BRETN DE LOS HERREROS, MANUEL

born Dec. 19, 1796, Quel, Spain died Nov. 8, 1873, Madrid Spanish poet and one of the most important and prolific comic playwrights of the 19th century in Spain. Bretn began his education in Madrid, where his family moved in 1806, later serving in the army from 1812 to 1822. He held various governmental positions throughout his life and was director of the National Library from 1847. A la vejez, viruelas (In Old Age, Chickenpox), his first play, was produced in 1824 and brought him immediate success. Of the almost 180 plays he produced during his lifetime, including translations from French and German playwrights and adaptations of such earlier Spanish dramatists as Lope de Vega, he is chiefly noted for his comedies, mostly written in verse, dealing with the day-to-day life of the Spanish middle class.