—81→ —82→ —83→
Galdós' journalistic activities, especially in connection with periodicals such as La Nación, Las Cortes, la Revista del Movimiento Intelectual de Europa, La Ilustración de Madrid, la Revista de España and La Guirnalda, during the years immediately following his arrival in Madrid in 1862, are well known, and in some cases have ben the subject of detailed study.108
No attention has so far been paid to his association with El Océano109 at a later and important juncture in his novelistic career, during the years 1879 to 1880, immediately preceding the writing of the novelas españolas contemporáneas.
El Océano is mentioned in correspondence between Galdós and Mesonero Romanos in connection with the ninth Episodio of the Second Series, Los apostólicos. Mesonero's personal reminiscences of the reign of Ferdinand VII had been a valuable source of information for Galdós from the beginning of the Second Series. On 5 March 1879, Galdós asked him for details about the young literary generation who frequented the Café del Príncipe in Madrid.110 Mesonero's reply of 17 May indicated that he himself would be dealing with the «progreso o renacimiento de nuestra literatura, y la semblanza de sus autores a cuyo lado me tocó trabajar en aquel sentido» in his Memorias, then appearing in La Ilustración, and that he expected Galdós to refrain from extending his narration to the literary field.111 This demand came too late. Already half of Los apostólicos had been completed and published in the «folletín» of El Océano. In any case, Galdós apologetically explained to his friend, it was impossible for him to be silent about «aquella ilustre pléyade».112 The Episodio was completed on 4 July 1879, and Galdós promised Mesonero a copy of the book which would be published after the final instalments had appeared in El Océano.113 In an undated letter to Galdós, Mesonero expressed his desire to read the Episodio. If he had know it was to appear in that paper he would have subscribed to it, though he wondered whether Galdós had done right to publish it «en un periódico poco extendido» (sic).114
This rather uncomplimentary allusion to El Océano may reflect Mesonero's pique at Galdós refusal to leave the subject of the literary generation alone. However, a study of the paper throws light on why Galdós decided to publish Los apostólicos in it as a «folletín».
In the first place, the printing and lithography were executed by La Guirnalda Press, with whose owner, Miguel H. de la Cámara, Galdós had been associated since 1873, and it is plausible to assume that there were literary and pecuniary links. Secondly, the unsigned leader of the first number states that «La dirección literaria de El Océano estará a cargo de D. B. Pérez Galdós, quien además destinará a este periódico la primera novela que escriba», so that Galdós was bound to make at least one original contribution to the paper. In fact, not only Los apostólicos but also Un faccioso más y algunos frailes menos appeared —84→ in its «folletín» before publication of their first editions. Thirdly, the paper gave undoubted prominence to Galdós' work. He was the only Spanish novelist represented in the «folletín». The advertisement of his novels was a permanent feature on the last page of each issue, and references to his works abound.
The life of El Océano was short. It appeared on 4 January 1879, as a «periódico político ilustrado», to be published eight times monthly, with three illustrated numbers. On 1 April of the same year it was stated that the reception had been so good that it was to become a «diario ilustrado, político, literario de ciencias y artes». The last numbered issue was No. 312 of 14 April 1880, and a final unnumbered issue appeared on the next day. During the summer season of 1879, from 1 August to 1 November, (Nos.122 to 183), the paper was reduced in size and appeared only every third day. (A major error occurred in numbering the paper: No. 144 is followed by No. 175, 176, etc.)115
Because of the close relationship with Galdós, it may be of interest to describe the paper's general purpose. The first issue sets out its aim and the reason for its appearance:
This notion was held to distinguish it from other newspapers of the day, and to comprehend it all that was necessary was «una ojeada geográfica o contemplar en un mapa nuestro territorio histórico», illustrated on the masthead. All Spain's «territorio histórico» had a part to play in the development of Spain's overseas commerce, which would increase the country's wealth and restore it to its rightful position among the European powers. Practical objects that El Océano wanted to promote included the development of a Spanish merchant navy, close relationships with the American republics and the peaceful reintegration of Gibraltar into Spain. Its ultimate aspiration was la unificación que viene observándose en Europa desde hace veinte años».
