This study provides a fresh assessment of Spanish Romanticism through a sympathetic appraisal of its literary theory and criticism. It identifies the origins of Spanish Romantic thought in the theories of German Romantic thinkers, in particular Herder's historicism. The range of reference, from the articles of Bö hl von Faber to the judgments made by Cañ ete and Valera is counterpointed by the detail of close readings of books and articles published between 1834 and 1844, together with an examination of the ideas that informed the creative work of Ferná n Caballero. Derek Flitter's use of the history of ideas offers a corrective to the recent preponderance of political approaches to Spanish Romanticism, countering their stress on its radical and liberal associations with a detailed demonstration that the majority of Spanish Romantic writers derived their inspiration from restorative, traditionalist, and Christian elements in their contemporaries' theory and criticism.

Introduction; 1. Böhl von Faber and the establishment of a traditionalist Romanticism; 2. The consolidation of Romantic ideas: 1820-1833; 3. The exiles, liberal Romanticism and developments in criticism; 4. Condemnation and clarification in the literary debate; 5. Reaffirmation of Schlegelian principles in literary criticism; 6. The religious spirit in literary ideas and the influence of Chateaubriand; 7. The perception of literature's role in society; 8. Romantic traditionalism in the work of Fernán Caballero; 9. Conclusions: the mid-century; Notes; Bibliography; Index.