Its Culture and Its Ideals 179
of an active and practical nationalism, and they were, in a
way, the forerunners of the talented Joaquin Costa, the
herald of the Spanish renaissance.
The development and influence of the Spanish-American
intellectual movement was even greater in respect of lyric
poetry. The Spanish-American poets have enriched the
Ivrics of the Spanish language, not only in sentimental value,
but also in expression and rhythm. So-called modernism
in Spanish literature found its leaders in Spanish America.
The precursors were the Cuban Julian del Casal and the
Mexican Manuel Gutierrez Najera. The Colombian José
Asuncion Silva, in original rhythms, reflected a new feeling
in the presence of the mystery of the universe and of death;
but the true leader of the new literary movement was Ruben
Dario, whose compositions constitute undreamed of ele-
ments of exquisiteness, elegance and musicality. The Mexi-
can Amado Nervo contributed to the renewal of poetry by
his Christian and Franciscan compositions. The Peruvian
Santos Chocano presents the case of a new epic with
imagery full of color and rhythms of splendid sonorous-
ness. His motive is the wild nature of America and the
heroic energy of those that triumphed over it. The Argen-
tine Leopoldo Lygones and the Uruguayan Julio Herrera y
Reissig express subtile shades of feeling and thought in
novel language. The influence of these writers on Spanish
letters is well recognized by the Spaniards themselves.
Dario, Nervo, and Chocano are considered true teachers
by the new generation in Spain and in Spanish America.
Peruvian literature has made to Spanish America con-
tributions that correspond to the rôle played by Peru in the
political evolution of the continent. Peru was the land of
Incan culture and the chief organism of Spanish colonial
government in America. The masterpieces of our Iitera-