PALMA, RICARDO

born Feb. 7, 1833, Lima, Peru died Oct. 6, 1919, Lima Peruvian writer best known for his collected legends of colonial Peru, one of the most popular collections in Spanish-American literature. At the age of 20 Palma joined the Peruvian Navy and in 1860 was forced by political exigencies to flee to Chile, where he devoted himself to journalism. Six years later he returned to Lima to join the revolutionary movement against Spain. He also took part in the War of the Pacific (1881) and during the Chilean occupation courageously protested against the wanton destruction of the famous National Library by Chilean troops. After the war Palma was commissioned to rebuild the National Library; he remained its curator until his death. In 1887 he founded the Peruvian Academy. Palma's literary career began in his youth with light verses, romantic plays, and translations from Victor Hugo. His Anales de la inquisicin de Lima (1863; Annals of the Inquisition of Lima) was followed by several volumes of poems. His fame derives chiefly from his charmingly impudent Tradiciones peruanas (1872; Peruvian Traditions)short prose sketches that mingled fact and fancy about the pageantry and intrigue of colonial Peru. His sources were the folktales, legends, and racy gossip of his elders, in addition to historical bits gleaned from the National Library. The first six volumes of this series appeared between 1872 and 1883; they were followed by Ropa vieja (1889; Old Clothes), Ropa apolillada (1891; Moth-Eaten Clothes), Mis ltimas tradiciones (1906; My Last Traditions), and Apndice a mis ltimas tradiciones (1910; Appendix to My Last Traditions).