GONGORA, Luis Y. AnooTE, a Spanish poet, was b. at Cordova, July 11, studied law at the university of Salamanca, where he composed the greater part of his erotic poems, romances, and satires. At the age of 45, he took orders, and obtained a small prebend in the cathedral of Cordova. He was afterwards appointed chaplain to 'Philip and died in his native city, May 24, 1627. Gongora's poetic career divides itself into two periods. In his first or youthful period, he yielded himself up entirely to the natural tendencies of his genius. and to the spirit of the nation. His lyrics and romances of this period are in the old genuine Spanish style; and in regard to their caustic satire and burlesque wit, are among the most admirable specimens of the class of poems to which they belong. Gongora. however, wished to outdo all his predeces sors, and to furnish something wholly new and unheard of; the result of which unfor tunate ambition was the introduction of a new poetic phraseolotrv, called the esalo culto, or the "cultivated style." From this point the seeond period in Gongora's literary
career dates. To popularize the oti/o cu/to„ he wrote his Polifemo, &iledadeg, and the 1ables of Pyramus arid 1749bo, produCtions of the most pedantic and tasteless descrip tion. poor in invention and thought, but rich in high-sounding pompous phrases, and overloaded with absurd imagery, and mythological allusions, expressed in language of studied obscurity. In this way he became the founder of a new school, the Gongaristas, or Guitoristas, who even surpassed their master in the depravity of their' literary tastes. The most complete edition of Gongora's works is that by Gonzalo de Florez y Cordoba (Mad. 1633). Some of his romances have been translated into German by J. G. Jacobi (Halle, 1767).