PROSE.--Stronger and more brilliant at that period than the poetry, the prose was represented by Father Florez, author of _Ecclesiastical Spain_; by the Marquis de San Phillipo, author of the _War of Succession in Spain_; by Antonio de Solis, author of _The Conquest of Mexico_. In fiction there was the interesting Father Isla, a Jesuit, who gave a clever imitation of the _Don Quixote_ of Cervantes in his _History of the Preacher Friar Gerund_. He was well read and patriotic. He was convinced that Le Sage had taken all his _Gil Blas_ from various Spanish authors, and he published a translation of his novel under the title: _The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santiago, stolen from Spain and adopted in France by M. Le Sage, restored to their country and native tongue by a jealous Spaniard who will not endure being laughed at_. Another Jesuit (and it may be noticed that Spanish Jesuits of the seventeenth century often displayed a very liberal and modern mind), Father Feijoo, wrote a kind of philosophical dictionary entitled _Universal Dramatic Criticism_, a review of human opinions which was satirical, humorous, and often extremely able. The historian Antonio de Solis, who was also a reasonably capable dramatist, produced a _History of the Conquest of South America Known under the name of New Spain_, in a chartered style that was very elegant and even too elegant. Jovellanos wrote much in various styles. Among others he wrote one fine tragedy, _Pelagia_; a comedy presenting clever contrasts, entitled _The Honorable Criminal_; a mass of studies on the past of Spain, economic treatises, satires, and pamphlets. Engaged in all the historical and political vicissitudes of his country, he expired miserably in 1811, after having been alternately in exile and at the head of affairs. ROMANTICISM.--In the nineteenth century Spanish romanticism was brought back in dignified poetic style by Angel Saavedra, José Zorilla, Ventura de la Vega, Ramon Campoamor, Espronceda. The latter especially counts among the great literary Spaniards, for he was poet and novelist, who wrote _The Student of Salamanca_ (Don Juan), _The Devil World_ (a kind of Faust), lyrical poems, and an historical novel, _Sancho Saldano_.