Moratín's Circle of Friends: Intellectual Ferment in Spain, 1780–1800

Moratin’ s Circle ofFriends:baZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA Intellectual Ferment in Spain, 1780-1800 JOHN DO WLING Ju a n A n to n io M elo n , in so m e “ d iso rd e rly n o te s” o n th e life o f L e a n d ro F e rn a n d e z d e M o ra tin , m e n tio n s h o w th e re d e v e lo p e d a ro u n d M o ra tin d u rin g th e 1 7 8 0 ’s a c o te rie o f h a lf a d o z e n y o u n g m e n in th e ir tw e n tie s. B esid es M elo n a n d M o ra tin , th e y w ere P e d ro E sta la a n d h is fe llo w P ia rist P a d re N a v a rre te , L e o n d e A rro y a l, a n d Ju a n P a b lo F o rn e r. T h e re la tio n o f M o ra tin , M elo n , a n d E sta la , e sp e c ia lly in la te r y e a rs, h as alw ay s b e e n k n o w n ; b u t th e g ro u p as a w h o le h as n o t b e e n stu d ie d in lite ra ry o r in te lle c tu a l h isto ry . M o ra tin a n d F o rn e r h av e b e e n tre a te d se p a ra te ly , b u t th e ir re la tio n sh ip h as n o t b e e n c la rifie d . L e o n d e A rro y a l w as, it w o u ld seem , in te n tio n a lly assig n ed b y g o v e rn m e n t a u th o ritie s in h is o w n life tim e to a n o b sc u rity fro m w h ic h h e h as e m e rg e d o n ly in th e la st d e c a d e . I m y se lf m u st set asid e P a d re N a v a rre te . H e h as n o t b e e n sa tisfa c to rily id e n tifie d , a n d h e seem s n o t to h av e d istin ­ g u ish e d h im se lf in th e in te lle c tu a l life o f th is tim e .1 T h e p e rio d 1 7 8 0 to 1 8 0 0 e m b ra c e s th e y o u n g m a n h o o d o f th e se in te lle c tu a ls. F o r M o ra tin it m e a n s th e p e rio d fro m th e ag e 1 6 5 166 / JOHN DOWLINGbaZYXWVUTSRQPONMLKJIHGFEDCBA o f tw e n ty to fo rty , a n d it w as m o re o r less th e sam e ag e fo r th e o th e rs. Ju a n P a b lo F o rn e r d ie d a t th e ag e o f fo rty -o n e , b e fo re th e n e w c e n tu ry b eg an . H isto ric a...