Beginnings of Modern Poetry.

Mr. Marsh delivered the fifth of his lectures last evening, taking for his subject, "Spanish Poetry." He said Spanish poetry has a special interest for modern Americans. First, in the literary history of our country Spain has had an unusual part; then, she was peculiarly involved in the Romantic Movement, which has so much to do with determining our imaginative life in this century. But the true place of Spain in the great modern world is different from that of France or Italy. Those countries have contributed constituent parts of modern culture. Spain has never done this; but for centuries has stood aloof from the really constructive life of Europe. Yet she has been of great service to the life of the imagination; for she has stood as the chief representative of the pure form of that life. So, again and again, periods of imaginative creation in other nations have been prefaced by the study of things Spanish. The reason for this is largely the feeling that Spain and the Spanish character are remarkably rich in color and in romantic interest. Accordingly, we have today to trace the beginnings of the type of culture which has produced this impression on the modern world.

Spain was early romanized, and so obtained a place among the Romance nations. Arab civilization had little influence on the type of Spanish civilization; though its proximity undoubtedly increased the body of intellectual materials available for the latter. The reconquest was slow. Under these conditions art was slow to start. Hence Spain was not one of the poetically fecund nations of the Middle Ages. The earliest literature we have in the vulgar Spanish tongue belongs to the end of the 12th century, - a century later than the earliest French literature of moment. In the very earliest monument of Spanish, poetry that has come down to us, the Poem of the Cid, we see plainly the influence of French models, as least upon form. And this impression is strengthened by the earliest lyric poetry. Accordingly, it is certain that the influence of France and Provence determined the earliest literary productions of the Spaniards. The same was true in other arts. Yet the matter of the earliest Spanish poem, (the Poem of Cid), is distinctly not French. It gives us a type of manners and of character mainly Spanish, - and Spanish according to the imaginative tradition of Spain. Ruy Diaz de Bivar in real life; differs from the poetic tradition of Spain. He was idealized as the representative hero of Castile, and especially of the Castilian people. The emphasis changes in the later tradition.