[The moral dimension of death and sickness in 18th century work "Los desahuciados del mundo y de la gloria" by Diego de Torres Villarroela]

Diego de Torres Villarroel (1694-1770), astrologer, mathematician, satirist and moralist is one of the most interesting representatives of the first half of the 18th century Spanish literature who combined in his works the satiric passion with popularising of scientific knowledge. His work Los desahuciados del mundo y la gloria (Doomed to the World and Eternal Life) brings almost clinical description of fifteen cases of lethal disease and clarification of their origin and development consistent with medical knowledge of the time. The exhibition of medical erudition is only a pretext for a moralising lecture in which malfunction of body is connected with the misdemeanour of soul. In the face of omnipotent death and powerlessness of medicine of those times to most of serious illnesses, the scientific description of illness becomes a starting point for pondering the fragility of human life and urging to preparation for meeting with the final matters.