Tough much space was devoted to political commentary, El Océano's policy was from the start one of political impartiality. Its columns were open to enlightened contributors who supported its views, whatever their political ideas. Its readers were promised information about contemporary events at home and abroad, as well as, according to its first number:
The extent of Galdós' participation as literary director was to a large degree veiled, as El Océano appears to have adhered to the principle of anonymity, and only a small number of articles carry the name of their contributors. However, a comment by Pereda, regretting this anonymity, shows that he had no doubts —85→ about Galdós having written some book reviews. In a letter to Galdós from Santander, dated 29 March 1879, he says: «Contestando a su gratísima del 4 por orden de materias, dígole a V. que antes de recibirla había conocido yo su mano en el arte que tuvo a bien dedicar en El Océano a mi librejo... Todo me ha parecido de perlas y con exceso en el escrito, y una sola falta he notado en él: la de la firma. Aplaudo la previsión por V., pero la siento por el libro».116 Material that can unequivocably be attributed to Galdós consists of selections from his novels and short stories, all bearing his name, judged by this alone, his contribution was considerable from the beginning, and formed the main literary farmework of the paper. It is clear that his work was used to attract readers, and as an enticement to permanent subscription. Furthermore, short summaries advertizing each of his books so far published appeared in every issue. Trafalgar, for example, was described as a «pintoresca relación de este glorioso combate naval que puso fin a nuestro poderío marítimo», and La familia de León Roch: «Esta novela en que se describen la vida y costumbres madrileñas ha producido gran sensación en el público. Excita mucho la curiosidad de todos y la ha juzgado muy favorablemente la crítica».
An account now follows of the major references to Galdós and his work in El Océano. Details of his published work are given in chronological order.
Selections from La familia de León Roch appear as the «folletín» in six instalments, beginning in No. 4 of 15 January 1879 and ending in No. 12 of 15 February 1879. These instalments are taken from Chapters I and IV of Part 2 of this novel. A notice appearing with the sixth instalment states that the third and final part of this novel is now on sale, and that «según se desprende del final de esta obra, los personajes que figuran en ella es fácil que vuelvan a presentarse en escena en otra que más adelante publique su autor».
In No. 16 of 4 March 1879 it is announced that «Para el número próximo comenzaremos a publicar en el folletín de El Océano la novela original del señor Pérez Galdós intitulada Los apostólicos, cuya obra formará el tomo XIX de los conocidos Episodios nacionales del mismo autor. Creemos que nuestros lectores no dejarán de apreciar como se merece la importancia de esta mejora». The first three instalments of Los apostólicos are undoubtedly contained in some March numbers missing from the Hemeroteca file. The fourth instalment appeared in No. 25 of 2 April. Fifty-eight instalments had been published by 15 July (No. 109), when it is stated that the first edition of this Episodio would be on sale on 17 July. More details about this appear in No. 116 of 23 July:
—86→
No.121 of 30 July 1879 contains the sixty-nith and final instalment of Los apostólicos.117
La conjuración de las palabras, described as a «cuento alegórico», is printed in full, but not in the «folletín», in No. 87 of 19 June 1879. J. F. Montesinos states that it was first published in La Nación, VI, page 542, etc., on 12 April 1811.118 «According to Pilar Faus Sevilla, it appeared in the Boletín Revista del Ateneo de Valencia (1872), V, No. 51.119 It was also published in La Guirnalda in 1873, on 16 May (No. 154, pages 67 to 68) and 1 June (No. 155, pages 74 to 75).120 Together with other «composiciones hace tiempo publicadas», it was published by La Guirnalda, Madrid in 118, in Torquemada en la hoguera.
El artículo de fondo appears in three instalments, but not in the «folletín», in No. 89 of 21 June (Chapters I & II); No. 90 of 22 June (Chapter III); and No. 92 of 25 June 1879 (Chapter IV). According to C. Bravo Villasante, this was published in the Revista de España (1871), XIX, No. 75, pages 427 to 441,121 and it was also included in Torquemada en la hoguera (Madrid, 1889), dated April 1872.122
La sombra was published in the «folletín» of El Océano in twenty instalments, from No. 123 of 5 August to No. 179 of 4 October 1879. It appears in book form, the title page bearing the heading «Folletín de El Océano», dated 1879, each instalment usually consisting of six pages. J. F. Montesinos notes that this novel was published in 1871, in the Revista de España, XVIII, pages 269-292, 417-439, 601-623, in the period corresponding to 28 January to 28 February.123 In 1890 it appeared in one volume with Celín, Tropiquillos y Theros, published by La Guirnalda, Madrid.
La novela en el tranvía appears as the «folletín» in No. 181 of 14 October 1879. There are five instalment, varying from three to eight pages in book form, ending on 4 November 1879. J. F. Montesinos states that this story was published in La Ilustración de Madrid in 1871 (30 November to 15 December), and he mentions «una edicioncita, que debe ser muy rara, Madrid, A. Pérez, 1900, 16º, 88 páginas (Biblioteca moderna, V)».124 J. Schraibman refers to the publication in La Ilustración de Madrid in 1871, as well as to two short versions published respectively in Madrid cómico (8 December 1900), and in Hoja de parra (20 July 1911).125 It was also published in Torquemada en la hoguera (Madrid, 1889).
