Dictionary.net

A Spanish novelist; born in Seville about 1550; died in Mexico after 1609. For some time an official in the royal treasury, he either resigned or was dismissed in consequence of an annoying lawsuit, and about 1608 went to Mexico. His fame rests on the satirical romance, "The Life and Deeds of the Picaroon Guzman de Alfarache", which, like its forerunner and model, the "Lazarillo de Tormes" by Mendoza, is one of the most famous representatives of the "picaresque" novel. Its first part, under the title of "Watch-Tower of Human Life", appeared in 1599 in three editions, and up to 1605 attained to 26 more editions of over 50,000 copies. This immense success induced a literary freebooter to publish a spurious second part in 1603, which was followed by the genuine in 1605. The work was translated into every European language, and in 1623 even into Latin. The best edition of the original is in vol. iii. of Aribau's "Library of Spanish Authors" (Madrid, 1846).