JOVELLA'NOS, GASPER MELCHIOR DE, was born at Gijon in the Asturias, in 1749. Although of noble lineage, being nephew to the Duke of Losada, he possessed but a moderate patrimony; accordingly, as soon as he had completed his studies at the universities of Oviedo, A vila, and Aleala, he accepted the appointment of magistrate at Seville. In 1778 he was made chief judge of the King's Court at Madrid, in which city he became acquainted with Cabarrua, Campomancs, and other emi nent literary characters. Through the machinations of court intrigue, he was afterwards removed, but was recalled, and raised to the more important office of minister of grace, or houaesecretary of state ; to retain it however only for a few months, when the influence of Godoy expelled him. He now returned to Gijon, where his cares were directed towards the 'Inatituto Asturiano,' which be had succeeded in establish ing in 1794, and for which ho had set apart a considerable portion of his official emoluments. But he was not allowed to pursue his plans for public instruction long, shwa in about two years and a half after wards ha was arrested, and sent as prisoner to Majorca, where ha was confined in the castle of Deliver. Even during this period, which continued upwards of seven years, he prosecuted his studies as dili gently as circumstances would permit, and commenced Flora Deliveries,' and collected materials for a history of the island. At
length, after the downfal of Godoy, he was permitted to return by Ferdinand VII., and on that sovereign's abdication, was chosen member of the central junta. When that body was dissolved, Jovellanos returned to Gijon, to be shortly after driven from his home when the French invaded Asturias, in 1312, and he died within two months afterwards.
As a writer on subjects of political economy and legislation, Jovel lanes stands foremost among his countrymen; but besides his productions of that class, he wrote his celebrated 'Pan y Toros,' the tragedy of ' Pelayo,' the comedy of 'El Delincuente Honrado,' a trans lation of the first book of 'Paradise Lost,' besides several poetical pieces; an 4Ioge on Ventura Rodriguez, the eminent architect; a dissertation on English architecture, &e. A biographical memoir of Jovellanos was published by his friend Cean Bermudes, under the title of Memories para la Vida del Exc. Sen. Don G. Jovellanos, y Noticias analiticas de sus Obras.'