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In our contribution, we want to take a closer look at the poetics and the narrative system of the periodical El Pensador (1762-1767), first important « spectator » in the Hispanic culture. Its author was José Clavijo y Fajardo. In the research concerning the outreaching of the European moral press, we have to consider the question to what extent this first important spectator of Spain was participating at the narrative and cultural transmission within the spectatorial network of the continent. What kind of micro-narrations are collected from other hypotextual spectators – in English, French or Italian –, and what are its imitations? Following this argumentation, we also have to ask to what extent the spectatorial narrations are linked to the Hispanic tradition.

The genre of the « spectators » was developed on the ground of the English moral press by Richard Steele and Joseph Addison and had a strong impact during the 18th century. It followed some well-known formal lines and disseminated values of protestant origin, which caused a lot of controversial reactions in the catholic ambiance of Europe and the Americas. The fictionalization of American voices had been an important feature in this process of reception. And we want to show that the spectators are also reflected in the creole discourses of American Independence.