DIEGO HURTADO DE, an eminent scholar, Mendoza, statesman, and general of Spain, and grandson of the elegant Santillana, was born at Granada in 1503, of a family which, after the blood-royal, was perhaps the most illustrious in the kingdom. Lope de Vega turns aside in his *Arauco Domado* to boast that the name of the Mendozas had been nobly great for three-and-twenty generations. As Diego had five brothers older than himself, he was originally destined for the church; and after receiving his elementary education at home, he proceeded to Salamanca, where he studied Latin, Greek, philosophy, and canon and civil law. But Mendoza early showed a decided predilection for politics and elegant literature, and resolved accordingly to abandon the idea of becoming a churchman. During his residence at the university he produced his *Lazarillo de Tormes*, a work of real genius, which appeared in 1553, and which has been a favourite in most modern languages down to the present day. It is a sort of comic romance, written in that *gusto picarésco*, or style of the rogues, so peculiar to Spain, and which, since the time of Mendoza, in the *Gil Blas* of Le Sage, and other works, has become famous throughout the world. Its object is to satirize all classes of society by assuming the character of a dexterous rogue, who, in his capacity of servant, gets behind the scenes and sees the actors in undress. It is written in a rich, bold, racy, Castilian style; and some of its sketches for freshness and spirit are unsurpassed in the whole range of prose works of fiction. The light, jovial, flexible audacity of the hero rendered him a great favourite with the grave Castilians. It nevertheless proved too much for the clergy, who issued an order for its expurgation, and solemnly denounced the anonymous author. Several continuations of the *Lazarillo de Tormes*, by different writers, appeared afterwards, but none of them possessed much merit. Leaving the university, Mendoza joined the great Spanish armies in Italy; and while he entered with enthusiasm upon the duties of his new profession, he nevertheless found occasion, when the troops were unoccupied, to indulge his strong literary sympathies by listening to the lectures of the celebrated professors of Bologna, Padua, and Rome. The keen insight of Charles V. soon detected qualities in the young Spaniard which he resolved to turn to good account. Accordingly, in 1538 he appointed him his ambassador to Venice, afterwards made him military governor of Siena, and at a somewhat later date employed him to sustain the imperial interests at the famous Council of Trent. In 1547, while the council still sat, he was despatched by his royal master as a special plenipotentiary to Rome, to bring Pope Julius III. to a proper understanding. He boldly confronted and overawed his holiness in his own capital, and after rebuking him in open council, established himself in Italy, and governed that country for six years with great talent and firmness. But Charles, eager to conciliate the European powers before his abdication, began to alter his policy; and Mendoza, anxious for rest from his trying labours, returned to Spain in 1554 with a reputation for skill as an ambassador which afterwards passed into a proverb. The policy of Philip II. and the temper of Mendoza were little suited to one another, and the harsh tyranny of the emperor soon found means of ridding himself of the trusty ambassador. Having engaged in a passionate dispute with a courtier in the palace, the latter drew his dagger upon Mendoza, when the old warrior, who had lost little of the fire of his youth, though sixty-four years of age, wrested the weapon from the hands of his assailant, and flung it out of the balcony, throwing, as some add, the courtier after it. The spirited veteran could not be pardoned for such an affront to the royal dignity, and with his honours and gray hairs thick upon him, he was exiled from the court. The man, however, who in his college days had written *Lazarillo*, and who during the basest negotiations had always found time to cultivate letters, was not likely to lament very deeply his apparent disgrace, if it brought him into closer intimacy with his old travelling companions, the *Amadis* and the *Celestina*. He accordingly found solace during his exile in writing poetry, collecting manuscripts, and in composing his *Guerra contra los Moriscos*, or "War against the Moors" (1568-1570). From Mendoza's long residence in Venice and Rome, and from his early and close intimacy with Boscan, he could hardly have escaped from the influence of the Italian school of poetry. Yet his verses, both in spirit and in form, are often characterized by a strong Spanish element; and while the reader meets obvious traces of his careful study of Horace and Pindar in his "Epistle to Boscan" and in his "Hymn to Espinosa," those beautiful productions are nevertheless full of the genuine old Castilian spirit. Some of his *lettrillas* have a charming gaiety about them, and a light and idle humour, which savours much more of the author of *Lazarillo* than of the dignified ambassador. His history is written with great power and energy, in a style closely modelled after Sallust and Tacitus, displaying by turns more exuberance than the one, and nearly all the severity of the other. This work is characterized by great impartiality,—not sparing even the author's own immediate relations who played an important part in these Moorish wars, and doing the hated enemies of his country so much generous justice that the book could not be published until 1610. Altogether it is perhaps the finest specimen of historical writing in the Spanish language. It was Mendoza's last work. In 1575 he obtained permission to return to Madrid, but died shortly after his arrival, at the advanced age of seventy-two.

Previous to his death Mendoza bequeathed the valuable classics and manuscripts he had collected with so much trouble in Italy, Greece, and Granada, to the Royal Library of the Escorial. The first complete edition of the *Guerra de Granada* is that of Montfort, with a Life of the author, Valencia, 1776, 4to. The only edition of his poems is that of Juan Diaz, Madrid, 1610, 4to. (See Life of Mendoza by N. Antonio in the *Bibliotheca Nova*; also Ticknor's Hist. of Spanish Lit., vol. i. 1849.)

