Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/373

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IMLAY
INFANTE
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Imhoffer returned afterward to Bahia, and was rector of the College of the Jesuits. He is also the author of a "Dictionaries linguæ Amazoniæ," "Peruviæ Societatis historia," and "Vitæ illustrium missionarium qui in Peruviâ vixerunt." published in the "Bibliotheca Nova Societatis Jesu." edited by Father Bernard, of Bologna (1771).


IMLAY, Gilbert, author, b. in New Jersey about 1750. He was a captain in the American army during the Revolutionary war, and after its termination emigrated to Kentucky, where he was appointed a deputy surveyor under George May, at Louisville. Subsequently he went to Europe, and while in Paris lived unmarried, in mutual pledges of constancy, with Mary Wollstonecraft, the English author. Shortly before the birth of a child, Imlay deserted her, under pretext of being called to a distant country. Her plaintive letters to him were answered evasively, and, after an attempt at suicide, she turned again to literature for support, writing her "Letters from Sweden, Norway, and Denmark" (1796). She afterward married William Godwin, and a daughter, the fruit of this union, became the wife of Shelley, the poet. During his stay in Kentucky, Imlay wrote glowing descriptions of the country in a series of letters to a friend in England. These were revised and embodied in a volume styled "A Topographical Description of the Western Territory of North America" (London, 1792; enlarged ed., 1795; with supplement by John Filson, 2 vols., New York, 1793: 2d enlarged ed., London, 1797). Imlay was also the author of "The Emigrants, or the History of an Exiled Family," a novel (3 vols., London, 1793).


INAMA, Francis, clergyman, b. in Vienna, Austria, 4 May, 1719; d. there toward the end of the 18th century. He entered the Society of Jesus at the age of seventeen, and after completing his theological course was sent as a missionary to Mexico. He was afterward principally employed in converting the Indians of California. After the suppression of his order in Spanish America, he returned to Germany. He wrote an account of the California mission, which was published in the "Weltbote," edited by Father Stocklein.


INDARTE, José Rivera (in-dar-tay), Argentine journalist, b. in Cordova, Argentine Confederation, in 1810; d. in Desterro, Brazil, in 1845. He was brought to the notice of Rosas, governor and captain-general of Buenos Ayres, and was at first his supporter, but afterward became one of the most formidable of his opponents. The object of his first work, "Voto de America" (Buenos Ayres, 1835), was to advocate the formation of diplomatic and commercial relations with Spain. The author was bitterly attacked by extremists of the popular party, and replied to his antagonists in "Defensa del voto de America" (1835). He was imprisoned on account of the violence of his language, and on his release embarked for the United States, where he studied English and Italian, and devoted himself ardently to history and political economy. He discussed several important questions in the American journals, among others the annexation of Texas, and some of his essays were collected and published in Madrid by order of the Spanish government. He returned to La Plata in 1839, and assumed the direction of "El Nacional," which he conducted unaided with much ability, at the same time acting as the correspondent of the "Commereio," a Brazilian journal. He also issued weekly from the presses of "El Nacional" a series of poems under the title "Tirteo," attacking the dictator, Rosas. His next work, "Rosas y sus opositores" (Montevideo, 1843), ends with a list of the tyrant's victims entitled "Tablas de sangre." The details given in this chapter greatly excited the anger of Rosas, and it is said that he was often heard to say, "Will no one free me from this man?" Indarte added an appendix to this work, written with his customary violence, "Es accion santa matar á Rosas." He afterward retired to Brazil, where he died of a disease of the lungs, or, as some say, of poison administered by the agents of Rosas. His other works include "Demostración de la legitimidad de la independencia de la república del Uruguay" (Montevideo, 1842), and "La Intervention Anglo-francesa en el Rio de la Plata" (1844). See "Estudios sobre el Rio de la Plata," by Magariños Cervantes (Paris, 1856).


INFANTE, Hermenegildo (in-fan'-tay), Spanish missionary, b. according to some authorities in Merida, according to others in Havana, and according to others in Spain; d. before 1692. In 1646 he was a friar in the Franciscan convent of Campeche, when an expedition for the conquest of the Itzas and Lacandones was fitting out. Father Infante, desiring that the cross should precede the sword, proceeded in February, 1646, from Campeche to Usumacinta, the most advanced Christian settlement of Yucatan, accompanied by Father Villasis. It was evident that they were not welcome among the Indians, and, not receiving any tidings from Campeche and Merida, Villasis returned to Merida. Friar Bartolome de Gabalda was sent to assist Infante in his dangerous position, but well-nigh perished on the road before he reached his destination. The Spanish forces arrived at Usumacinta about the beginning of 1647, but there was no order among them. Instead of proceeding to Nohua, as Infante, who had joined them, urged them to do, they tarried day after day at Usumacinta till their followers, seeing no hope of success, gradually abandoned them. At last, with the remnant of their former force, they moved on to Nohua, where they arrived in July. The Indians, having previously ill treated the friar, had fled to the mountains, but their cacique had already made his peace with the chief of the Spaniards, and Father Infante was now despatched to Guatemala to obtain pecuniary assistance, as the adelantado was destitute of funds. At Palenque, however, he received a letter from the former advising him of his illness. Infante hastened to return, but found that in his absence the Indians had set fire to the town, and the adelantado with his followers had escaped to Petenecte, where Ordoñez died in April, 1648. The remaining Spaniards and Father Infante returned to Merida, and this expedition was not followed by any other for several years, but Infante, who had studied thoroughly the country, exerted every influence for calling the attention of the authorities to the project. When in 1692 the government of Yucatan and Guatemala undertook the conquest of the Itzas, Lacandones, and Choes, they had in mind and studied the notes of Father Infante.


INFANTE, José Miguel (in-fan'-tay), Chilian statesman, b. in Santiago, Chili, in March, 1778; d. there, 9 April, 1844. He studied law in the College of San Carlos, and was admitted to practice in 1801. When the first symptoms of the revolutionary movement showed themselves, he was one of the earliest to accept the idea with enthusiasm, and as corporation counsellor of the municipality of Santiago contributed to the formation of the first independent junta, which met on 18 Sept., 1810. In the first meeting he asked for the convocation of a popular congress to declare the independence of the nation, and, notwithstanding strong opposition, carried his point. The congress