2. Christopher Columbus was born in the republic of Genoa, about the year 1447; at a time when the navigation of Europe was scarcely extended beyond the limits of the Mediterranean.

3. The mariner's compass had been invented, and in common use, for more than a century; yet, with the help of this sure guide, prompted with the most ardent spirit of discovery, encouraged by the patronage of princes, the mariners of these days rarely ventured from the sight of land.

4. They acquired great applause by sailing along the coast of Africa and discovering some of the neighbouring islands; and after pushing their researches with the greatest industry and perseverance for more than half a century, the Portuguése, who were the most fortunate and enterprising, extended their discoveries southward no farther than the equator.

5. The rich commodities of the east had for several ages been brought into Europe by the way of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean; and it had now become the object of the Portuguese to find a passage to India by sailing round the southern extremity of Africa,andthen taking an eastern course.

6. This great object engaged the general attention of mankind, and drew into the Portuguese service, adventurers from every maritime nation of Europe. Every year added to their experience in navigation, and seemed to promise a reward to their industry.

7. The prospect, however, of arriving in the Indies, was extremely distant; fifty years perseverance in the same track, had brought them only to the equator; and it was probable that as many more would elapse before they could accomplish their purpose: But Columbus, by an uncommon exertion of genius, formed a design no less astonishing to the age in which he lived, than beneficial to posterity.

8. The design was to sail to India by taking a western direction. By the accounts of travellers who had visited. India, that country seemed almost without limits on the east; and by attending to the spherical figure of the ocean Columbus drew this conclusion, that the itself, or by must be bounded on the west, either by Id itself, or by some great continent not far distant com it.

9. This extraordinary man, who was now about twentyseven years of age, appears to have united in his character

every trait, and to have possessed every talent requisite to form and execute the greatest enterprises.

10. He was early educated in all the useful sciences that were taught in that day. He had made great proficiency in geography, astronomy, and drawing, as they were necessary to his favourite pursuit of navigation. He had now been a number of years in the service of the Portuguese, and had acquired all the experience that their voyages and discoveries could afford.

11. His courage and perseverance had been put to the severest test, and the exercise of every amiable and heroic virtue rendered him universally known and respected. He had married a Portuguese lady, by whom he had two sons, Diego and Ferdinand: the younger of whom is the historian of his life.

12. Such was the situation of Columbus when he formed and thoroughly digested a plan, which in its operation and consequences, unfolded to the view of mankind one half of the globe, diffused wealth and dignity over the other, and extended commerce and civilization through the whole.

13. To corroborate the theory which he had formed of the existence of a western continent, his discerning mind, which always knew the application of every circumstance that fell in his way, had observed several facts, which by others would have passed unnoticed. In his voyages to the African islands, he had found floating ashore, after a long western storm, pieces of wood carved in a curious manner, canes of a size unknown in that quarter of the world, and human bodies with very singular features.

14. Fully confirmed in the opinion that a considerable portion of the earth was still undiscovered, his genius was too vigorous and persevering to suffer an idea of this importance to rest merely in speculation, as it had done in the minds of Plato and Seneca, who appeared to have had conjectures of a similar nature.

15. He determined, therefore, to bring his favourite theory to the test of actual experiment. But an object of that magnitude required the patronage of a prince, and a design so extraordinary met with all the obstructions, delay and disappointments, which an age of superstition could invent, and which personal jealousy and malice could magnify and encourage. 16. Happily for mankind, in this instance, a genius capa

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ble of devising the greatest undertakings, associated in itself a degree of patience and enterprise, modesty and confidence, which rendered him superior not only to these misfortunes, but to all the future calamities of his life.

17. Prompted by the most ardent enthusiasm to be the discoverer of new continents; and fully sensible of the advantages that would result to mankind from such discoveries, he had the mortification to waste away eighteen years of his life, after his system was well established in his own mind, before he could obtain the means of executing his designs.

18. The greatest part of this period was spent in successive and fruitless solicitations, at Genoa, Portugal, and Spain. As a duty to his native country, he made his first proposal to the Senate of Genoa; where it was soon rejected.

19. Conscious of the truth of his theory, and of his own ability to execute his design, he retired, without dejection, from a body of men who were incapable of forming any just ideas upon the subject; and applied with fresh confidence to John II. king of Portugal, who had distinguished himself as a great patron of navigation, and in whose service Columbus had acquired a reputation which entitled him and his project to general confidence and approbation.