Mendoza, *Inigo Lopez de*, commonly known as the Marques de Santillana, the most elegant scholar and poet of the brilliant court of Juan II. of Spain, was born in 1398 of a highly distinguished family, which has sometimes claimed its origin from the Cid himself. His father, the Grand Admiral of Castile, having died while Inigo was yet young, the family possessions, then the largest in the kingdom, were almost entirely wrested from the young heir by those bold and rapacious barons who then divided among themselves the resources as well as the power of the crown. But it did not accord with the temper of a Mendoza to submit to such wrong. As early as the age of eighteen we find that, partly by law and partly by force of arms, the young nobleman had succeeded in recovering his estates; and, as Oviedo quaintly informs us, "so began forthwith to be accounted much of a man." From this period we find him acting an important part in the stirring and wild times from which the reign of even the polished Juan II. was not free. If he suffered a defeat from the Navarrese, he gained enduring glory by his personal bravery and military skill; and attained to the rank of a marquis after the battle of Olmedo in 1446. While Santillana was frequently compelled to oppose the policy and conduct of the royal favourite, the constable Alvaro de Luna, he seems to have had but little share in the last scenes of the singular tragedy which found its catastrophe in the sacrifice of that able minister. From the fall of the constable till the death of Santillana in 1485, the marquis spent the greater part of his time in literary retirement.

During the confusion and violence of a turbulent age, the active part which he was called upon to take in state affairs never for a moment destroyed Santillana's earnest Mendoza, attachment to elegant literature. He remarked to Prince Henry, that "knowledge neither blunts the point of the lance nor weakens the arm that wields a knightly sword." His poetical works reflect distinctly the several influences of education and literary intercourse peculiar to his position and time. His works connect themselves more or less with the Provençal, Italian, and Spanish schools. The most graceful of all his poems is entirely in the Provençal manner, and yet for beauty and sweetness it has never been surpassed either in the Provençal or in the Spanish. It is called *Una Serranilla* (a little mountain song), and was composed on a little girl whom he found, when pursuing his military life, tending her father's flocks on the hills; and "the charming milk-maiden of sweet Finojosa" has borne some portion of her charms, even through the clumsy medium of translations, to many readers far beyond her native hills.

The Marques has likewise the reputation of being the first to introduce the Italian sonnet into Spain; and which, since the time of Boscan, has gained for itself such a prominent place in the poetry of that country. The sonnets of Santillana possess little merit, however, except that of smooth and graceful versification. In his poem on the death of the Marques of Villena he imitates the opening of the *Inferno*; and his piece on the coronation of Jordi reminds the reader not unfrequently of the *Purgatorio* of the great Italian. His principal works, however, were chiefly in the manner then popular at the Spanish court; and many of them are so filled with conceits and affectation as to be almost destitute of value. Yet occasional passages are to be found in his *Age of the World*, and *Fall and Death of the Constable*, which for strength, fluency, and grace, are worthy of the highest praise. But the most important, if not the most popular, of the poetical works of Santillana is the *Comedida de Ponza*, founded on a great naval engagement near the island of Ponza in 1435, and approaching in its structure the form of a drama. It is, however, a sort of dream or vision, and as the poem was written shortly after the occurrence of the national calamity at Ponza, the principal figures are those of his own time. It is written in the old Italian octave stanza, in easy verse, prankt full of all manner of ancient learning, awkwardly introduced, and frequently displaying very bad taste. The most popular of all this nobleman's works is his collection of proverbs, made at the request of Juan II., for the instruction of Prince Henri. It is made up of a hundred sentences in rhyme of no poetical value, each containing one proverb. The Marques made another collection of unrhymed proverbs, gathered, as he praises it, "from the lips of the old women in their chimney-corners." In these "short sentences drawn from long experience," as Cervantes calls them, Spain is in advance of all other countries. One of the most important documents we possess respecting the earlier Spanish literature is from the pen of this nobleman, and consists of a letter on the poetic art, written about 1455, and addressed to the young Constable of Portugal, who had asked the Marques for a copy of his poems.

The leading facts in the life of this remarkable man are to be gathered from the Chronicle of Juan II.; but a very excellent sketch of him is to be found in Pulgar's *Clavos Varones*, c. iv.; and a clumsy but elaborate biography in Sanchez, *Poesias Anteriores*, vol. i. (Ticknor's Hist. of Spanish Lit., vol. i., 1849).

a province, town, and river of the Argentine Confederacy, South America. The province is bounded on the N. by that of San Juan, E. by San Luis, S. by an unsettled and desert region, and W. by Chili; and is about 150 miles in length, and nearly the same in breadth. The country for the most part is flat, except towards the W., where the Paramillo range of the Andes and some other branches diversify the form of the surface. In this part of the province are found several volcanoes. The principal rivers are the Mendoza, the Desaguadero, and the Tunuyan; and there are several lakes. The soil is for the most part sandy and sterile, but when well watered it is by no means unproductive. Corn, fruits, olives, and wine are the chief articles produced; and these, along with hides, soap, and tallow, constitute the most part of the export trade. Silver and copper are found here, as well as limestone, alum, slates, &c. Mendoza is an independent state, owing little subjection to the central government of the confederacy. The governor, who has the chief executive authority, is elected by the Junta or provincial assembly. The capital is Mendoza, situated at the foot of the Andes; Lat. 32° 53', S., Long. 69° 6' W. The city is neatly built and pleasantly situated; and from its dry, healthy climate, has obtained the name of the Montpelier of South America. The houses are for the most part low, and have gardens or orchards round them. Among its buildings are a handsome church and several convents. The public promenade, called the Alameda, which is about a mile long, under a fine avenue of poplars, is one of the best in South America. Pop. of the town, 12,000; of the province, 67,000.

The River Mendoza rises in the above province, near the volcano of Concaquas; flows S.E. till about 10 miles from the town Mendoza, then turns to the N., and after a total course of 200 miles, falls into Lake Guanacache.