Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

the ministry in the republic of letters, and form the schemes of its advancement. In this employ we find him among those few men of wit, whose meetings in 1626 gave rise to the Academy of Belles Lettres, founded by cardinal Richelieu; and, accordingly, he became a member of that society at its first institution. He was one of the three who was appointed to examine the statutes of the new academy in 1643, and he afterwards finished memoirs for completing them. On March 12, 1635, he read a discourse before the academy upon "Je ne sçai quoi," which was the sixth of those that for some years were pronounced at their meetings the first day of every week.

He lived many years in the enjoyment of these honours, and had his fortune increased by an additional pension from M. Seguier, chancellor of France. These marks of esteem do honour to his patrons, for he openly professed the reformed religion, although in such a manner as to avoid giving offence, or shocking the prejudices of those with whom he associated. He had always enjoyed very good health; but, as he was one day walking in his room, which was customary with him, his foot slipped; and, falling down, he hurt himself so, that he was obliged almost constantly to keep his bed to the end of his life, which lasted near a century. However, in 1657, when at the age of 90, he published a large collection of epigrams; and, many years after, a tragedy called "Danaïdes." This was some time before his death; which did not happen till 1666. In manners he was modest and regular, sincere in his piety, and proof against all temptations. He was of a hot and hasty temper, much inclined to anger, though he had a grave and reserved countenance. also a man of wit, and not always very guarded in the use of it. Having shown one of his performances to cardinal Richelieu, he said "Here are some things I do not understand.""That is not my fault," answered Gombauld, and the cardinal wisely affected not to hear him. His posthumous works were printed in Holland in 1678, with this title, "Traités & Lettres de Monsieur Gombauld sur la Religion." They contain religious discourses, and were most esteemed of all his works by himself: he composed them from a principle of charity, with a design to convert the catholics, and confirm the protestants in their faith. !

He was

! Gen. Dict.-Moreri, Biog. Gallica, vol. I,-Niceron, vol. XXXIV,

GOMBERVILLE (MARIN LE RO1), Sieur de, an ingenious French writer, was born at Chevreuse, in the diocese of Paris, or as some say in Paris itself, in 1599. He was early distinguished by some successful publications which had given him a literary reputation, and made him be enrolled among the number assembled by cardinal Richelieu for the purpose of founding the French academy in 1635. His first publications were romances and works of a light nature, but at the age of forty-five he formed the resolution of consecrating his pen to religion, and adopted a penitentiary course of life, which some think was more strict at the commencement than at the termination of it. He died June 14, 1674. One of the most curious of his works, "La doctrine des Mœurs, tirée de la philosophie des Stoiques, representée en cent tableaux," 1646, fol. is perhaps now more admired for the plates than for the letterpress. They are engraved by Peter Daret from designs by Otho Væuius. In this work Gomberville assumes the disguised name of Thalassius Basilides (Marin le Roi) His romances were "Caritée," "Polexandre," "Cytherea," and "La jeune Alcidiane," published in 1733 by madame Gomez, who says that Gomberville left merely an outline of it. His other works were, 1. "Relation de la riviere des Amazones," 1682, 2 vols. 12mo. 2. "Memoires de Louis de Gonzague, duc de Nevers," 1665, 2 vols. fol. 3. "Discours des vertus et des vices de l'histoire," 1620, 4to, and various pieces of sacred poetry, &c.'

GOMERSAL (ROBERT), a divine and poet of the seventeenth century, was born at London in 1600, whence, he was sent by his father in 1614 to Christ church, Oxford, where, soon after his being entered, he was elected a stu¬ dent on the royal foundation. At about seven years standing, he here took his degrees of bachelor and master of arts, and before he left the university, which was in 1627, he had the degree of bachelor of divinity conferred on him. Being now in orders, he distinguished himself as a preacher at the university. For some time, during the plague at Oxford, he resided at Flower in Northamptonshire, and was afterwards vicar of Thorncombe in Devonshire, where it is probable that he resided till his death, which was in 1646, He was accounted a good preacher, and printed a volume of "Sermons," Lond. 1634, which were well esteemed.

Niceron, vol. XXXVIII.—Moreri.

As a devotee to the Muses, he published several poems; particularly a sort of heroic attempt, called the "Levite's Revenge," being meditations, in verse, on the 19th and 20th chapters of Judges, and a tragedy called " Lodowick Sforza, duke of Milan," 1632, 12mo. Both were reprinted with few occasional verses in 1633, 12mo, reprinted. in 1638.1

GOMEZ DE CIVIDAD REAL (ALVAREZ), a Spanish Latin poet, was born in 1488 at Guadalaxara in Spain, and was page of honour to archduke Charles, afterwards emperor. He possessed a great facility in writing Latin verse, which is seen by his "Thalia Christiana," or the triumph of Jesus Christ, in twenty-five books: "Musa Paulina,' or the epistles of St. Paul, in elegiac verse: the Proverbs of Solomon, and other works of a similar kind; but his poem on the order of the golden fleece, published in 1540, 8vo, entitled "De Principis Burgundi Militia quam. Velleris aurei vocant," is perhaps the only one now read, and more suitable to his talents than the preceding, in which he introduced a tasteless mixture of pagan and Christian personages. He died July 14, 1538.2

