of the Lusiad, was born at Lisbon about A.D. 1524. His misfortunes began
with his birth--he never saw a father's smile--for Simon Vasco de
Camoens perished by shipwreck in the very year which gave being to his
illustrious son. The future poet was sent to the university of
Coimbra--then at the height of its fame,--"and maintained there by the
provident care of his surviving parent."

"Love," says Lord Strangford, "is very nearly allied to devotion, and it
was in the exercise of the latter, that Camoens was introduced to the
knowledge of the former. In the Church of Christ's Wounds at Lisbon, on
11th April, 1542, Camoens first beheld Dona Caterina de Atayde, the
object of his purest and earliest attachment ... and it was not long
before Camoens enjoyed an opportunity of declaring his affection, with
all the romantic ardour of eighteen and of a poet." The peculiar
situation of the lady, as one of the maids of honour to the queen,
imposed a restraint upon her admirer which soon became intolerable; and
he, for having violated the sanctity of the royal precincts, was in
consequence banished from the court. Whatever may have been the nature
of his offence, "it furnished a pretext to the young lady's relations
for terminating an intercourse which worldly considerations rendered
highly imprudent."

But Love consoled his votary: his mistress, on the morning of his
departure, confessed the secret of her long-concealed affection, and the
sighs of grief were soon lost in those of mutual delight. The hour of
parting was, perhaps, the sweetest of our poet's existence.

Camoens removed to Santarem, but speedily returned to Lisbon, was a
second time detected, and again driven into exile.[3]

The voice of Love inspired our poet "with the glorious resolution of
conquering the obstacles which fortune had placed between him and
felicity." He obtained permission, therefore, to accompany King John
III. in an expedition then fitting out against the Moors in Africa. In
one of the engagements with the enemy our hero had the misfortune to
lose "his right eye, by some splinters from the deck of the vessel in
which he was stationed. Many of his most pathetic compositions were
written during this campaign, and the toils of a martial life were
sweetened by the recollection of her for whose sake they were endured.
His heroic conduct at length procured his recall to court," but to find,
alas, that his mistress was no more.

Disappointed in his hop