Hippolyto da Costa
| Hipólito da Costa | |
|---|---|
A painting of Costa, by an unknown artist
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| Born | Hipólito José da Costa Pereira Furtado de Mendonça 13 August 1774 Colónia do Sacramento, Portuguese Colony of Brazil (nowadays Uruguay) |
| Died | 11 September 1823 (aged 49) London, England |
| Occupation | Journalist, diplomat |
| Nationality |
 Portuguese |
| Alma mater | University of Coimbra |
| Relatives | José Saturnino da Costa Pereira |
Hipólito José da Costa Pereira Furtado de Mendonça (August 13, 1774 – September 11, 1823) was a Brazilian journalist and diplomat considered to be the "father of Brazilian press".
He is the patron of the 17th chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters.
Costa was born in Colonia del Sacramento, nowadays in Uruguay, to alférez Félix da Costa Furtado de Mendonça and Ana Josefa Pereira. His brother was José Saturnino da Costa Pereira, who would be the senator of the Empire of Brazil and the commander of the Brazilian Army.
In 1777, the family moved to Pelotas, in Rio Grande do Sul, where Costa would spend his adolescence, until he was sent to the University of Coimbra in 1798, where he graduated in Law, Philosophy and Mathematics.
Recently graduated, he was sent on diplomatic missions to the United States and Mexico by then-Portuguese prime minister Rodrigo de Sousa Coutinho. He would live in the U.S. for two years, more precisely in Philadelphia, where he became a Freemason. He wrote an account of his trip to Philadelphia, named Diário de Minha Viagem para a Filadélfia, but it would be only published in 1955.
Two years after his trip to the U.S. he returned to Brazil, where he would receive another mission, this time for England, in 1802. However, three or four years later, when he returned to Brazil, he was arrested by the Portuguese Inquisition, by order of Pina Manique, since he was accused of spreading Masonic ideas through Europe. However, he was able to escape prison and fled to Spain, disguised as a lackey. From Spain, he returned to England, where he received protection of Prince Augustus Frederick.
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