Diego Clemencín
Encyclopedia
Diego Clemencín was a Spanish
scholar and politician. Born at Murcia
he was educated at the Colegio de San Fulgencio. Abandoning his intention of taking Holy Orders
, he found employment at Madrid
in 1788 as tutor to the sons of the countess-duchess de Benavente, and devoted himself to the study of archaeology. In 1807 he became editor of the Gaceta de Madrid, and in the following year was condemned to death by Joachim Murat
for publishing a patriotic article; he fled to Cadiz
, and under the Junta Central held various posts from which he was dismissed by the reactionary government of 1814. During the liberal régime of 1820–1823 Clemencín took office as colonial minister, was exiled till 1827, and in 1833 published the first volume of his edition (1833–1839) of Don Quixote. Its merits were recognized by his appointment as royal librarian, but he did not long enjoy his triumph: he died on July 30, 1834.
His commentary on Don Quixote owes something to John Bowle, and is was described in the 1911 edition of Encyclopædia Britannica as "disfigured by a patronizing, carping spirit"; nevertheless it is a valuable work of its kind for its time. Clemencín is also the author of an interesting Elogio de la reina Isabel la Católica, published as the sixth volume of the Memorias of the Spanish Academy of History, to which body he was elected on September 12, 1800.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
scholar and politician. Born at Murcia
Murcia
-History:It is widely believed that Murcia's name is derived from the Latin words of Myrtea or Murtea, meaning land of Myrtle , although it may also be a derivation of the word Murtia, which would mean Murtius Village...
he was educated at the Colegio de San Fulgencio. Abandoning his intention of taking Holy Orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
, he found employment at Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in 1788 as tutor to the sons of the countess-duchess de Benavente, and devoted himself to the study of archaeology. In 1807 he became editor of the Gaceta de Madrid, and in the following year was condemned to death by Joachim Murat
Joachim Murat
Joachim-Napoléon Murat , Marshal of France and Grand Admiral or Admiral of France, 1st Prince Murat, was Grand Duke of Berg from 1806 to 1808 and then King of Naples from 1808 to 1815...
for publishing a patriotic article; he fled to Cadiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, and under the Junta Central held various posts from which he was dismissed by the reactionary government of 1814. During the liberal régime of 1820–1823 Clemencín took office as colonial minister, was exiled till 1827, and in 1833 published the first volume of his edition (1833–1839) of Don Quixote. Its merits were recognized by his appointment as royal librarian, but he did not long enjoy his triumph: he died on July 30, 1834.
His commentary on Don Quixote owes something to John Bowle, and is was described in the 1911 edition of Encyclopædia Britannica as "disfigured by a patronizing, carping spirit"; nevertheless it is a valuable work of its kind for its time. Clemencín is also the author of an interesting Elogio de la reina Isabel la Católica, published as the sixth volume of the Memorias of the Spanish Academy of History, to which body he was elected on September 12, 1800.