(D. ANTONIO DE), one of the most eminent of the later writers of Spain, was born in Catalonia in 1754. He lived for a considerable time in Barcelona, and latterly in Madrid, where he died in 1810. He ranks high both as a general scholar, and as a political writer, and has, indeed, in the latter character, manifested much more sound and extensive views than belong to most of his countrymen. In particular, it is to be remarked of him, that he is almost the only native who has endeavoured to expose the exaggerations of the earlier writers in regard to the immense population, and highly advanced state of agriculture, commerce, and manufactures, in that country, in former times. His principal works, as noticed in the Biographie Universelle, and Dictionnaire Universel, are as follows : 1. The art of translating the French into the Spanish language. 1776, in 4to. 2. The Philosophy of Eloquence. 1777, in 8vo. 3. History of the Marine, Commerce, and Arts of the ancient City of Barcelona. The two first volumes of this work were published in 1779; the two last, which consist of a variety of curious and important documents copied from the archives of Barcelona, in 1792. "This excellent work is marked throughout with a spirit of liberality and good sense, and distinguished by an attention to philosophical and general views, but seldom displayed by those who ransack archives, and compile papers for the use of future historians. We consider it a most valuable addition to the history of the commerce and manufactures of the middle ages." (Edinburgh Review, Vol. X.) 4. Historical and Critical Theatre of Spanish Eloquence. 1786—94. 5 vols. 4to. 5. A Dictionary, French and Spanish. 1805, in 4to. This dictionary is prefaced with a critical examination of the two languages.

Besides these, and some other pieces, noticed in the Biographical Dictionaries already mentioned, there is a collection of tracts by Capmany, not alluded to in either of them, entitled Questions criticas sobre varios Puntos de Historia Economica, Politica y Militar, published in 1807, and of which there is an interesting account in the tenth volume of the Edinburgh Review. All Capmany's works were published in the Spanish language, and we are not aware that any of them has been translated into any other tongue.