- Antonio Puigblanch
Antonio Puigblanch (
Mataró ,Spain 1775-Somers Town, London 1840). Spanish philologist and politician. He was living in London during 1815-1820 and 1823-1840. There he published "The Inquisition unmasked" (1816), translation of the book that had caused his exile from Spain.Biography
Puigblanch was born in
Mataró (Barcelona ,Spain ) on February 3, 1775; son of Antonio Puig Buñol and Cecilia Blanch. Being a child he studied in the School of Santa Ana of the Escolapios (Mataró ). Later, he was in the carthusian monastery of Montalegre, but for a short time. In 1799 he travelled toMadrid to continue his studies: Philosophy in the College of Santo Tomás de Aquino and ecclesiastic discipline in the Reales Estudios de San Isidro.In 1807 he won the post of professor of
Hebrew in the University ofAlcalá de Henares . At this time he publishes "Elementos de lengua hebrea" (Elements of Hebrew language), where he gathersFrancesc Orchell 's theories.During the Spanish War of Independence against the French invasion (1808-1814) the representatives of the Spanish Government escaped to
Seville and then toCádiz . At this time Puigblanch stands out among the liberals, who take advantage of the exceptional circumstances to make political reforms. He defends strongly the abolition of theInquisition , and he shows his arguments publishing "La Inquisición sin máscara" (Cádiz , 1811-1813). For this reason, after the return of the kingFernando VII , Puigblanch has to leaveSpain in 1815. He establishes inLondon . There he publishes the English (revised) edition of his polemic book: "The Inquisition Unmasked" (1816). He begins to write a poem inCatalan about the fight for the freedom, personified in theCastilian War of the Communities (1520-1522), entitled "Las Comunitats de Castella". By thisCatalan poem Puigblanch is recognized as the predecessor of the cultural movement calledRenaixença .In 1820-1823 Puigblanch was again in
Spain , thanks to the political circumstances ("Trienio Liberal"). He was member of the Spanish Parliament forCatalonia .In 1823 he returned to
London for good, where he was employed at a press and at a pastry shop. In addition, he gave lessons of Spanish and French.In 1828 and 1834 he published "Opúsculos gramático-satíricos", in which among many other themes, he defends the possibility of constructing a federal Spanish State.
He translated to Spanish the "Lectures on the Philosophy of the Human Mind" by Thomas Brown, entitled "Filosofía del espíritu humano en cien lecciones" (1828) and a selection of "Sermons" by
Robert Hall (1764-1831) entitled "Sermones entresacados de los que escribió en idioma inglés el Rdo. Roberto Hall" (1832).He left unfinished and unpublished the translation of the "Histoire de Gil Blas de Santillane", by
Alain-René Lesage .Antonio Puigblanch died on September 25, 1840, at 51 Johnson Street (now Cranleigh Street),
Somers Town, London .Works
*"Elementos de lengua hebrea". Madrid, 1808.
*(As Natanael JOMTOB) "La Inquisición sin máscara, o disertación en que se prueban hasta la evidencia los vicios de este tribunal y la necesidad de que se suprima". Cádiz: Imprenta de Josef Niel, 1811.
*"The Inquisition Unmasked". London, 1816. (Translation of "La Inquisición sin máscara". Cádiz, 1811-1813)
*"Opúsculos gramático-satíricos". London: Guillermo Guthrie, 1828. 2nd edition in two volumes, London, 1832.
*"Prospecto de la obra... intitulada Observaciones sobre el origen y genio de la lengua Castellana". London, 1828.
*"Filosofía del espíritu humano en cien lecciones". London, 1828.
*"Sermones entresacados de los que escribió en idioma inglés el Rdo. Roberto Hall". London: J. Hill, 1832.References
*ABELLÓ JUANPERE, Joan. Preliminary study to "La Inquisición sin máscara" (Antonio Puigblanch). Barcelona: Alta Fulla, 1988.
*JARDÍ, Enric. "Antoni Puigblanch. Els precedents de la Renaixença". Barcelona: Aedos, 1960.
*RUBIÓ I BALAGUER, Jordi. "Història de la literatura catalana", v. III. Barcelona: Abadia de Montserrat, 1986.
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