GOMEZ DE CAstro (Alvarez), was born at St. Eulalia, near Toledo, in 1515, and was educated at Alcala, where he obtained a high character for diligence and learning. He was patronized by Philip II. who engaged him to prepare an edition of the works of Isidore, which death prevented him from completing. It was afterwards finished and published by John Grialus. He was author of many works; but the most esteemed is a "Life of Cardinal Ximenes," 1569, folio, and afterwards inserted in a collection of the writers on Spanish history. Gomez died in 1580," GOMEZ (MAGDALEN ANGELICA POISSON DE), a French lady, whose romances and tales are known in this country by translations, was the daughter of Paul Poisson, a player, and was born at Paris in 1684. She was courted by M. de Gomez, a Spanish gentleman of small fortune, who, knowing her talents, foresaw many advantages from an union with her, while she, in accepting him, appears to have been deceived concerning his circumstances. Her works, however, procured some pensions, by which she was enabled to live at St. Germain-en-Laye till 1770, in which

1 Ath. Ox. vol. I.-Biog. Dram.-Gilchrist's edition of Corbet's Poems, p. 67. 2 Antonio Bibl. Hisp.-Moreri.-Dict. Hist.

Ant. Bibl. Hisp.-Moreri.-Clement Bib), Cúrieuse.

1

year she died, respected by all who knew her. This lady left some tragedies, which may be found in her "Miscel laneous Works," 12mo, but were all unsuccessful, and a great number of romances. "Les Journées Amusantes," 8 vols.; "Crementine," 2 vols.; "Anecdots Persanes," 2 vols.; "Hist. du Comte d'Oxford," one vol.; "La Jeune Alcidiane," 3 vols. (see GOMBERVILLE); "Les Cent Nouvelles Nouvelles," 36 parts comprised in 8 vols. These are all well written, and with great delicacy, and were at one time very popular in France. 1

GONDI. See RETZ.

GONET (JOHN BAPTIST), a learned Dominican, was born at Beziers in 1616. After having gone into the church, and been admitted to the degree of doctor of divinity by the university of Bourdeaux in 1640, he held the professorship of theology in that university till 1671, when he was appointed provincial among the Dominican friars. He died at Beziers in 1681. He was author of a system of divinity, entitled "Clypeus Theologiæ Thomisticæ, contra novos ejus impugnatores," Bourdeaux, 1666, in eighteen volumes, 12mo, afterwards enlarged in five volumes, folio. He was likewise author of a "Manuale Thomistarum, seu brevis Theologiæ Cursus," which has passed through different editions, of which the best was published at Lyons. in 1681; and "Dissertatio Theologica de Probabilitate."

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 the use of figures, a false sublime, and an obscure and embarrassed diction."

1 Dict. Hist.

Gen. Dict.-Moreri. 3 Antonio Bibl. Hisp.-Moreri.-Dict. Hist.

:

GONZAGA (LUCRETIA), a lady of the sixteenth century, remarkable for her wit and high birth, is chiefly known, and that very imperfectly, from a collection of her letters, printed at Venice in 1552. By these she appears to have been learned, and somewhat of a critic in Aristotle and Æschylus. All the wits of her time are full of their encomiums on her and Hortensio Landi, besides singing her praises most zealously, dedicated to her a piece," Upon moderating the passions of the soul," written in Italian. If, however, it be true that this Horatio Landi wrote the whole of the letters attributed to Lucretia, it is difficult to know what to believe of the history of the latter. Her marriage at the age of fourteen with Jobu Paul Manfroni was unhappy. He engaged in a conspiracy against the duke of Ferrara; was detected and imprisoned by him; but, though condemned, not put to death. Lucretia, in this emergency, applied to all the powers in Europe to intercede for him; and even solicited the grand signior to make himself master of the castle, where her husband was kept. During this time, although she was not permitted to visit him, they could write to each other. But all her endeavours were vain; for he died in prison in 1552, having shewn such an impatience under his misfortunes as made it imagined he lost his senses. She never would listen afterwards to any proposals of marriage, though several were made her. Of four children, which she had, there were but two daughters left, whom she placed in nunneries. All that came from her pen was so much esteemed, that a collection was inade even of the notes she wrote to her servants: several of which are to be met with in the above-mentioned edition of her letters. She died at Mantua in 1576.1

GOODAL (WALTER), a Scotch antiquary, the eldest son of John Goodal, a farmer in Banfshire, Scotland, was born about 1706. In 1723 he entered himself a student in King's college, Old Aberdeen, but did not continue there long enough to take a degree. In 1730 he obtained employment in the Advocates' library, Edinburgh, of which he was formally appointed librarian in 1735. He now assisted the celebrated Thomas Ruddiman in compiling the catalogue of that library, upon the plan of the "Bibliotheca Cardinalis Imperialis," and it was published in folio

Gen. Dict.-Tiraboschi.-Moreri.

« ZurückWeiter »