Was Quevedo's Buscón published in 1625?
Tertulia, vol. 69
Hola. This is Barbara, your guide to the latest cultural news from the Spanish-speaking world. As I continue exploring this year's literary anniversaries, I find it fitting to reflect on an important work in Spanish literature: Francisco de Quevedo's La vida del Buscón llamado Don Pablos, ejemplo de vagamundos y espejo de tacaños, known as El Buscón. John Davies first translated it in 1657 as The Life and Adventures of Buscon the Witty Spaniard.
While traditionally marked with a 1626 publication date, recent research suggests the possibility that the novel might have been published one year earlier. This idea comes from a letter preserved at the Real Academia de la Historia (RAH). Although no physical copy from 1625 has been found, the argument encourages a fresh look at the novel and its editorial history. Can we celebrate the novel’s 400th anniversary already in 2025?
The anniversary question
The letter, discussed in the essay «Nuevos indicios sobre una edición del Buscón de Quevedo en 1625» published by professor of Spanish literature María José Alonso Veloso in 2022, suggests that El Buscón may have been published in 1625. Of course, this twist does not bring along a big shift in the editorial history of the novel. It offers insight into how challenging it is to reconstruct meticulously historical circumstances when there is no physical evidence.
There have long been academic assumptions about earlier manuscripts and versions of El Buscón, written ca. 1604-08. Scholars have debated the circulation of these drafts or editions preceding the known 1626 first publication. The editorial history of the book reflects the complexities of early modern publishing, with issues related to censorship, unauthorized editions, and the circulation of manuscripts among literary circles before formal publication. It is also noteworthy that Quevedo denied authorship when the book was published.
María José Alonso Veloso has three arguments that support her hypothesis that the novel was first published in 1625. I paraphrase her arguments from the essay referenced above:
The letter comments on the announcement of a future second part of the Buscón in the denouement of the book the writer of the letter is judging; as this reference is not included in the Zaragozan edition from 1626, nor in those derived from it, but only in the manuscript versions, it can be inferred that another printing existed that did contain it and of which no known copy has survived, regardless of when it was published.
The date in the middle of the writing, 9 December of a year could be 1626 or, perhaps, 1625, because the fourth digit is not readable and could represent both numbers. However, she assumes that given the workday indicated in the letter - next Tuesday - it can only be 1625 because the 9 December of 1626 was a Wednesday. She derives this thesis from available data on the mail service with weekly periodicity and departures on Tuesdays to which the text alludes. December 9, the date recorded in the document as the day scheduled for its expedition, coincided with Tuesday only in 1625, not in 1626.
The letter mentions various historical events, presented as news, which again indicates that the letter mentioning a printed version of the book (with a total publication volume of 50 books) could be news around 1625, but no longer at the end of 1626.
These arguments lead the researcher from the University of Santiago de Compostela to the conclusion that «in the absence of further research» a publication date in late 1625 is possible.
Without physical evidence, the official history of the Buscón will probably not be changed. However, it is nice to see that research interest in the novel continues and invites us to further engage with a challenging book that at first glance seems very remote from today’s world.
But why read it when there are so many more accessible works from the same period, especially for people who do not read Spanish as their first language?
What makes El Buscón important?
El Buscón is a key example of the picaresque novel, a very popular genre in Spanish literature. It follows Pablos, a boy from Segovia, who tries to rise above his low social status through cleverness and deception. Quevedo’s use of language brings Pablos’s journey to life, offering a clear and brutal view of Spanish society, and highlighting its flaws and contradictions. The depiction of the cities Pablos gets to know - Segovia, Alcalá de Henares, Cercedilla, Madrid, and Toldeo - and the people he meets as representatives of a new era are very interesting as well.
What distinguishes El Buscón from many other works is Quevedo’s precise, sharp language. His writing is filled with wordplay and irony, providing both humour and critical social observation. Exaggerations are common. Unfortunately, this makes the novel difficult to read for Spanish learners. The language is very demanding. Unlike earlier picaresque stories, which often have lighter tones, El Buscón presents a rather dark view, criticizing the moral and social structures of the Spanish Golden Age.
At the same time, El Buscón is the only novel by one of the outstanding authors of the Spanish language ever: Francisco de Quevedo (1580-1645). His literary legacy is vast and invites differing interpretations, especially about his views on society because satirical and burlesque styles tend to be ambiguous. Due to his wit, he can also be called a «diss master».
Why read El Buscón today?
Anniversaries, even those with uncertain dates, are opportunities to revisit such an important text. El Buscón remains relevant, as its themes of ambition, social mobility, and moral struggle continue to resonate. Pablos represents an archetypical figure—someone trying to succeed in an unsteady world, but ultimately failing.
Marking El Buscón's publication, whether in 1625 or 1626, is a chance to engage with a work that reflects the complexities of its time which represents a truly transformative era of Spain’s history. If you are out for a challenge, you can read the original Zaragoza version from 1626. If you wish more guidance, I recommend the version, edited by Domingo Ynduráin.
There are also versions for high school, but I don’t know about their quality. I have never been to a second-hand bookstore in Spain that would not provide several copies of the canonical novel. Anyhow, there are different options for different levels. Feel free to choose what is right for you. Furthermore, Alain Ayroles and Juanjo Granados delivered in 2019 the sequel that Quevedo chose not to write. The comic El Buscón en las Indias tells us about Pablos’s adventures in America. Anyway, for the Americas, 1625 was in general quite an important year because Dutch colonizers founded the town of New Amsterdam on what is now Manhattan Island in the Hudson River estuary.
All in all, let’s enjoy the possibility of celebrating the Buscón’s publication anniversary for the next two years.
That’s all for today. I will be back in a month with another anniversary. Spread these stories among your friends and followers so we can share the knowledge about Spain’s literary treasures.