Leandro Fernández de Moratín Leandro Fernández de Moratín ( March 10 1760 , Madrid — June 21 , 1828 , Paris ) was a Spanish dramatist and neoclassical poet . He was the son of Nicolás Fernández de Moratín ( 1737-1780 ) , who was considered Spain 's first liberal poet . As such , Leandro grew up in a literary environment and became an admirer of the French Encyclopédistes . In addition to translating works of Molière and William Shakespeare into Spanish , he himself was a satirist who is viewed as the most influential figure of the Spanish Enlightenment . Early in his career , his writings were supported by statesman and author Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos , who , in 1787 , arranged for him to work and study for a year in Paris . In 1792 , the Spanish government provided the funds for him to travel through France , England , the Netherlands , the Empire , and the states in today 's Italy in order to expose him to other dramatists of the day . In that same year , he wrote the play La comedia nueva ( The New Comedy ) , a dramatic representation against the styles and ideologies of other contemporary playwrights . Largely because of this piece , de Moratin is considered the father of modern Spanish comedy . A supporter of Joseph Bonaparte , whose rule had allowed far more liberal thinking than what Spain 's Roman Catholic church was willing to tolerate , Leandro Fernández de Moratín was given the post of royal librarian . His 1806 writing , El sí de las niñas ( `` The Maidens ' Consent '' ) was denounced upon the reinstatement of the Inquisition after King Ferdinand VII regained the throne . Leandro Fernández de Moratín had to abandon playwriting and was forced into exile in France after the fall of the Bonapartes . Leandro Fernández de Moratín died in France and was buried there in the Père Lachaise Cemetery . However , at the turn of the 20th century , his remains were brought back to Spain for interment in Madrid 's Panteón de Hombres Ilustres ( Pantheon of Illustrious Men ) . Categories : 1760 births | 1828 deaths | Spanish dramatists and playwrights | Spanish poets | The Enlightenment In other languages : Español 