Diego de Torres Villarroel
Encyclopedia
Diego de Torres Villarroel (1693, Salamanca
- 19 June 1770) was a Spanish
writer, poet, dramatist, doctor, mathematician, priest and professor of the University of Salamanca
. His most famous work is his autobiography
, Vida, ascendencia, nacimiento, crianza y aventuras del Doctor Don Diego de Torres Villarroel (first published 1743).
and his mother was a draper's daughter. After an elementary education he went on to study Latin under Juan González de Dios, who later became professor of humanities at the University of Salamanca
. Villarroel was then enrolled at the Colegio Trilingüe in Salamanca. However, at this stage the young Villarroel had little love for learning and his wayward and disruptive behaviour led to trouble with the authorities. It was only when he began to read the books in his father's shop that he discovered a fondness for mathematics
and astrology
.
Villarroel was in such disgrace with the college authorities that he decided to flee to Portugal
where he led an adventurous life in which he was successively a hermit, a dancing-master, an alchemist
, a mathematician, a soldier, a bull-fighter, a student of medicine and an astrologer. On his return to Salamanca, he settled down to a serious programme of reading books on science, magic and mathematics, while earning his living by publishing almanacs and annual predictions under the pseudonym of "The Great Piscator of Salamanca". In 1724, he successfully predicted the death of the young King Luis I.
In 1723 he moved to Madrid
where he made many influential friends. He studied medicine and graduated in the city of Ávila. Back in Madrid, he became so poor that he decided to take up smuggling to make money but he was saved by the patronage of the Countess of Arcos, whose house he had tried to rid of a poltergeist
.
After a few years, Villarroel once more returned to Salamanca where he learned that the chair of mathematics at the university was empty and decided to apply for the post. He easily defeated his only rival and was made professor, even though his knowledge of the subject was still rudimemtary.
In 1732 Villarroel was banished from Spain for helping his friend Don Juan de Salazar in a dispute which had turned violent. The two had tried to escape to France but had returned to Spain to face the consequences. Villarroel spent his exile in Coimbra
, Portugal until a royal decree allowed him back to Salamanca in 1734. From then on he dedicated his time to his post at the university, to writing various works and paying frequent visits to Madrid, where he made the acquaintance of the Duchess of Alba
. In 1743 he published the first four chapters of his autobiography, which enjoyed a tremendous success (chapter five appeared some time before 1752 and chapter six in 1758).
In 1750 he was allowed to retire on a pension by royal decree. His life became much quieter and in 1752 he published a complete edition of his works by public subscription. This was highly unusual for the time and attests to Villarroel's popularity as an author. He died on June 19, 1770 at the age of 77.
in several of his works. Indeed, leonese language prefixes like "peri" (more), palatalizations (llo, lla, llas), verbal forms like "jicioren" (they made, in Spanish "hicieron"), "salioren" (they went out, Spanish "salieron") or "dixioren" (they said, Spanish "dijeron") often appear in his works.
Today Villarroel is more famous as a writer. In twenty years he received more than 2,000 ducados per year. He was a prolific and popular author on numerous subjects with a style modelled on that of Quevedo
whose Sueños (satirical visions of Hell) he imitated in his Sueños morales, visiones y visitas de Torres con D. Francisco de Quevedo por Madrid(1727–1751).
He wrote Los desdichados del mundo y la gloria (1737), He also wrote poems and plays, but his most important work is his picaresque account of his own life entitled Vida, ascendencia, nacimiento, crianza y aventuras del doctor don Diego de Torres Villarroel, (1743, with further additions later), divided into six chapters, each dealing with a decade of his life.
He also wrote scientific works such as Anatomía de lo visible e invisible de ambas esferas (1738) and works about the lives of saints (e.g. Vida de Sor Gregoria de Santa Teresa) and poets (Vida de Gabriel Álvarez de Toledo).
Villarroel was a favourite author of the young Jorge Luis Borges
.
Poetry
Sonetos
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
- 19 June 1770) was a Spanish
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...
writer, poet, dramatist, doctor, mathematician, priest and professor of the University of Salamanca
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
. His most famous work is his autobiography
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
, Vida, ascendencia, nacimiento, crianza y aventuras del Doctor Don Diego de Torres Villarroel (first published 1743).
Life
Villarroel was baptised on June 18, 1694. His father was a poor bookseller in SalamancaSalamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
and his mother was a draper's daughter. After an elementary education he went on to study Latin under Juan González de Dios, who later became professor of humanities at the University of Salamanca
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
. Villarroel was then enrolled at the Colegio Trilingüe in Salamanca. However, at this stage the young Villarroel had little love for learning and his wayward and disruptive behaviour led to trouble with the authorities. It was only when he began to read the books in his father's shop that he discovered a fondness for mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
.
Villarroel was in such disgrace with the college authorities that he decided to flee to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
where he led an adventurous life in which he was successively a hermit, a dancing-master, an alchemist
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
, a mathematician, a soldier, a bull-fighter, a student of medicine and an astrologer. On his return to Salamanca, he settled down to a serious programme of reading books on science, magic and mathematics, while earning his living by publishing almanacs and annual predictions under the pseudonym of "The Great Piscator of Salamanca". In 1724, he successfully predicted the death of the young King Luis I.
In 1723 he moved to 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...
where he made many influential friends. He studied medicine and graduated in the city of Ávila. Back in Madrid, he became so poor that he decided to take up smuggling to make money but he was saved by the patronage of the Countess of Arcos, whose house he had tried to rid of a poltergeist
Poltergeist
A poltergeist is a paranormal phenomenon which consists of events alluding to the manifestation of an imperceptible entity. Such manifestation typically includes inanimate objects moving or being thrown about, sentient noises and, on some occasions, physical attacks on those witnessing the...
