Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-04-27

FOR TIE ENQUIRER.
History of the Reign Of Ferdinand and kabciLa The Ca.
uolic Bu I'm H. Prescott. 3 rOluncs. Second Edition.,
Eoson 4msyican Statiun.rs' Company: 1898.
We have never closed historical work with greater
regret that had reached the last page-nor have been
more favoraby impressed with the fahuness and ability
OF the author than the one before u.s. IL bears upon
every pnpe the evidence of aborins and honest spirit
united with an original vigorous and versatile mag
tion The plan of the work is somewhat novel, and
requires of the historian an extent ol research beyond
the ordinary range, and therefore gives to II higher
CASTE as literary production. II blends with the civil
and noi,cal revolutions Of one Of The most int.
resting epochs Of the Spanish history Qhe end OF the
fifteenth and commencement Of the sixteenth century
"A sketch of lis literature, and biography Of several
of the most lustrous citizens In the successful &C
complshmen. of SO difficult a task, Mr.. Prescott has
nroyed himself bogrn pher and historian of ordna.
~ movers The student of history will justly appreciate
his ubors for instead Of Flooding dull and mono
tonous PATH he is led slowy onward by succession Of
Interesting and ever varying iciueh' u
the flight Of time.
The necessary difficulties attendant upon the co!lec
finn or materials for connected history of Spain at
that eyen,fu period, would have appalled, The mind of
mn i,dvdual possessed of ordinary hrmness; bot when
we ar, told that at the commencement Of his Herculean
and appareny endless enterprise the Historian was be
rc of sight and thrown upon the assistance OF another
"uniniliuted in ans modern language but bis own. we
ore amazed at his nvincibe courage. Fortunately for
the fahulness of his history after several years had
tina, norton of his work which had been framed from
materials coiaei under his direction by his assistant
Had auy errors crep into The early part of his history
Il was impossible for them to escape detection. lh!s
eerere nfTi ction By the rigid criticism which 1t must
have excited has doubtless eyenuated TO the reader
ADVANTAGE and The accuracy Of the history.-We may
the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, tbe Catholic he
STYLED an eventual period in Spanish historya period
with the fate not only of PAIN but of the CT
yizsd world for who estimate the political results
,,hich the discovery of America may effect who can
say. that the "Te Deum, which reverberaed through
the cavcrns and of this Western world OF the
dawn Of the 18th of October, l42 was not the funeral
kne of desposm, and proclamation Of poi'icai fee'
dom to the human race:
The American reader will dwell with peculiar interest
upon this period of the reign of Isabella for while Ia
naticism and The influence Of corrupt priesthood we're
coercing the unwilling Queen TO execute the daoolica!
resolves Of The malignant inquisors against Inc uno
Tending Jews Of her territory, under her patronage ana
assistance the pd Genoese poughlng The bols
ferrous ocean in search of at land which was destined
to be the asylum Of that prosecuted and greatly injured
people, in common with The oppressed OF all nal'ons
Thus while the pundered lsraee, driven from MS
soil and rgbtful possessions Wandering IN quest Oh
the path through the waters to the promised ana inc
hand of royay-the executor Of the inqnisorlal edIci
the unwilling but prolific of their almost super
human sufferngs, leading onward The intrepid ma
rner and thoug late, alas for them, was indeed
opening he path through The walters 10 iana OF pro
mise for their descendants.
The dark page in This history and one over which the
philanlhrops will shed tear is ascrbabe, not 10
cruel or malignant spiri. in the regnng Queen but to
perverted religious zeal, which, IN all ages mas peen
The fruitful sources of the most nQutous and unjust
oppression. Naturally of serious and impossible dis
position Isabella readily became the dupe OF that hyeH'e
spirit which pervaded the unholy eciaes at the altar
Her msgnanimous and benevolent heart, quaiing WIN
terror length yielded to the npostures and inelna
Vaccinations of designing, debased and cruel priest
hood The establishment of the modern nqusition
bloody altar of falsely styled chrisany-must rain FL
be esteemed an act of the Church, than OF the queen
and 10 il must be referred the ncacuable sufenngs OF
the innocent and unofieDding Jews. We wish not 10
dwell upon this melancholy picture OF clerical dePraVY