The enthusiasm for literature and, more especially, for poetry in the latter half of the 16th century was one of the distinguishing features of the life of New Spain. For the most part the writers were native-born Mexi cans, some of Spanish, others of Mestizo or Indian blood. Balbuena, the garrulous old priestly chronicler, tells its that, during the last quarter of the 16th century, there were numer ous literary contests held under different aus pices and that, at some of these, so numerous were the candidates, 300 contestants entered for poetic honors alone. He also asserts that as poets they might have compared with the most flowery in the world. It is more than probable that the foremost Mexican critic of his day was mistaken in his estimate of the literary excellence of these contestants, the very names of most of whom have disappeared.
Good poetical form, correct language and the sparing use of poetic adornment charac terize this period which is, however, inclined to prosiness and the imitation of Spanish litera ture. Yet it shows originality enough to re deem it from being the work of pure imitators. Tones of expression, development of subject and the handling of the matters treated of dis tinguish the Mexican literature of this period, in an interesting manner, from that of Spain. This is all that could be reasonably expected of it in an age when the whole American world, south of Virginia, rotated about the Spanish court.
Among the Mexican literary men of the latter part of the 16th century who have been praised by Lope de Vega and other noted Spanish writers of that age, is Antonio de Saavedra Guzman, author of
Of the writers of this period, a portion of whose works have come down to us, Fernin Gonzalez de Eslava is one of the most inter esting. He was wonderfully popular in his day as a writer of autos sacramentales, a kind of religious drama in high favor for over a century in New Spain. He was so notable a poet as to attract attention in Spain itself. His dramas were long performed and read and they have been presented to appreciative audiences in Mexico within the past 50 years. Francisco Terrazas, who belongs to the same period as Eslava, had the honor of being warmly praised by the great Cervantes. Juan Arista, Pedro Flores, Bernardo Llanos, Fran cisco Placid°, Eugenio Salazar, Carlos Simano and Juan Perez Ramirez, were all poets highly esteemed by their contemporaries. To these we
must add the name of Bernardo Balbueno, to whom we are indebted for our information concerning the literary activity of the latter part of the 16th century. Balbueno was a great lover of Mexico whose praises he constantly sings. He branched out into all kinds of liter ary endeavor and proved himself an excellent and interesting critic. He wrote with great facility and elegance in both Spanish and Latin and is said to have been a master of Aztec. 'Mexican Greatness,' The Golden Age in Erifile> and the 'Bernardo> are his best-known works. Juan Perez Ramirez was a poet of international reputation and wonderful popu larity in his own day, and he and Alarcon, another Mexican writer, have been much writ ten about and praised in Spain. Placid° was a full-blooded Indian of noble Mexican family who first sang the praises of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patroness of Mexico, who, her critics say, is the ancient mother of the Aztec gods transformed into a Christian saint. How ever that may be, the Indians of Mexico have shown a wonderful devotion to her; and it was fitting that Placid°, a lineal descendant of the Aztec priests, should have been the first to sing her praises. As the cult of this saint grew in popularity and spread to the ends of the re numerous Mexican poets, from time to time, recounted her glories, in from fairly good to indifferent verse.
This cult of the Virgin of Guadalupe by Mexican literary men during the latter part of the 16th and all of the 17th centuries presents two interesting phases. In Guadalupe there was, in pre-Columbian days, one of the most popular of native shrines. This a few years after the Conquest, was suddenly changed into a Christian sanctuary, on account of the reputed miraculous appearance, near the sacred well of the Aztecs, of the Virgin herself, to Juan Diego, an Indian, whom she commis sioned to bear a message to the archbishop of Mexico, stating that she desired erected, on the hill top, above the well, a chapel dedicated to her worship. This chapel was duly built; and, since that day, the thousands of Indians who flock to it annually have made of it a most interesting depository of the mingled faiths of the aboriginal races and their Spanish conquerors. The literature that grew up around this historic shrine was, therefore, further re moved in form, spirit and execution from that of Spain than any other class of writing ema nating from Mexican sources. Yet whatever may have been the spirit and the influence of this distinctly national literature, its expression and the peculiar form it assumed were di rectly dependent upon the popular autos mentales and the encouragement given to them by both church and state and by people other wise exercising authority throughout the land, all of whom were encouraged to extend their patronage and support, by the court of Spain itself and by the home church.