he was born in a rich and influential creole liman basque family and studied at the san marcos university of lima. he hold the doctorate in theology in 1740 and the degree of law in 1742. he was appointed assistant of the consulate tribunal and "oidor" (judge) of the audiency of lima. in 1746, he was indicted for embezzlement and he had to go to spain to be prosecuted by the council of the indies in 1750. he was imprisoned briefly in 1754, but he was finally condemned in 1757 just to temporary disqualification for public offices. in 1755 he married a rich widow and traveled through italy and france. he met the most outstanding european enlightened philosophers and writers, like voltaire (who he said was "a spaniard who thinks") and his madrid house was one of the most notable meeting points of the spanish enlightened elites.