Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos

Quote by Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos.

Quote by Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos.

Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (1744-1811) was a transcendental writer for Spanish literature in the XNUMXth and early XNUMXth centuries. His professions were jurist and magistrate. The writings of "Jovino" —one of his artistic nicknames— stand out for an exquisite cultivation of Spanish language and literature. This quality is very evident in his poetry, considered among the best of his time.

Jovellanos was also distinguished by an excellent handling of other genres, especially by his elegant and natural prose. In the same way, he developed a refined lyric and a satire as refined as it was scathing. Not in vain, his figure was considered that of an enlightened politician. For these reasons, he is an author with a relevant weight within Spanish political and literary history.

Biography

Birth, childhood, studies and youth

Baptized Baltasar Melchor Gaspar María, he was born in Gijón, on January 5, 1744. His family was noble, although not very wealthy. From an early age he demonstrated commendable discipline for someone so young, as he perfectly combined his academic obligations with his love of writing. At that time, he was especially influenced by the enlightened currents.

After turning 13 he settled in Oviedo in order to study Philosophy at the university of that town. Three years later, sand he moved to Ávila to complete his baccalaureate in Cánones. He obtained his degree from the University of Santa Catalina de El Burgo de Osma (1761). He received his degree in 1763 at the Santo Tomás de Ávila University.

First jobs

After completing his ecclesiastical training at the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso at the University of Alcalá (1764-1767), he moved to Seville. There, he was appointed magistrate of the Royal Court and in 1774 he was granted the position of Mayor of Crime and Oidor of the Andalusian capital. The following year, Jovellanos served as secretary of arts and crafts for the Sociedad Patriótica Sevillana.

Likewise, in 1773 the young Gaspar completed his first formal (dramatic) writing The honest criminal (published 1787). Around that time, Jovellanos produced notable neoclassical pieces, among them Jovino to his friends in Salamanca y To your friends in Seville. The first was of a moralizing character, the second was a piece of sensitive temper.

In the capital

Jovellanos arrived at Madrid in 1778. While there, he entered as a member of the Chamber of Mayors of the House and Court. In the following years he was admitted to the Royal Academy of History (1779), the Royal Academy of San Fernando (1780) and the Royal Spanish Academy (1781). During the early part of the 1780s he was also a member of the Council of Military Orders.

In addition, the Gijonian intellectual was one of the promoters of the Banco de San Carlos (1782) and the Sociedad Económica Matritense (1784). Among his most relevant writings on commercial matters of that time is the Report on the Agrarian Law. In which, he defends the liberation of the land and advocates a profound reform of Spanish agriculture.

The end of illustrated ideas

The French Revolution marked the end of Enlightenment ideas as well as the departure of Jovellanos from the Court. For this reason, the writer returned to his homeland, where he wrote a Show report for the Royal Academy of History. Starting in 1790, he toured Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country in order to study the state of the coal mines. His conclusion was favorable to increase production.

Later, under the government of Manuel Godoy's alliance with revolutionary France, Jovellanos agreed to be Minister of Grace and Justice. Although he was only in office for a little over a year (1797), he left his mark due to his reformist intentions. Likewise, he firmly opposed the Inquisition and the fiefdoms of the Church.

Destierro

After a short stay in Gijón as State Councilor, in 1800 Godoy ordered his arrest and banishment to Mallorca. The reason: Jovellanos was charged with introducing in Spain a copy of a prohibited book, The social contract, Rousseau. Additionally, the Asturian writer was greatly affected by the growing trend of anti-enlightened traditionalism at that time.

Theoretical-practical teaching treaty.

Theoretical-practical teaching treaty.

You can buy the book here: Theoretical-practical teaching treaty

On the Mediterranean island he elaborated Memory on public education (1802). In the same way, while he was confined in the Bellver Castle, he wrote Historical memories about the Bellver castle (published post mortem) and Theoreico-practical treatise on teaching (1802). Finally, he was released three years before his death, which occurred on November 27, 1811. He was 67 years old.

Legacy

Jovellanos was the author of an impressive number of judgments, censures and reports of a legal nature for the Supreme Council of Castile. Similarly, its multifaceted quality is evident when analyzing its breadth of knowledge in areas such as economics, history, pedagogy, geography and art. Not surprisingly, his written work covers more than fifty publications.

In addition, he showed a very significant interest in the ethology of human groups. Well, the perspective of the Gijón author was always distinguished by a comprehensive approach to each region or object of study, framed within a fairly meticulous methodology. For this reason, Jovellanos is considered a precursor of several scientific disciplines developed during the XNUMXth century.

His best known works

Theater

  • Pelayo / Munuza, tragedy (1769)
  • The honest criminal (1774)

Poetic compositions and romances

  • Funeral praise of the Marquis de los Llanos de Alguazas (1780)
  • In Praise of Carlos III (1788)

Diary and Memories

  • Diary (1790 - 1801).
  • Family memories (1790-1810).
  • Travel journal from Bellver (Mallorca) to Jadraque (Guadalajara). Return from exile (1808)

Education

  • Report to the Protomedicato on the state of the Seville Medical Society and the study of Medicine at its University (1777).
  • Regulation for the economic, institutional and literary government of the College of the Immaculate Conception of Salamanca, according to the new plan approved by His Majesty in consultation with the Royal Council of Orders (1790).
  • Pedagogical Memories. (1790-1809).
  • Ordinance for the Royal Asturian Institute (1793).
  • Prayer on the need to unite the study of literature to that of science (1797).
  • Plan to arrange the studies of the University (1798).
  • Plan of education of the nobility and the wealthy classes (1798).
  • Memory on public education or theoretical-practical treatise on teaching with application to schools and children's colleges (1802)
  • Bases for the formation of a general plan of Public Instruction (1809).

Economy

  • Causes of the decline of Economic Societies (1786)
  • Report in the Agrarian Law File (1794).
  • Report on the extraction of oils to foreign kingdoms. (1774).
  • Report on the development of the merchant marine (1784).
  • Report on substituting a new method for spinning silk (1789).

Art

  • General improvement plan proposed to the Gijón City Council (1782).
  • Report to the General Board of Commerce and Currency on the free exercise of the arts (1785).
  • Bellver castle memory, historical-artistic description (1805)

Politics

  • First representation to Carlos IV (1801).
  • Second representation to Carlos IV (1802).
  • Representation of Fernando VII (1808).
  • Memory in defense of the Central Board (1811)

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