On March 13, as part of the Morrin Centre’s 200th-anniversary celebrations, Tommy Byrne, honorary Spanish consul in Quebec City, gave a talk about his book Premio-Real Dans La Capitale: Voyage sentimental d’un aristocrat et diplomate espagnol à Québec au XIXe siècle, which was launched in December 2023. Byrne revealed that the flamboyant Spanish count, who was the Spanish consul in Quebec City from 1874 to 1888, was “in his element” in the intellectual and scientific circles in the city at the time, including at the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec, where a copy of one of the count’s publications can be found in its rare book collection, dedicated to the Society. His Excellency (as he insisted everyone address him) the fourth Count of Premio-Real was born in Jerez (near Cadiz), Spain in 1840 and died by suicide in Quebec City, following a period of ill health and financial setbacks. To discover more about his story, read Peter Black’s article about the December 2023 book launch at qctonline.com/qct-online-print-edition-december-13-2023 (for subscribers only). (SN) (Photo by Shirley Nadeau)