A fascinating reconsideration of the Generation of 1837, focusing on the development of a romantic historicism that served as a catalyst in fomenting a modern Argentine identity. Palti suggests that the polemic between Mitre and Vicente Fidel Lo pez, usually regarded as a formulaic step in defining nationality, in fact represented a destabilization of political language in the country. {El momento roma ntico} should find an important place on the bookshelf of anyone interested in Argentine intellectual history.