Gongora, Lewis De

, a Spanish poet, was born at Cordova, in 1562, of a very distinguished family. He studied at Salamanca, and was known to have a talent for poetry, though he never could be prevailed on to publish any thing. Going into orders, he was made chaplain to the king, and prebendary of the church of Cordova, in which station he died, in 1627. His works are all posthumous, and consist of sonnets, elegies, heroic verses, a comedy, a tragedy, &c. and have been published several times under the title of “Obras de Dom. Louis de Gongora-y- Argore,” 4to. The best edition is that with notes by D. Garcia de Salcedo Coronel, Madrid, 1636—1648, 3 vols. 4to. The Spaniards have so high an idea of this poet, as to entitle him prince of the poets of their nation, and notes and commentaries have been written on his works but he is not free from affectation in theuse of figures, a false sublime, and an obscure and embarrassed diction. ³

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