20. But here he suffered an insult much greater than a direct refusal. After referring the examination of his scheme to the council who had the direction of naval affairs, and drawing from him his general ideas of the length of the voyage, and the course he meant to take, that great monarch had the meanness to conspire with the council to rob Columbus of the glory and advantage he expected to derive from his undertaking.

21. While Columbus was amused with this negociation, in hopes of having his scheme adopted and patronized, a vessel was secretly despatched, by order of the king, to make the intended discovery. Want of skill and perseverance in the pilot rendered the plot unsuccessful; and Columbus, on discovering the treachery, retired with ingenuous indignation, from a court capable of such duplicity.

22. Having now performed what was due to the country that gave him birth, and to the one that adopted him as a subject, he was at liberty to court the patronage of any prince who should have the wisdom and justice to accept his proposals. 23. He had communicated his ideas to his brother Bar

tholomew, whom he sent to England, to negociate with Henry VI. at the same time that he went himself into Spain, to apply in person to Ferdinand and Isabella, who governed the united kingdoms of Arragon and Castile.

24. The circumstances of his brother's application in England, which appear to have been unsuccessful, it is not to my purpose to relate; and the limits prescribed to this sketch will prevent the detail of all the particulars relating to his own negociation in Spain.

25. In this negociation Columbus spent eight years, in the various agitations of suspense, expectation and disappointment; till at length his scheme was adopted by Isabella, who undertook, as queen of Castile, to defray the expenses of the expedition; and declared herself, ever after, the friend and patron of the hero who projected it.

26. Columbus, who during all his ill success in the nego ciation, never abated any thing of the honours and emoluments which he expected to acquire in his expedition, obtained from Ferdinand and Isabella, a full stipulation of every article contained in his first proposals.

27. He was constituted high Admiral and Viceroy of all the seas, islands and continents which he should discover, with power to receive one-tenth of the profits arising from their productions and commerce. These offices and emoluments were to be hereditary in his family.

28. These articles being adjusted, the preparations for the voyage were brought forward with rapidity, but they were by no means adequate to the importance of the expedition. Three small vessels, scarcely sufficient in size to be employed in the coasting business, were appointed to traverse the vast Atlantic; and to encounter the storms and currents that might be expected in so lengthy a voyage, through distant and unknown seas.

29. These vessels, as might be expected in the infancy of navigation, were ill constructed, in a poor condition, and manned by seamen unaccustomed to distant voyages. But the tedious length of time which Columbus had spent in solicitation and suspense, and the prospect of being able soon to obtain the object of his wishes, induced him to overlook what he could not easily remedy, and led him to disregard those circumstances which would have intimidated any other mind. 30. He accordingly equipped his small squadron with as

much expedition as possible, manned with ninety meh, and victualled for one year. With these, on the third of August, 1492, amidst a vast crowd of anxious spectators, he set sail on an enterprise, which if we consider the ill condition of his ships, the experience of his sailors, the length and uncertainty of his voyage, and the consequences that flowed from it, was the most daring and important that ever was undertaken.

31. He touched at some of the Portuguese settlements in the Canary isles, where, altho' he had had but a few days run, he found his vessels needed refitting. He soon made the necessary repairs, and took his departure from the westernmost islands that had hitherto been discovered. Here he left the former tract of navigation, and steered his course due west.

32. Not many days after he had been to sea, he began to experience a new scene of difficulty. The sailors now began to contemplate the dangers and uncertain issue of a voyage the nature and length of which was left entirely to conjecture.

33. Besides the fickleness and timidity, natural to men unaccustomed to the discipline of a sea-faring life, several circumstances contributed to inspire an obstinate and mutinous disposition, which required the most consummate art as well as fortitude in the admiral to control.

34. Having been three weeks at sea, and experiencing the uniform course of the trade winds, which always blow in a western direction, they contended, that should they continue the same course for a longer period, the same wind would never permit them to return to Spain.

35. The magnetic needle began to vary its direction. This being the first time that phenomenon was ever discovered, it was viewed by the sailors with astonishment, and considered as an indication that nature itself had changed her course, and that Providence was determined to punish their audacity in venturing so far beyond the ordinary bounds of man.

36. They declared that the commands of their sovereign had been obeyed in their proceeding so many days in the same direction, and so far surpassing the attempts of all former navigators, in quest of new discoveries. Every talent requisite for governing, soothing and tempering the passions of men is conspicuous in the conduct of Columbus on this occasion. 37. The dignity and affability of his manners, his surpri

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