Martinez de la Rosa has boasted of the variety of rhymes in Spanish; but he refers to double as well as single rhymes, and in this and in other respects is carried away by his ardour, in admiration of his country’s language, much further than the facts will be found to support him. Thus he also praises the number and variety of metres used in it as extraordinary, when in fact they are no more, so than any other neighbouring language could present. It may be justly conceded, that poetry has been cultivated lately in Spain with much assiduity and success; but there is no peculiarity in the language to give it an advantage over others in respect to metres. The strict censorship which has weighed down the energies of the country, with regard to most subjects of public discussion, has had the effect of directing talent to the cultivation of poetry, as almost the only road to literary reputation. This it is, combined with the sensitive character of the nation, that has made their poets attain the eminence we are bound in justice to award them; and it is fortunate for them that they have in their language so admirable an exponent of their genius, as it must in fairness be allowed, though the merit still remains peculiarly their own. The following is a summary list of the principal Modern Spanish Poets whose memoirs and writings it is the object of this work more particularly to make known to the English public, given with a statement of dates respecting their lives, for the purpose of enabling the reader to compare more easily the periods in which they flourished. They are, it will be observed, twelve in number, and the list has been divided into two parts, as marking an evidently distinctive character of the poetry in the former and latter part of the epoch which they have rendered memorable. PART I. I. Jovellanos Born 1744. Died 1811. Age 67. II. Iriarte Born 1750. Died 1791. Age 41. III. Melendez Valdes Born 1754. Died 1817. Age 63. IV. Leandro Moratin Born 1760. Died 1828. Age 68. V. Arriaza Born 1770. Died 1837. Age 67. VI. Quintana Born 1772. Living 1851. Age 79. PART II. VII. Martinez de la Rosa Born 1789. Living 1851. Age 62. VIII. The Duke de Rivas Born 1791. Living 1851. Age 60. IX. Breton de los Herreros Born 1796. Living 1851. Age 55. X. Heredia Born 1803. Died 1839. Age 35. XI. Espronceda Born 1810. Died 1842. Age 32. XII. Zorrilla Born 1817. Living 1851. Age 34. PRELIMINARY NOTE. For readers unacquainted with the Spanish language, it may be perhaps most advisable, in this place, to affix a few short instructions for the proper pronunciation of such names and words as are to be found in the following pages.