CRUZ E SILVA, ANTONIO DINIZ DA Portuguese heroic-comic poet, son of a carpenter, was born at Lisbon and educated at the University of Coimbra, where he took his degree in law in 1753. He then settled in Lisbon and began to write. He founded the literary society known as the Arcadia Lusitana, which aimed at resuscitating national poetry. From 1764 to 74 Diniz held the appointment of auditor to a regiment stationed at Elvas. There he had the opportunity of observing the many intrigues of a cathedral and garrison town. The result was the witty satire in eight cantos of blank verse, Hyssope (1772), describing a quarrel between the bishop and the dean. It is much more amusing than Boileau's Lutrin, if not so finished a production. Diniz was sent in an official capacity to Brazil, and remained there, as chancellor of the Relacao in Rio and then as councillor of the Conselho ultramarino, until his death.