Portuguese Neoclassical poet, who admired Horace, and English and French literature. Garção wanted to return to the classical root of poetry, and its conscientious and polished expression. His CANTATA DE DIDO is considered among the best poems of the era.

Já no roxo oriente branqueando,
As prenhes velas da troiana frota
Entre as vagas azuis do mar dourado
Sobre as asas dos ventos se escondiam.
A misérrima Dido,
Pelos paços reais vaga ululando,
C'os turvos olhos inda em vão procura
O fugitivo Eneias.
(from 'Cantata de Dido')

Pedro Antonio Correia Garção was born in Lisbon into a well-to-do family. His father, Philippe Corrêa da Serra, had a post at the foreign office. After attending a Jesuit school in Lisbon, Garção studied law at Coimbra. Garção was was created in 1750 a knight of the Order of Christ. In 1751 he married D. Maria Salema. Garção became in 1756 a member of Arcádia Lusitana (or Arcádia Ulissiponense). It was an unofficial literary society that was supported by government and opposed old forms and ideals in poetry. Its members brought to its meetings literary works to be read and criticized. They also had pseudonyms - Garção was "Córidon Erimanteu." The society was founded in 1756, four months after the earthquake of Lisbon in 1755, by three just graduated law students, António da Cruz e Silva, Teotónio Gomes de Carvalho, and Manuel Nicolau Esteves Negrão. The devastating earthquake partly inspired Voltaire's satire Candide (1759). Until 1760 the society was very active, but gradually its activities ceased. It also had a successor, Nova Arcádia.

From 1760 to 1762 Garção edited the Gazeta de Lisbon. His verse play TEATRO NOVO (1766) attacked foreign influences in the theatre. Garção's satirical attitude to the social life of Lisbon is seen in his comedy ASSEMBLÉIA OU PARTIDA. It was written under the influence of French theatre but showed also traces of the emerging Italian opera. Interest in foreign literature was shared by many other writers, too, who adopted ideas of Enlightenment in Portugal.

Among Garção's best-known works is Cantata de Dido, combined in accordance with the 4th book of Aenid and in the spirit of classical art with perfection of form. It is one of the most celebrated 18th-century Portuguese poems. In his late years Garção lost his property, and fell out of favor with the highly influential politician Sebastion Pombal (1699-1782), who started among others to reform schools in his country. Garção died in Lisbon on November 10, 1772, in prison, where he was condemned for unclear reasons. On same day Pombal had undersigned an order to release him. Arcádia society became unpopular and finished its activities in 1775, but its impact on poetry was profound. Pombal's death also stopped further cultural reforms.

Note: António da Cruz e Silva (1731-1799), was a prolific writer, whose works were published posthumously. His books have now more historical than literary significance. - Poet Manuel Maria Barbosa de Bocage (1765-1805) was a member of Nova Arcádia. His main themes were death, nightmares, and pain of love. - For further information: Correia Garção - Neoclassicismo / Correia Garção - Garcao, Pedro Antonio Joaquim Correa -

Selected works:

• TEATRO NOVO, 1766
• OBRAS POÉTICAS, 1778
• OBRAS COMPLETAS, 1957-58 (ed. by António José Saraiva)