“ Pereda's masterpiece is Sotileza (1884) , a vigorous rendering of marine life by an artist who perceives and admires the daily heroisms of his fisher-folk. It has often been alleged against the author that he confines himself to provincial life, to lowly personages and to unrefined subjects, and no doubt an anxiety to clear himself from this absurd reproach led him to attempt a description of society at the capital in La Montálvez (1888) , which is certainly the least interesting of his performances. ”

“ Pereda belongs to the native realistic school of Spain, which. founded by the unknown author of Lazarillo de Tormes, was continued by Meteo Alemán, Cervantes, Quevedo, Castillo Solórzano and many others. With the single exception of Cervantes, however, the picaresque writers are almost entirely wanting in the spirit of generous sympathy and tenderness which constitutes a great part of Pereda's charm. His realism is purely Spanish, as remote from Zola's moroseness as from the graceful sentimentality of Pierre Loti. ”

“ Again, in Peñas arriba (1895) , the love of country life is manifested in the masterly contrast between the healthy, moral labour of the fields and the corrupt, squalid life of cities. Pereda's fame was now established ”