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Of the 110 letters pertaining to the last seven years of Quevedo's life (1639-1645), 42 were composed during his four-year imprisonment in San Marcos de Lesn. They are extensive and addressed to two distinguished Jesuits with whom Quevedo shared frankly (but under pseudonyms) news received in prison, including literary activity, military campaigns, politics and even his own parodies of the intrigues of the most powerful nobles at Court. These letters were carefully copied by two early 18th-century scholars in a hitherto unpublished manuscript of great interest and accuracy. This critical edition documents the authentic texts of the letters, corrects erroneous attributions, identifies Quevedo's correspondents and establishes the chronology and diagnosis of his long mortal illness. We now have dates which reorder the events of his life, and we know the identity of the powerful inquisitor who salvaged so much of Quevedo's poetry (published in 1648).JAMES O. CROSBY is Professor Emeritus at Florida International University. De las 110 cartas pertenecientes a los zltimos siete aqos de la vida de Quevedo (1639-1645), 42 fueron redactadas en los cuatro aqos de su prisisn en San Marcos de Lesn. Son extensas y se dirigieron a dos jesuitas distinguidos con quienes compartis Quevedo con franqueza (pero bajo seudsnimos) noticias recibidas en la carcel, incluyendo la actividad literaria, las campaqas militares, la polmtica y hasta sus propias parodias de las intrigas de los prsceres de la corte. Estas cartas fueron copiadas con sumo cuidado por dos eruditos de principios del siglo dieciocho en un manuscrito inidito de gran interis y exactitud. La presente edicisn documenta los textos autinticos delas cartas, corrige atribuciones errsneas, identifica a los corresponsales del satmrico y establece la cronologma y la diagnosis de su larga enfermedad mortal. Ahora disponemos de los datos que ordenan correctamente los episodios de su vida, y sabemos la identidad del poderos
About the author
James O. Crosby is Professor Emeritus of Spanish in the Department of Modern Languages, Florida International University, Miami, USA.
