Though the modest literary product of the seventeenth century may to some extent exem plify the intellectual decadence of New Spain during that period, yet it illustrates in one phase the aptitude of the mestizo caste for music and for poetry—an aptitude which displayed itself in both Castilian and Latin verse. Easily the leader of this period stands the poetess Juana Ines de la Cruz (1651-1695), a leading personage at the vice-regal court, and later a nun, who dazzled her contemporaries by her learning, and whose subtle and suggestive verse gained for her the title 'the Tenth Muse.' Another easy and cor rect versifier of the period was the l'ueblan Matias Bocanegra, whose popularity lasted well into the succeeding century. The making of verse at that time was simply a pastime, so a com paratively small output has survived until our own day. The man of letters par excellenee of the century was the diligent and versatile Carlos' de Sig,ficnza y Gongora (1645-1700), whose writ ings, poetical and prose, embraced a wide variety of literary and scientific subjects. Ile held the post of Cosmographer of New Spain, and for many years filled the chair of mathematics in the University of Mexico. The most noted co lonial dramatist of the century was Eusebio Vela, who, if not equal to the leaders of the Spanish stage, surpassed many of those of the second. rank. Juan Ruiz de Alarcon, the dramatist, was of Mexican birth and education, though his mature work was produced in Spain. Time theological works of the time bore the names of many native Church fathers; likewise the hest work on the early compiling of the Laws of the Indies was that of Rodrigo Aguiar y Acufia (died 1629). In the realm of scientific litera ture the work of Enrico Martinez. Reportorio de los tiempos y hiRiOria natural desta arra pana (1606), and that of Friar Agustin de Ve tancourt. Teatro mexicana (1(19ti), fittingly open and close the century.
The eighteenth century in New Spain was marked by a more extensive if less notable literary culture. This was especially true of the reign of Carlos IV., when public functions were the scenes of notable contests of poets and ora tors, many of whose product ions were favorably mentioned in Europe. ThP book trade with Madrid and other Spanish cities was very flour ishing, and some especially tine editions of clas sical authors were printed in the Creole capital. Large and well-selected private libraries were common. both here and in the provincial towns. It was the period fur the collection of archives and the writing of local history—a work in which the names of Veytia (1718-1779) and Mora (died 1793) hold a prominent position. Spanish-Amer iean journalism is represented by the monthly gazette (1728-39) of Francisco Salmagfin de Are valo; by the Guct ins de Lituratura (begun 1768) of Jos() Antonio de .\lzate (1729-90), whose peri odical did much to stimulate intellectual effort and develop a correct literary sentiment ; by the Mercurio Volante (begun 1772) of Jos)7. Ignacio Bartolache, largely a medical journal ; by the Gaceta de Mexico, a fortnightly publication from 1784 to 1S06, devoted to general news and literary and scientific discussions, and after that date a hi-weekly; and the Diario de ile'jico (1805) and the Diario de Vera (1805), the former devoted to literary and statistical matters. and
the latter a commercial sheet. Despite the strict censorship of all these periodicals, they exercised a most beneficial effect upon public opinion at the close of the century.
In the literary production of the nineteenth century the work of the Mexican historians easily leads at home, and occupies a prominent place in the world at large. An important work as col lector of historical documents was done by Josi:. Fernandez Ramirez. Among historians of lesser note may be mentioned Mora and Zamacois. Of un usual excellence is the work of Busts mante (died 1848), whose volumes treat of the revolutionary period and of the beginnings of the American War. The leader of his age, and still easily the foremost Mexican historian, was Lucas Alamdn (died 1853). whose work as statesman during a trying period has been eclipsed by his greater work as the historian of that period. llis Diser taciones sobre la Historia de .11(jieo (3 vols., 1844-49) cover the vice-regal period, and these are supplemented by his Historia de ilejieo (5 vols., 1849-52), continuing the narrative to the middle of the century. Among the more recent historians the greatest figure is that of Manuel Orozco y Berra (1816-81), who crowned a lite of public service and valuable arclurological re search by devoting his last twenty years to his Historia Antigua de Mexico. Closely allied with these is the work of Antonio Garcia Cnbas, whose Diceionario geogrqiro, histarico, y biogncifieo (le los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (1889) is a model of its kind.
In the realm of pure literature the physician poet Manuel Carpi° (1791-1860) was well known for his vigorous descriptive verse, of which the most important example is La cena de Baltasar. His firmness and moderation in political life, and the erudition and charm of his poems, easily render him the most popular Mexican poet of the century. Ignacio Manuel Altamirano (born 1834). a noted liberal orator, is famous both as a poet and as a novelist. His poems are less vig orous in description than those of Carpio: the best known of his novels, rlenuneia, is of con siderable merit. To Rodriguez 1i:11v:in is given the credit of the first national drama, but his work has been surpassed by Fernando Calderon (1819-45), whose Rebuild° y Elena, Zadig, and others gave promise of much better work had he lived to eomplete it. In comedy the name of Manuel E. t?orostiza (1789-1851) stands su preme. Ills comedies, of which the most famous are Indulge ncia para lodos and COn 4/0 lion y (-cholla. still hold popular favor. In addition to an active military and diplomatic career he organized the present Bibliotrea Nacional, and greatly advanced the cause of popular education throughout the Republic. Consult: -Unman, It is rtacioncs sabre la Ilistoria de .11rjico co. 1844-49) ; Piementel, Histeria erifica de la ratura y de lass ciencias cn Mexico (Mexico, 1885); Cortez, .1au'rieu ['calm (Paris. 1875); Diceionario biogrdfiro American() (Paris, 1875) : and .1D'xico a tract's de los silos (Mexi co. 1887-89).