[83] Dieze, in his remarks on Velasquez, erroneously refers to the publication of Gregorio Mayans, for the proverbs in verse; but only the original proverbs, without versification, (refranes que dicen las viejas tras el huego) as collected by the Marquis, are given in the second volume of that work, p. 179. The greater part deserve to be better known, but many of them are unintelligible to foreigners. [84] See the note, page 24. [85] E que cosa es la poesia, que _en nuestra vulgar_ (there is something equivocal here, for this term was not vernacular in the Castilian language) llamamos gaya sciencia, sino un fingimiento de cosas utiles, è veladas con muy fermosa cobertura, compuestas, distinguidas, escondidas, por certo cuento, peso, è medida. [86] He appeals to St. Isidore, whom he cites as a guarantee for this origin of poetry:--Isidro Cartaginès, santo Arzobispo Hispalense, assi lo pruebra y testifica, e quiere, que el primero que fizo rythmos y cantó en metro hay sido Moysen, y despues Joshue, David, Salomon, y Job. [87] _Honestæ conditionis_, says Nicolas Antonio, speaking of his family. [88] Only the supplement to this poem is contained in the _Cancionero general_. The poem itself was probably too long to be included in that collection. However, in the editions of the collected works of Mena (for instance, that which I have now before me, intitled--_Todas las obras del famosissimo poeta Juan de Mena, &c._ Anveres, 1552, 8º) which Dieze notices, it fills the greater portion of the volume, and is accompanied by a copious commentary by Fernan Nuñez. [89] The emphatic praise bestowed on this poem in Dieze’s observations on Velasquez, (page 168), according to which Juan de Mena “maintains _to his advantage_ a comparison with all the poets of all ages,” is sufficient to prove Dieze’s deficiency in sound criticism. [90] The second stanza contains the theme, but it is very imperfectly expressed:-- Tus casos fallaces, Fortuna, cantamos Estados de gentes que giras y trocas, Tus muchas mudanzas, tus firmezas pocas, Y las que en tu rueda quexosos hallamos. [91] Mena, politely enough, solicits permission of Fortune to read her a lesson: Dame licencia, mudable Fortuna, Porque yo blasme de ti lo que devo. Then, in well turned antitheses, he allows her a sort of regularity which contradicts itself:-- Que tu firmeza es, no ser constante, Tu temperamento es destemplanza, Tu mas cierto orden es desordenanza, &c. [92] Providence appears as a most beautiful young woman:-- Una donzella tan mucho hermosa, Que ante su gesto es loco quien osa Otras beldades loar de mayores. [93] In the fourth stanza a patriotic flight seems to promise the recurrence of similar passages: Como que creo, que fossen menores, Que los Africanos, los hechos del Cid? Ni que feroces menos en la lid Entrassen los nuestros que los Agenores? &c.