His Career and that of Cervantes compared 189
Epithets of Praise heaped on him 190
1562. His Birth 190
His Parentage 191
His Boyhood 191
An Adventure related of him while at School 192
He becomes the Protégé of Geronimo Manrique, the Grand
Inquisitor 193
He enters the University of Alcala 193
He enters the Service of the Duke of Alva 194
His "Arcadia;" a Detail of the Story 195
1598. Publication of the "Arcadia" 198
Lope de Vega leaves the Duke's Service 198
His Marriage 199
He is engaged in a Duel, which causes him to go to Valencia 199
He returns to Madrid; Death of his Wife 200
1588. He becomes a Soldier, and joins the Invincible Armada 200
His Eclogue to Claudio 200
1604. His Sonnets 200
A Translation of two of his Sonnets 202
Some Account of his "Dorotea" 204
Sanguine Expectations of the Invincible Armada 209
Piratical Expeditions of Drake and Hawkins excite the
Animosity and Vengeance of the Spaniards 209
An animated Description of the setting forth of the Invincible
Armada, by Lope de Vega 210
He composes "The Beauty of Angelica" 210
1590. He returns from the Armada, and enters the Service of Count
Lemos 211
His second Marriage 211
1620. His Work, "The True Lover" 212
Extracts from his Epistles 213
Uncertain Dates of the various Events of his Life 216
1598. Canonisation of St. Isidro 217
The Reputation of Lope de Vega awakens the Enmity of
Rivals and Critics 217
His War with Gongora 218
1616. His unexampled Popularity 219
1621. His Novel 219
His "Soliloquies on God" 220
His Poem on the Death of Mary Queen of Scots 220
Exaggerated Account of the Quantity of his Writings 220
Anecdote of him and Montalvan 221
Extract from his Poems 222
1635. His Presentiments of his approaching Dissolution 225
(18th of August) His Death 226
His Funeral 226
His Person 227
His Character 227
The "Dragon tea" 228
The "Jerusalem" 229
Difficulties of establishing the Theatre in Spain 230
Spanish Theatres 231
Analysis of the "Star of Seville," by Lord Holland 233
Sacred Dramas and Autos Sacramentales of Lope de Vega 235
Incongruities of his Plots 236