Sometime around 1550 a little book, published anonymously, appeared
in Spain. It purported to relate the life of one Lazarillo of
Tormes, whose only goal since childhood had been to fill his empty
belly. For its wit, unerring characterizations, realistic
observation, and its sage acceptance of life, the tale went
straight to the hearts of all Spain. Immediately translated into
other languages, it was soon being read with delight throughout
Europe. A masterpiece had been born, and for centuries it has
endeared itself to new generations of readers and has won the
praise of critics of every school and taste. In this modern but
faithful version by Robert S. Rudder the reader will be able to
read the entire book as it was experienced by the readers of the
sixteenth century. Several imitators attempted to fill their purses
by riding on the shirttails of that beloved book, using Lazarillo's
name as part of their title. Of them all, the only one that can lay
claim to literary merit of its own is the "Second Part of the Life
of Lazarillo of Tormes" (1620) written by Juan de Luna. This author
was a political and religious refugee in France, who spent his last
years as a Protestant minister in London. Juan de Luna may have had
to flee from the Inquisition because of his bitterness toward the
clergy. About this attitude he leaves us in no doubt; in his novel
the satire on the church is blunt and devastating. But this venom
did not hinder Juan de Luna from telling a witty, entertaining,
spicy story. The unknown author of the First Part, who starts his
tale by having the narrator state frankly that writers want glory -
"they want to be rewarded...with people seeing and reading their
works, and if there is something worthwhile in them, they would
like some praise" - not only gained his wish but initiated a
literary genre that is still very much alive, the picaresque novel.
To this tradition belong Tom Jones, Huckleberry Finn, Moll
Flanders, and in our own day, The Tin Drum. This edition is
superbly illustrated with seventy-three drawings by the Dutch
painter Leonard Bramer (1596-1674). The drawings, reproduced here
by permission, are in the keeping of the Graphische Sammlung in
Munich.
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