Spain’s Eighteenth-Century Periodical Press
Antonio Valladares de Sotomayor and the Semanario Erudito
9781837722075
Distributed for University of Wales Press
Spain’s Eighteenth-Century Periodical Press
Antonio Valladares de Sotomayor and the Semanario Erudito
The first study of the Semanario Erudito, an important late eighteenth-century Spanish periodical.
This book tells the story of one of the most important and long-lived of the erudite periodicals published in Spain in the eighteenth century, the Semanario Erudito and its editor, Antonio Valladares de Sotomayor (1737–1820). Founded in 1887, the Semanario ceased publication when private periodicals were prohibited in February 1791.
Through the Semanario Erudito Valladares sought to teach his readers Spanish history. Each week he published historical documents he believed would be instructive; most had never before been published. Spain's Eighteenth-Century Periodical Press examines not only Valladares’s life and works and the history of the Semanario, including its printers, sellers, and readers, but it also discusses the history of printing laws and censorship and the documents Valladares published on topics such as the monarchy, economic reform, and Spain’s place on the world stage.
This book tells the story of one of the most important and long-lived of the erudite periodicals published in Spain in the eighteenth century, the Semanario Erudito and its editor, Antonio Valladares de Sotomayor (1737–1820). Founded in 1887, the Semanario ceased publication when private periodicals were prohibited in February 1791.
Through the Semanario Erudito Valladares sought to teach his readers Spanish history. Each week he published historical documents he believed would be instructive; most had never before been published. Spain's Eighteenth-Century Periodical Press examines not only Valladares’s life and works and the history of the Semanario, including its printers, sellers, and readers, but it also discusses the history of printing laws and censorship and the documents Valladares published on topics such as the monarchy, economic reform, and Spain’s place on the world stage.
288 pages | 5.43 x 8.5
Iberian and Latin American Studies
History: European History
Literature and Literary Criticism: Romance Languages
Table of Contents
Introduction….….….….….….….….….1
Part One: Valladares and the Semanario Erudito
Chapter One: The Life and Works of Antonio Valladares de Sotomayor
Introduction….….….….….….….….5
Early Years, Early Works….….….….….….5
Writing for the Theater….….….….….….13
A Temporary Stay in Osuna….….….….….….19
The Economics of Writing and the Move to Editing….….….20
Hard Times in the 1790’s….….….….….….29
The Peninsular War and a Return to the Theater….….….34
1818: An Investigation by the Inquisition and an Appeal to the King ….39
Final Years and Final Projects….….….….….45
Chapter Two: The Semanario Erudito
Introduction….….….….….….….….60
The Early History of the Semanario Erudito….….….….61
The Prospecto….….….….….….….65
Valladares and Antonio de Sancha: Publishers With a Common Purpose81
The Publication and Distribution of the Semanario Erudito….….83
The Printers….….….….….….….83
The Sellers….….….….….….….85
Promotional Strategies: Attracting a Public….….….87
Subscribers and Readers….….….….….….94
The Women Subscribers….….….….….103
Members of the Nobility and Government Officials….….105
Professionals and Members of the Military….….….107
The World of Letters….….….….….….108
Members of the Clergy….….….….….109
Subscribers Outside of Madrid….….….….111
Subscribers Beyond the Iberian Peninsula….….….112
The Decree of 1791 and After….….….….….114
1816: The Nuevo Semanario Erudito….….….….120
Chapter Three: The Law, the Censors, the Consejo de Castilla and the Semanario Erudito
Introduction….….….….….….….….135
Laws Regulating the Periodical Press in the Eighteenth Century….136
The Censors….….….….….….….….141
The Censors’ Recommendations and the Consejo’s Decisions….143
April 1788: A Contretemps with the Authorities….….….164
Conclusions: The Role of the Censors, a Confluence of Interests….171
Part Two: Recovering the History of Spain
Introduction: Examining Valladares’s Archive….….….….179 Assembling the Archive….….….….….….179
What Did the Archive Contain?….….….….….181
. Chapter Four: Recovering the History of the Seventeenth Century
Introduction….….….….….….….….190
Eye-Witness Reporting: Quevedo, Almansa y Mendoza, Pellicer de Tovar191The Spanish Monarchy: Palafox’s ‘Juicio interior’ and the Anonymous ‘Memorias
históricas de la monarquía de España’….….….207
Royal Correspondence: Letters of the Conde Duque de Olivares, Queen Mariana,
