Basque Language and Literature in the 18th Century
Principles of Basque
Accounts differ only in origin. We have a passionate tribute to our language, and, unlike the southern *apologistek*, tailored to Basque.
Introduction to Learning Latin Through Basque
Basques had to use Castilian or Latin teachings in French to appreciate [Basque]. Why not learn Latin through Basque?
Lost Vocabulary: Basque, Latin, and French
There was, however, a fourth book: *Vocabulary, Basque, Latin, and French*, for the victors. Larramendi used to know it, but it seems to be lost forever. Only the first book was released in Etxeberria. The second and third [manuscripts] were sleeping for centuries; in the twentieth century, they could not be found.
Religious Prose
As a continuation of the literary tradition of the previous century, the parishioners gave a great deal (*pilatxoa*) of fruit. Most were not original works, but translations, or rather adaptations (*moldapenal*).
Non-Religious Works
Some of the most original non-religious works of this century were perhaps left unprinted. We spoke earlier of the evil destiny of J. Etxeberri’s works. Something similar happened to the manuscript history (*eskuhizkribuen historia*) of the Zuberoan master Jusef Egiategi: Only one of his three books is published, “*Huskaldunaren ekheia philosopher*.”
Egiategi’s unique philosophy of public work is similar, but not very readable (*irakurterreza*), because he uses speech and a purist style (*garbizalea*) like Larramendi’s Neologism dictionary, because [he introduces] a lot into it.
The Bayonne Museum stores a small notebook containing over 30 poems. It is *kontapoesia*. Some of the other verses are by an anonymous author. Published in 1987.
XVIII. Century: Writers of the North
Introduction
In the previous century, [literature] did not achieve enough importance. Actually, it is not a lack of writers, most of them clergy, but there are no significant groups, such as [the School of] Sara. The century will be very top-down. The Bourbons (*Borboien*) will continue to command the northern Basque Country. If [it is] a hundred years, but these changes: a great storm in France will suffer as a result of violent revolution. Wars and other conflicts, on the one hand, and the revocation of charters by the new French state, will establish a joint organization of the three provinces.
The eighteenth century is usually called the [Age] of Lights, as well as the time of *ilustrazioarren*. [It is the] general season of the Encyclopedia and *jakinmin* [curiosity]. Reason is the dominance of demand; it highlights the value of the individual, [and people] believe in the power of science and technology. However, the impact will have a few of these new ideas among northern Basque writers. Most of the works published (*argitaratzen*) fit the church and religion; we are always *idotik* [?].
Joannes Etxeberri of Sara
He is *lapurtar*. After studying with the Jesuits, he made a career in medicine. In his hometown, Sara, he worked as a doctor, but then came south to the Basque Country: he worked in Azkoitia. He was cultured (*kultoa*) and watchful. He read the works of previous generations of Basque writers. [He was] a leader and pioneer of his work and had wanted to follow up [on the work of the] Rector of Sara. His work was all carried out in the Basque language.
Four-Card or Letter of Recommendation
He published books that could be carried out until then, [with] support for the Congress of Lapurdi from Etxeberri. In this book, he explained his project, but Congress did not pay much attention, and therefore, his work was not published.