lences; let it be preserved because the author is a friend of mine, and out of respect for other more heroic and loftier works that he has written."[1]
"This," continued the barber, "is the 'Cancionero' of Lopez de Maldonado."[2]
"The author of that book, too," said the curate, "is a great friend of mine, and his verses from his own mouth are the admiration of all who hear them, for such is the sweetness of his voice that he enchants when he chants them: it gives rather too much of its eclogues, but what is good was never yet plentiful:[3] let it be kept with those that have been set apart. But what book is that next it?"
"The 'Galatea' of Miguel de Cervantes." said the barber.
"That Cervantes has been for many years a great friend of mine, and to my knowledge he has had more experience in reverses than in verses. His book has some good invention in it, it presents us with something but brings nothing to a conclusion: we must wait for the Second Part it promises: perhaps with amendment it may succeed in winning the full measure of grace that is now denied it; and in the meantime do you, señor gossip, keep it shut up in your own quarters."[4]
"Very good," said the barber; "and here come three together, the 'Araucana' of Don Alonso de Ercilla, the 'Austriada' of Juan Rufo, Justice of Cordova, and the 'Montserrate ' of Christobal de Virués, the Valencian poet."[5]
- ↑ Tesoro de varias Poesias, compuesto por Pedro de Padilla (Madrid, 1580). The author is one of those praised by Cervantes in the "Canto de Caliope " in the Galatea.
- ↑ Lopez de Maldonado, whose Cancionero appeared at Madrid in 1586, is another of the poets praised in the Galatea.
- ↑ Prov. 26.
- ↑ The play upon words in the original is "more versed in misfortunes than in verses." This introduction of himself and his forgotten pastoral is Cervantes all over in its tone of playful stoicism with a certain quiet self-assertion. It shows, moreover, pretty clearly, that until Don Quixote had made the author's name known, the Galatea had remained unnoticed.
- ↑ These three are examples of Spanish epic poetry. The Araucana of Ercilla (Madrid, 1569, 1578, 1590) is, next to the Poem of the Cid, the best effort in that direction in the language. The Austriada, which appeared first at Madrid in 1584, deals with the life and achievements of Don John of Austria, but it was probably the memory of Lepanto rather than the merits of the poem that made Cervantes give it a place here. The Montserrate of the dramatist Virués (Madrid, 1588) had for its subject the repulsive Oriental legend which became popular in Spain with Garin the hermit of Monserrat for its hero, and which M. G. Lewis made the foundation of his famous romance, The Monk.