Un faccioso más y algunos frailes menos is advertized as due to appear shortly on three occasions from 3 November 1879 onwards. The first instalment finally appeared on 10 November in No. 190, and others, often composed of eight pages of the book version (1879 edition) at a time, continue to appear at irregular intervals up to No. 221 of 17 December. A notice attributes the irregularity to Galdós' absence from Madrid. In No. 246 of 19 January 1880, part of an article by Leopoldo Alas on «Nuestra literatura en 1879», which it is stated was being published the same day in Los Lunes of El Imparcial, is included with another apologetic reference to the delay in publishing the instalments of the Episodio, due to Galdós' absence. The quotation from Alas includes a mention of the generally poor reception given to La familia de León Roch and describes Los apostólicos as «de las más excelentes entre las escritas por el que llegará a ser acaso el Dickens español». On the following day the paper announces, perhaps with some relief, that «Esta mañana ha llegado a Madrid procedente de Santander nuestro particular amigo el ilustre novelador D. B. Pérez Galdós».126 —87→ Extracts from Un faccioso más y algunos frailes menos now begin to appear with more regularity, until the final issue of the paper on 15 April 1880. El Océano was kept going in order to complete the instalments of this Episodio, and the last issue is composed almost entirely of these, with a large advertisement stating that the book would be on sale during the first days of the following week. It would appear, therefore, that though Galdós wrote this Episodio in November and December, 1879, and the first edition is dated 1879, it was not published until the end of April 1880, after the closure of El Océano. A letter to subscribers in the issue of 15 April states that «Hemos retrasado el reparto de este número con el fin de dar en él la conclusión de la importante novela, original del Sr. Pérez Galdós, que veníamos publicando, con lo cual nuestros lectores conocerán la última obra de tan celebrado escritor antes de que se ponga a la venta, lo que tendrá lugar seguramente el 28 del corriente».
There are other references to Galdós' work apart from that published in El Océano. For example, No. 116 of 23 July 1879 deals with the fate of Gloria in England:
The note of frustration underlying the final lines of this extract gives rise to suspicion that Galdós himself might have been the writer. A further reference to Gloria occurs in No. 144 of 23 September 1879.
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En la acreditada revista The Examiner que se publica en Londres aparece en el número correspondiente al 13 del corriente una crítica de la obra del Sr. Pérez Galdós, Gloria, que ha traducido y publicado en inglés Mr. Wetherell.127 El crítico inglés dice que la obra del Sr. Galdós es muy importante, que el asunto lo ha tratado con maestría, que se hallan perfectamente dibujados los caracteres que en ella con habilidad pinta, y que tienen para el público inglés el mérito principal de dar a conocer la manera de ser de la sociedad española, y las ideas, costumbres y exageraciones de la vida de provincias. Felicitamos a nuestro amigo el Sr. Pérez Galdós por el éxito que sus novelas alcanzan en el extranjero, a donde seguramente se venderán más de ellas que en España, a pesar de no haber español medianamente ilustrado que no las conozca. |
The review in The Examiner128 is inded favourable. Gloria is described as a «remarkable novel in every respect», and the subject, said to be well treated, is «one which is quite fresh to the British public, no small recommendation in these days». The critic gives a summary of the plot, and finds that the chief merit in the story is the insight it gives into the ideas, habits and lives of Spanish provincial society. One flaw, however, is noted: «Several of the characters have been drawn with great ability, but we could wish that the hero had not been such a selfish blackguard as he is depicted».129
—88→The whole front page of No. 189 of El Océano, dated 8 November 1879, was devoted to an article about Galdós, pictured in the centre, by J. Ortega Munilla. This is effusively adulatory in its references to Gloria, Doña Perfecta, the Episodios nacionales, Marianela and La familia de León Roch. Galdós is described as follows:
Ortega Munilla speaks of Galdós as «hoy el escritor más popular de nuestra patria y encerrado en su gabinete de estudio, joven aún, lleno de entusiasmo, libre de esas pasiones que son la cizaña de los campos del arte, sigue su camino entre los aplausos del mundo». He asks: «¿Qué va a hacer Galdós después de haber hecho tanto? ¿Algo más grande aún? ¿Quién sabe? El genio es un país sin límites conocidos».
These are the salient features in the ambitious but short-lived El Océano which have to do with Galdós and his work. It is also of interest that certain topics given some prominence in this paper, such as the complicated nature of women's fashions and the contemporary problem of usury, are ones which later emerge in the novelas españolas contemporáneas.
Galdós reticence about himself, and in particular, about his relationship with the press, is well known.130 For this reason, his association with what Mesonero Romanos considered a rather recondite periodical, El Océano, merits attention. It is clear that during 1879 and the first part of 1880, a period in the writer's life hitherto not associated with his journalistic activities, Galdós was the dominant literary figure in a periodical which undoubtedly served as an instrument for the advertisement and publication of his work, and whose life was extended in order to complete the publication of the last Episodio of the Second Series. Galdós' connection with El Océano reveals a so far neglected facet of his involvement in journalism.
St. Anne's College. University of Oxford