QUINTANA, kn-tii!na, MANUEL Jost (1772 1857). A Spanish author and statesman, born at Madrid. He studied at Salamanca, and became a lawyer in Madrid, where his house was a resort of the advanced Liberals of the time. Among his earliest productions were his patriotic "Odes." which gave him a place in the first rank of Spanish poets. On the outbreak of the War of Spanish Independence he made good use of his lyric gift to stimulate the patriotism of his countrymen. He also acted as secretary of the Cortes and regency. and dis tinguished himself as editor of the Seminario Patriotic°, and as author of the manifestos of the insurrectionary juntas. and of most of the official statements of the Cortes. On the restora tion of Ferdinand VII. in 1814, Quintana's liber alism caused his imprisonment for six years. Re leased in 1820, he was received in Madrid with acclamations. and was appointed President of
Public Instruction in 1821. In 1833 he was made tutor of the Infanta Isabella and was cre ated a Senator in 1S35. He also held office as Director-General of Public Instruction up to 1851. He died at Madrid. Quintana held a high place as a poet, but his fame rests chiefly on his celebrated work l'idas de Esparioles celebrcs (3 vols., 1807-34). He also wrote several tragedies, and edited a collection of Castilian poetry. His patriotic odes earned him the name of the 'Spanish Tyrt:cus.' The most complete edition of his works is that of Gonzales Rojas (Madrid, 1897-98). Consult: Menendez y Pelayo, D. Maw Quintana, vol. iii. of the Espaha dcl siglo XIX (Madrid, 1887) ; and Piiieyro. Manuel Josd Quintana (Paris and _Madrid, 1892).