tejedor.' Vicente Grez (1843-1909), one of the most versatile of Chilean literary men, has produced some notable novels, among them Reynals' (1883) ; 'La Dote de una jOven) (1884) ; Marianita> (1885) ; ideal de una (1887) • and a volume of poems (1882). Borja Orihuela Grez is also a novelist and her 'El curs' civil' is Mn excellent 'picture of certain phases of country life in the interior of Chile. Ramon Pacheco, who has been active as a novelist since the beginning of the last quarter of • the 19th cen tury, has found his field in episodes of 'native history. His best-known work, 'El subterraneo de los has gone through several. editions. Enrique del Solar (1844-), son of a famous mother, Mercedes' Marin del Solar,. is the author of a number of popular novels con siderably above the average of their clasi, them being 'Dos and 'Una aventura en Luis Montt (1848-.1909), poet bibliographer, critic and editor, has done much to encourage the study of the history and literature' of his native land. Jose TOribio Medina (1852-) is the greatest authority on the history of printing throughout Spanisb America ; and he has written the best and most appreciative history of the early literature of Chile. Valentin Mutillo (1840-) has written numerous novels, short stones and other literary productions stretching over a third of a century. The best known of these is a novel 'Una vie tima del honor) (1871). Alejandro Silva de la Fuente is the author of several novels of promise; but they are hopelessly tragic. Among these are 'Ventura' (1885) ; and 'Pens 'que matanr (1887), which are the most character istic of his earlier work. Alberto del Solar (186(Y-), traveler, diplomat, novelist and de scriptive writer, has done some creditable work. Among his publications are and two novels, 'Contra la marea' and 'El faro.' One of the best Short story writers of Chile is Luis Orrego Lueo (1866-). He is also a successful novelist. Among his works which have attracted much attention are 'Un idilio nuevo' (1900) ; 'Un voluntario de la patria vieja' (1905) ; and 'Casa grande> (1908). Among the long list of other writers of Chile not mentioned are Pedro N. Cruz, story novelist; Rene Brickles; Emilio Rodriquez Mendoza, novelist; J. V. Lastarria; Bildornero Lillo; A. C. Espejo; F. Santibafiez'; R. Maluerida; G. L. Hubertson; all short story writers. 1. J. Vallejo and Daniel Riquelme are both humorous writers popular in Chile.