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EFFECTS OF ENVY.

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requested permission to come to court, and communicate the particulars in person. By a singular coincidence, on the very evening of the arrival of Columbus at Palos, and while the peals of triumph were still ringing from its towers, the Pinta, commanded by Martin Alonzo Pinzon, likewise entered the river. When, on entering the harbour, he beheld the vessel of the admiral riding at anchor, and learned the enthusiasm with which he had been received, and the rejoicings with which his return had been celebrated, the heart of Pinzon died within him. He called to mind his frequent arrogance and insubordination, and his wilful desertion off the coast of Cuba, by which he had impeded the prosecution of the voyage. He kept himself out of sight till the admiral's departure. He then returned to his home, broken in health and deeply dejected. Palos had been his little world, in which he moved with unrivalled importance; but now he found himself fallen in public opinion, and fancied the finger of scorn continually pointed at him.

"At length he received a severe and reproachful reply to the letter he had written the sovereigns. His feelings, added to his disease, carried him off in a few days :-he died a victim to envy and remorse. That he was naturally a man of generous feelings, is shown by the bitterness of

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A USEFUL LESSON.

his regrets; but his story proves how one lapse from duty may counterbalance the merits of a thousand services; and how important it is for a a man, under all circumstances, to be true, not merely to others, but to himself; to do to others as he would wish others to do to him."

GRENADA,

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CHAPTER XVIII.

GRENADA-BOBADIL, THE LAST OF THE MOORISH KINGS IN SPAIN-VISIT TO THE ALHAMBRA-HALL OF THE

ABENCERRAGES.

LONG before it was possible to catch a view of Grenada, the young people were looking out for it. At length, the fair reality rose before them; and behind it was the lofty Sierra, capped with snow. At Santa Fé the country became rich and populous, for it was within the influence of irrigation; but it was not the immediate object of the travellers. Mr. Delville was fixing their charmed attention, by recollections of no common interest.

"It was in this city," he said, "then built hastily of stone, in the Vega of Grenada, on account of the conflagration in the tents of the royal camp, that Columbus was recalled from Palos to receive the final assent of Isabella to his project of discovery. He arrived in time to witness the memorable surrender of Grenada to the Spanish He beheld Bobadil, the last of the Moorish monarchs, sally forth from the Alhambra, and yield

arms.

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VICTORY AND DEFEAT.

up the keys of that favourite and splendid abode; while the king and queen, with all the chivalry, and rank, and magnificence of Spain, moved forward, in proud and solemn procession, to receive these tokens of submission. For Spain, this was a splendid moment. After nearly eight hundred years of painful struggle, the crescent was overthrown, and the standard of the cross waved over those ancient walls. The air resounded with shouts and hymns, with songs of triumph and thanksgiving. On every side were seen military rejoicings and religious oblations. It was considered a triumph not merely of arms, but of Christianity. Every where was heard the sound of music and festivity."

"Poor Bobadil el Chico!" said Ellen, “how did he bear it? These rejoicings must have sounded bitterly in his ears."

"When he arrived at the mountain of Padul, from whence all Grenada was seen, he took a last look of that city, once so rich, so beautiful, and so happy; now humbled and defiled by the yoke of an enemy. He wept as he gazed.

"Weep!' said his sultana, Zoraya; ' weep like a woman, the loss of that empire you had not the courage to defend like a man !'

"A favourite counsellor, who still adhered to him, now interposed, and said, 'Remember, that great misfortunes give to him who bears them with

INDIFFERENCE TO THIS VICTORY.

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courage, as much renown and celebrity as victory and prosperity.'

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"What misfortunes,' said the prince, in a disconsolate tone, can be compared with mine?' "Ambitious and rash in prosperity, and weak and pusillanimous in adversity, he was too much attached to a high station to live quietly in obscurity. He felt the neighbourhood of Grenada to be an obstacle to his repose; and he passed over to Fez in Africa; Ferdinand gladly paying him the price of the domains of Alpuxara, which had been assigned to him: and he who wanted courage to defend his own country and ancient throne, died in a foreign land, fighting for the rights of his relation, the king of Fez.

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"And Columbus," said Edward "how did he feel ?" "A Spanish writer," said his father, "has left us a faithful picture of his feelings in that hour of general triumph. A man, obscure and but little known, followed at this time the court. Confounded in the crowd of importunate applicants, feeding his imagination in the corners of antechambers, with the pompous project of discovering a world, melancholy and dejected in the midst of the general rejoicing, he beheld with indifference, and almost with contempt, the conclusion of a conquest which swelled all bosoms

*

Clemencin, Elogio de la Reina Catholica, p. 20.

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