had studied geography and the mathematics, as far as they were then known. The first enterprize was rather a matter of war than of commerce or discovery, but it greatly enlarged their knowledge of the coast of Africa. In 1418, some Portuguese vessels were driven by a storm into the wide Atlantic, and thus the Madeira Islands were discovered by an accident. These islands were soon taken possession of by the Portuguese. Encouraged by their successs, the Portuguese fearlessly pushed their exploring expeditions along the coast of Africa, and in 1433 they had reached the mouth of the Senegal. In 1449, the Cape de Verd Islands were discovered, and the Azores soon after. At this time they had ventured a thousand miles from the European continent; thus evincing a degree of enterprize that astonished themselves and other nations. The adventurous navigators of Venice, Florence, Genoa, and others from the north, flocked to Portugal to join those engaged in discoveries; but notwithstanding their exertions, the Portuguese did not pass the line until 1471. This was no small affair, for most geographers, previous to this period, supposed the torrid zone nearly or quite uninhabited; that burning sands and scorching suns were too powerful for life, animal or vegetable ; but what must have been their surprise, when they found a new, and, in many respects, a more beautiful creation there than they had ever seen or imagined!— a region teeming with inhabitants of earth and air, beyond what their own could support, and a vegetation luxuriant and refreshing and full of food! In 1484, the Portuguese took possession of several places in the southern hemisphere, but it was two years after this before they reached cape Good Hope, which was first

called the Cape of Storms. It is by no means certain that any navigator had explored the Indian seas until years after this time, although no doubts were entertained of the practicability of reaching India by extending the route they had pursued.

At the time these discoveries were made, Portugal was not wealthy; in fact, she had been exhausted by long and fierce wars with the Moors. Their success was, therefore, from their enterprize and hardihood, and not from wealth or avarice, the two great springs to adventure. Previous to this time, the Genoese had been a much greater commercial and naval people than the Portuguese. They had enjoyed a great share of the commerce of the east, but were prevented at this time from following up the enterprize of the Portuguese from internal commotions and civil wars.

It was not so with the Tuscans. At Florence at this period every thing of a commercial nature was prosperous. Casmo De Medicis had carried on a most flourishing commerce from 1415 to 1464. During this period he was the patron of letters and the arts, and was a magistrate of exemplary virtue in a republic of wealth and enterprize; but it does not appear that Casmo attempted to make any discoveries. At the time the Portuguese were the most successful, Lorenzo, his grandson, who was called the magnificent, was in the height of his power and fame. He was just that bold and gallant spirit that seemed likely to take these discoveries into consideration and to have pushed them to the utmost extent; but whether his quarrels with the pope and cardinals prevented his turning his attention to an exploring expedition, or that his mind was too much engaged in politics, is, perhaps, to be left to con

jecture. Lorenzo died April 8, 1492, while Columbus was getting ready for sea on his first voyage of discovery.

The time had now arrived in the destinies of man when a new view of things was to be taken, from new objects of interest and ambition. The maritime world had been mostly confined, when the Portuguese began their discoveries, to the Mediterranean and the seas of of the north. All the naval battles had been in the Mediterranean. These seas were the fields of fame for those nations who ventured to launch upon them, and a western world was not dreamt of by those inhabiting the eastern continent. It was reserved for Columbus, a Genoese, born in 1447, to be the discoverer of this continent.. He was well educated for the age in which he lived; and there was considerable science then extant, for about the time he received his education, the learned Greeks had fled from Constantinople, and Genoa had next to Florence the benefits of their knowledge. Of an enterprizing disposition, he early engaged himself as a mariner, and became acquainted with all the coasts of the Mediterranean and the northern seas, then the great wonder of the world. He engaged with the Portuguese and followed their track to the Madeira Islands and the Azores. He was also engaged in sea-fights, and was, all things considered, one of the most accomplished men of the age in which he lived. He had married the daughter of a distinguished mariner, and had access to his charts and journals, which threw much light on the discoveries then made.

Columbus had no sooner conceived a plan of finding a passage to the Indies, than he brought all his resources to bear on the subject, and his mind became so

convinced of the truth of his theory, that it amounted quite to demonstration with him in his visions of future glory. In the fulness of this conviction he applied to Genoa, his native country, to assist him, but she was in no situation to undertake the charge and expenses of an enterprize which probably was thought would be much greater in a pecuniary point of view than they were prepared to meet. He then proposed the matter to king John II, of Portugal. The causes alleged for this enterprizing monarch's rejecting the proposition have been variously stated; but the true one was jealousy; for there was an attempt made to forestall Columbus in this adventure, which was defeated by ignorance and timidity. Henry VII, who, after the close of the civil wars, attended much to commerce and naval affairs, and had advanced ship-building to its then highest state among maritime nations, was applied to by Columbus, through his brother, Bartholomew, but the king either had no faith in the adventure, or wanted ready means to defray the expenses of it; at any rate, he declined affording assistance to Columbus, or to make an engagement in regard to the enterprize.

While the brother of Columbus was soliciting the king of England, he himself was using every argument to induce the queen of Leon and Castile to engage in this voyage of discovery; but after following up his solicitations for a long time his patience was quite exhausted, and he was about quitting Spain, when a good providence made him acquainted with an intelligent ecclesiastic, Juan Peres, who was a prior of a convent. This worthy man, by the assistance of the best mathematicians he could find, examined Columbus' plan, and became thoroughly convinced of its soundness, and

urged the reasons he had to give, with so much force and sincerity, as to make Isabella pause, and at last yield to them, with delicacy and grace; but Columbus, with all the tenacity of a proud man, conscious that he is about an important affair, urged his terms so boldly that the negociation was broken off.

Towards the close of 1491, the Spanish arms were successful, and Grenada surrendered. In this happy moment the friends of the enterprize brought it up again, and the terms, such as Columbus had insisted on, without his yielding one jot, were at length agreed to. But it is quite certain that this pride of genius was the cause of the misfortunes of himself and family; for after his discovery, all Spain were jealous of his fame, particularly the grandees and the king. The fleet procured for the purpose of discovery was a miserable business, —one vessel with a single deck, and two without any, manned with only ninety men, was the whole naval concern. The Pintons, two brothers, commanded the two vessels without decks. They were enterprising sailors, and had much of the Spanish gentlemen in their characters. The admiral found them of great service in his voyage. The expedition sailed on the 3d of August, 1492. After touching at one of the Canaries, and overcoming every obstacle, he had the good fortune to discover land, and take possession of it on the 12th of October following. It would be a very delightful task to go minutely through the voyage of Columbus, and trace out the incidents of so eventful a life, as this great navigator's. This has been done by several writers, but by none with so much truth, taste, and genius, as is found in the Life of Columbus, by our illustrious countryman, Washington Irving. He has done justice to