Monte-Mayor, George De

, a celebrated Castillian poet, was born at Monte-mayor, whence he took his name, probably in the early part of the sixteenth century, one authority says in 1520. It is thought he owed his reputation more to genius than study; in his early years he was in the army, and amidst the engagements of a military life, cultivated music and poetry. He appears to have afterwards obtained an employment, on account of his musical talents, in the suite of Philip II.; and was also patronized by queen Catherine, sister to the emperor Charles V. He died in the prime of life in 1562. His reputation now rests on his “Diana,” a pastoral romance, which has always been admired on the continent, and translated into various languages. The last edition of the original is that | of Madrid, 1795, 8vo. Caspar Polo published a continuation, “La Diana enamoradacinco libros que prosequen los VII. de Jorge de Montemayor,” Madrid, 1778, 8vo, a work which, Brunet says, is more esteemed than that of Montemayor. ¹