LA HOZ Y MOTA

la hoz y mota, juan claudio de (1630?-1710?), spanish dramatist, was born in madrid. he became a knight of santiago in 1653, and soon afterwards succeeded his father as _regidor_ of burgos. in 1665 he was nominated to an important post at the treasury, and in his later years acted as official censor of the madrid theatres. on the 13th of august 1709 he signed his play entitled _josef, salvador de egipto_, and is presumed to have died in the following year. hoz is not remarkable for originality of conception, but his recasts of plays by earlier writers are distinguished by an adroitness which accounts for the esteem in which he was held by his contemporaries. _el montanes juan pascal_ and _el castigo de la miseria_, reprinted in the _biblioteca de autores espanoles_, give a just idea of his adaptable talent.