GASPAR GUZMAN, CONDE DUQUE DE, a celebrated Spanish statesman, was descended from an illustrious Castilian family, and was born at Rome about 1587, during his father's embassage to Sextus Quintus. After studying at the university of Salamanca, he received, through the influence of his uncle the Duke of Uceda, the appointment of gentleman of the bed-chamber to the Prince of Asturias, and he immediately commenced the career of a political aspirant. His first design was to gain complete control over the simple boy, his master. He was fast worming himself into favour, when, in 1621, the prince succeeded... to the throne of Spain, under the title of Philip IV. He then feigned a reluctance to engage in the new administration. This apparent modesty served alike to conceal his designs, and to raise him in the estimation of the king; and before a few months had passed, he received the title of Duque de San Lucar, as a seal of the royal favour and confidence. The minion now flung aside the mask, and appeared in the character of a selfish and jealous despot. He displaced his uncle from the position of minister, dismissed many of the best servants of the state, and surrounded himself with creatures of his own. If he also dishonoured many idle officials, it was mainly to gratify a private distrust; and if he revoked many lavish government grants, it was mainly to defray the extravagant expenses of his ministerial pomp and splendour. At the same time the nation was groaning under the most burdensome imposts, and the consequent decay of agriculture, commerce, and the useful arts. The most disastrous, however, of all the measures of Olivarez, was an attempt to regain by arms the influence which Spain had formerly possessed over the other nations of Europe. Happening in this enterprise to cross the path of the French minister, Cardinal Richelieu, he found himself engaged with an adversary who baffled him at every point, and ultimately effected his overthrow. The cardinal's stratagems involved him in a long and unsuccessful war with the Dutch; the cardinal's forces checked his armies in Germany and Italy; and the cardinal's intrigues fanned the rising flame of insurrection within the Spanish dominions. The national discontented were thus brought to a climax in 1640. The province of Catalonia rebelled, and called in the aid of the French; Portugal threw off the Spanish yoke, and elected the Duke of Braganza its king; and at the end of two years the insurgents had foiled all attempts at suppression, and were steadily increasing in strength. It was at this emergency, in 1643, that the numerous enemies of Olivarez succeeded in supplanting him in the king's favour. The disgraced minister died at Toro in the same year, with the reputation of having brought his country to the verge of ruin.