Notwithstanding that the translator had considerable assistance in reading and revising the proofs, she regrets to find that still further correction would have been desirable. Fortunately, however, there are few errors in the Spanish and Portuguese extracts; and those which do occur in the English text, will be found to be in general of a literal or obvious nature, altogether incapable of misleading the intelligent reader. Of the mistakes of the press which have been observed, tables of errata are made. If there are others, the translator is confident, that the persons who are the best able to correct such faults, will be the most ready to pardon them. TABLE OF CONTENTS. VOL. I. INTRODUCTION. GENERAL VIEW OF THE ORIGIN OF ROMANTIC POETRY AND ELOQUENCE IN THE KINGDOMS OF SPAIN AND PORTUGAL. _Page_ Recollection of the general State of Spain and Portugal, about the middle of the thirteenth century 1 View of the principal idioms of the romance spoken in the Pyrenean Peninsula 5 Original separation of the Catalonian and Limosin poetry from the Castilian and Portuguese 15 National metres and rhymes common to the Spaniards and Portuguese 20 BOOK I. FROM THE END OF THE THIRTEENTH TO THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE SIXTEENTH CENTURY. Probable period of the first romances 27 Poema del Cid 28 Poema de Alexandro Magno 30 Gonzalo Berceo 31 Alphonso X.; his literary merits.--Nicolas and Antonio de los romances, &c. 32 Alphonso XI. 35 Early cultivation of Castilian prose.--Don Juan Manuel; his Conde Lucanor; his romances 36 Satirical poem of Juan Ruyz, arch-priest of Hita 44 More precise account of the origin of the Spanish poetic romances and songs.--Probable rise of the romances of chivalry in prose.--Original relationship of the poetic and prose romances 47 The different kinds of poetic romance 53 Castilian poetry in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries 72 Poetical court of John II. 76 The Marquis of Villena 78 The Marquis of Santillana--his poetical works--his historical and critical letter 82 Juan de Mena 90