Writing Back to Empire: Juan Pablo Viscardo Y Guzmán's 'Letter to the Spanish Americans.'.

The writings of the Peruvian Jesuit Viscardo (1748-98) exemplify how key texts of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century were written, revised, translated, arid disseminated in a complex context of cross-cultural interpretation and influence. During his life time Viscardo made repeated efforts to convince sympathizers to intervene on behalf of Spanish American independence. After his death, his letter, translated into Spanish and English, continued the quest to mobilize intervention in South America. This essay interprets Viscardo's letter.