Gonçalves de Freitas (Luís António)

He was the son of Councillor (conselheiro, honorary title of the royal council) António Gonçalves de Freitas (see that entry) and Dona Júlia de Abreu Gonçalves de Freitas, and was born on 23 February 1858. He completed his law degree at Coimbra in 1880. He began cultivating letters very early and published several volumes of verse while still a student at the University. His literary output, in both prose and verse, is substantial. After bringing out a number of volumes, he undertook the publication of all his writings under the title Obras Completas de Luiz António Gonçalves; death prevented him from finishing it, but nineteen volumes nevertheless appeared. Among his works we may cite Impressões, Phantasias, A Pupila de Beltrão, Oscillações, Mavalen, Reminescências, Discursos e Trabalhos Parlamentares, Artigos Políticos, Das Galerias, Expansões, Respigas, Humorismos, Discussão e Controvérsias, Mescla de Assumptos, Rachel, Horas de Paz, Noite de Nupcias and Os Pecados da Mocidade.

He represented Madeira in the Cortes (Portuguese parliament) in the legislative session of 1882 to 1884, and the speeches he delivered in parliament in defence of the interests of this archipelago are published in his book Discursos e Trabalhos Parlamentares.

He was head of department in the civil government of Lisbon and carried out various public-service commissions.

Some months before his death, Dr Luís Gonçalves de Freitas suffered the great sorrow of losing his fine library, consumed by fire. The blow was so violent that he came close to succumbing. Some time later he was struck down by a cerebral congestion, on 28 October 1904, at only 46 years of age.

He was a distinguished and admired poet, and also wrote several plays in both prose and verse. He contributed widely to many magazines and newspapers, and a large number of these writings were collected in the edition of his Obras Completas.