.
After a few years, Villarroel once more returned to Salamanca where he learned that the chair of mathematics at the university was empty and decided to apply for the post. He easily defeated his only rival and was made professor, even though his knowledge of the subject was still rudimemtary.
In 1732 Villarroel was banished from Spain for helping his friend Don Juan de Salazar in a dispute which had turned violent. The two had tried to escape to France but had returned to Spain to face the consequences. Villarroel spent his exile in Coimbra
Coimbra
Coimbra is a city in the municipality of Coimbra in Portugal. Although it served as the nation's capital during the High Middle Ages, it is better-known for its university, the University of Coimbra, which is one of the oldest in Europe and the oldest academic institution in the...
, Portugal until a royal decree allowed him back to Salamanca in 1734. From then on he dedicated his time to his post at the university, to writing various works and paying frequent visits to Madrid, where he made the acquaintance of the Duchess of Alba
María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva y Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duchess of Alba
Doña María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva-Álvarez de Toledo y Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba de Tormes, Grandee of Spain, , was a Spanish aristocrat and a popular subject of the painter, Francisco de Goya y Lucientes, who painted the famous portrait of her known as "The Naked...
. In 1743 he published the first four chapters of his autobiography, which enjoyed a tremendous success (chapter five appeared some time before 1752 and chapter six in 1758).
In 1750 he was allowed to retire on a pension by royal decree. His life became much quieter and in 1752 he published a complete edition of his works by public subscription. This was highly unusual for the time and attests to Villarroel's popularity as an author. He died on June 19, 1770 at the age of 77.
Influence of Leonese language
Torres Villarroel used elements of the Leonese languageLeonese language
The Leonese language is the endonym term used to refer to all vernacular Romance dialects of the Astur-Leonese linguistic group in the Spanish provinces of León and Zamora; Astur-Leonese also includes the dialects...
in several of his works. Indeed, leonese language prefixes like "peri" (more), palatalizations (llo, lla, llas), verbal forms like "jicioren" (they made, in Spanish "hicieron"), "salioren" (they went out, Spanish "salieron") or "dixioren" (they said, Spanish "dijeron") often appear in his works.
Works
Villarroel had a poor opinion of his own knowledge of mathematics and science, a result of the low quality of education available in the Spain of his era. As he wrote: "I knew well my ignorance and blindness as I went groping down the alleyways of my profession. But I also knew that I was in the land of the blind, for Spain lay in the grip of a darkness so fearsome that in no school, college or university in any one of its cities was there an individual capable of lighting a lamp whereby one might seek out the elements of these sciences. In the country of the blind the one-eyed man is king" (quoted by Atkinson, page 24).Today Villarroel is more famous as a writer. In twenty years he received more than 2,000 ducados per year. He was a prolific and popular author on numerous subjects with a style modelled on that of Quevedo
Quevedo
Quevedo is a Spanish surname. It most frequently refers to:*Francisco de Quevedo, the leading baroque poet of Spain's Siglo de Oro Other uses of Quevedo include:;Places*Quevedo, Ecuador;People...
whose Sueños (satirical visions of Hell) he imitated in his Sueños morales, visiones y visitas de Torres con D. Francisco de Quevedo por Madrid(1727–1751).
He wrote Los desdichados del mundo y la gloria (1737), He also wrote poems and plays, but his most important work is his picaresque account of his own life entitled Vida, ascendencia, nacimiento, crianza y aventuras del doctor don Diego de Torres Villarroel, (1743, with further additions later), divided into six chapters, each dealing with a decade of his life.
He also wrote scientific works such as Anatomía de lo visible e invisible de ambas esferas (1738) and works about the lives of saints (e.g. Vida de Sor Gregoria de Santa Teresa) and poets (Vida de Gabriel Álvarez de Toledo).
Villarroel was a favourite author of the young Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...
.
List of works
- Obras de Torres (1752)
- Vida, ascendencia, nacimiento, crianza y aventuras del doctor don Diego de Torres y Villarroel (1743)
- Sueños morales, visiones y visitas de Torres con D. Francisco de Quevedo por Madrid (1727–1751)
- El ermitaño y Torres (1752)
- Correo del otro Mundo al Gran Piscátor de Salamanca : cartas respondidas a los muertos por el mismo Piscátor.
- Los desahuciados del mundo y de la gloria (1737)
- El duende.
- Noticia de las virtudes medicinales de la Fuente del Caño de la villa de Babilafuente.
- Usos y provechos de las aguas de Tamames y baños de Ledesma.
- Viaje fantástico del Gran Piscátor de Salamanca / por su author el Bachiller Don Diego de Torres.
- Visiones y visitas de Torres con don Francisco de Quevedo por la Corte.
- Conversaciones Physico-Médicas y Chímicas de la Piedra Filosofal. (1752)
Poetry
- El presente siglo
Sonetos
- A una dama
- A la memoria de D. Juan Domingo de Haro y Guzmán
- Ciencia de los cortesanos de este siglo
- Confusión y vicios de la Corte
- ¿Cuándo vendrá la muerte?
- Cuenta los pasos de la vida
- Engulle el poderoso rica sopa
- Escribe a Lesbia ausente
- Pago que da el mundo a los poetas
- Respuesta a Filis
- Vida bribona
Sources
- The Remarkable Life of Don Diego, a translation of Villarroel's autobiography by William C. Atkinson (Folio Society, 1958)