Don Juan de Austria and the Duque de Alba….….228
Conclusions….….….….….….….….236
Chapter Five: Writings of the Arbitristas and Proyectistas
The Arbitristas: Diagnosing and Curing Spain’s Ills….….….245
Antonio de Somoza y Quiroga,’Unico desengaño y perfecto
Remedio’….….….….….….….248
Luis de Salazar y Castro, ‘Discurso político’ ….….252
‘Causa de la decadencia de la monarquía española’ ….….256
Agustín Salucio, ‘Discurso’ and Juan de Santa María,
‘Representación ‘….….….….….….261
The Eighteenth-Century Heirs of the Arbitrista Tradition: The
Proyectistas….….….….….….….….269
Melchor de Macanaz, ‘Auxilios para bien gobernar una monarquía
católica’ and ‘Avisos’ ….….….….….273
Miguel de Uriarte y Herrera, ‘Representacion hecha al Rey’….284
Conclusion….….….….….….….….290
Chapter 6: Eighteenth-Century Writers: Martín Sarmiento, Andrés Burriel, Gregorio Mayans y Siscar
Introduction….….….….….….….….298
Writings by Padre Martín Sarmiento….….….….….300
Letters of Andrés Burriel….….….….….….309
Gregorio Mayans y Siscar: Correspondence and Other Writings….321
Conclusions….….….….….….….….332
Conclusion and Reflections….….….….….….….344
Bibliography….….….….….….….….….348
Part One: Valladares and the Semanario Erudito
Chapter One: The Life and Works of Antonio Valladares de Sotomayor
Introduction….….….….….….….….5
Early Years, Early Works….….….….….….5
Writing for the Theater….….….….….….13
A Temporary Stay in Osuna….….….….….….19
The Economics of Writing and the Move to Editing….….….20
Hard Times in the 1790’s….….….….….….29
The Peninsular War and a Return to the Theater….….….34
1818: An Investigation by the Inquisition and an Appeal to the King ….39
Final Years and Final Projects….….….….….45
Chapter Two: The Semanario Erudito
Introduction….….….….….….….….60
The Early History of the Semanario Erudito….….….….61
The Prospecto….….….….….….….65
Valladares and Antonio de Sancha: Publishers With a Common Purpose81
The Publication and Distribution of the Semanario Erudito….….83
The Printers….….….….….….….83
The Sellers….….….….….….….85
Promotional Strategies: Attracting a Public….….….87
Subscribers and Readers….….….….….….94
The Women Subscribers….….….….….103
Members of the Nobility and Government Officials….….105
Professionals and Members of the Military….….….107
The World of Letters….….….….….….108
Members of the Clergy….….….….….109
Subscribers Outside of Madrid….….….….111
Subscribers Beyond the Iberian Peninsula….….….112
The Decree of 1791 and After….….….….….114
1816: The Nuevo Semanario Erudito….….….….120
Chapter Three: The Law, the Censors, the Consejo de Castilla and the Semanario Erudito
Introduction….….….….….….….….135
Laws Regulating the Periodical Press in the Eighteenth Century….136
The Censors….….….….….….….….141
The Censors’ Recommendations and the Consejo’s Decisions….143
April 1788: A Contretemps with the Authorities….….….164
Conclusions: The Role of the Censors, a Confluence of Interests….171
Part Two: Recovering the History of Spain
Introduction: Examining Valladares’s Archive….….….….179 Assembling the Archive….….….….….….179
What Did the Archive Contain?….….….….….181
. Chapter Four: Recovering the History of the Seventeenth Century
Introduction….….….….….….….….190
Eye-Witness Reporting: Quevedo, Almansa y Mendoza, Pellicer de Tovar191The Spanish Monarchy: Palafox’s ‘Juicio interior’ and the Anonymous ‘Memorias
históricas de la monarquía de España’….….….207
Royal Correspondence: Letters of the Conde Duque de Olivares, Queen Mariana,
Don Juan de Austria and the Duque de Alba….….228
Conclusions….….….….….….….….236
Chapter Five: Writings of the Arbitristas and Proyectistas
The Arbitristas: Diagnosing and Curing Spain’s Ills….….….245
Antonio de Somoza y Quiroga,’Unico desengaño y perfecto
Remedio’….….….….….….….248
Luis de Salazar y Castro, ‘Discurso político’ ….….252
‘Causa de la decadencia de la monarquía española’ ….….256
Agustín Salucio, ‘Discurso’ and Juan de Santa María,
‘Representación ‘….….….….….….261
The Eighteenth-Century Heirs of the Arbitrista Tradition: The
Proyectistas….….….….….….….….269
Melchor de Macanaz, ‘Auxilios para bien gobernar una monarquía
católica’ and ‘Avisos’ ….….….….….273
Miguel de Uriarte y Herrera, ‘Representacion hecha al Rey’….284
Conclusion….….….….….….….….290
Chapter 6: Eighteenth-Century Writers: Martín Sarmiento, Andrés Burriel, Gregorio Mayans y Siscar
Introduction….….….….….….….….298
Writings by Padre Martín Sarmiento….….….….….300
Letters of Andrés Burriel….….….….….….309
Gregorio Mayans y Siscar: Correspondence and Other Writings….321
Conclusions….….….….….….….….332
Conclusion and Reflections….….….….….….….344
Bibliography….….….….….….….….….348