New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-06-05
From the southcrn Lrelay Messenger for May.
PONCE DE LEON:
HIS QUEST AFTER THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH


THERE is no incident, in the early hi.tor, of ouf
country, more affecting than that contained in TN
simple account given By irving, of the search, b,
Ponce dc Leon, for the Fountain o. Youth, w!Icl
resulted in the discovery Of Florida 1t attaches 81
peculiar interest ~ the career of that adventurous
man, who passed from tine NOISE and tumuli of 3D.
crowded camp, to tho uuhroken stillncs, Of pr
mcyal forests Had be been some wild and hare
Drained youth, whose imagination had been heated
by tales of chiyary aud adventure. wc might onl,
laugh at his folly; bu, when we find that he VIZ
an experienced and hardy warrior, celebrated ios
hs prowess at tie siege OF Granada and con,er-
SAINT with courts surprise and admiration are bcnt
together; AID trace the spirit ol the age in iii
conduct Of this kardv warrior. The discovery oI
"a New World, that startling fact, aw0he the mind
Of men from the long slumbcr OF satisfied ignn-
r,nce--the strange ard wild tales OF the -un burn
mariners, who wandered back. heated their far
cics,--unlii a, length no tale connected with a.,
New ORD, could be - m0n>trous and lncfcdihI
rs not tn secure some degree of crrdcncc; aud Is
craving for excitement and adventure wa. created.
which sent on voyages of discovery. many OF ihr
most gallant spirits Of the time. Ponce was not
behind his age; neither Inc III advance oi II
the conquest of the Moors had given peace g.
Spain, aud the warrior VAS tasting the sweets oi
rcpn.e, when he beard OF tins marvellous iouutai
which could restore INN who drank OF il 10 q
second YOUTH hi, adventurous spirit aroused
and, buck ling on his armUr, hc set forth to hno.
not the coveted fountain he sought, but that quiz,
re,ting-place of all caiih's childrcn-ihc grave.
AnI has not his quest in one Sense been accom-.
pshed has it not given an Immortality To a name.
which otherwise might never have been known.
beyond the Spanish hamlet where hi, bones re-
identified with the aul of flowers" whittier m,
fiery spirit led him-to die
In this age of scoiling aad shep,icism. when
men, arroeanty proud of their own puuy power,
iaock the IDEAL and seek ,o convert tins gloriou.
world, with its matchicss panorama OF SEA and
shy, mountain and plain, into a mere workshop
and laboratory, aud would degrade man, who va,
created IN the image of his God. into mere auto
nation and animated engine. II is pleasant to iur
even To the wild errors Ot man like tins. who n
he did err, was led asiray Ey vague bat lofs
craving after the Unknown and the Infinite.
He deceived himself, rs well as others; and III
faith must indeed have been strong, which could
lead him over the Wild waste of waters into H.,
mids, of enemies. The energy with which h,
prosecuted the search proves the un,iring and IL.
domitablc sput OF the man.
Let Us picture TO ourselves the image of IT,
wild enthusiast Scared with the trophies q,
many harl-ioushi ti,ld-.corched with tie sun
mer's sun--and worn with watching and with dan
scrs-surroundcl BY savage and subtle foes. wh.s,
Wild wlr-whoop broke upon the stiffness o' niehi
and woke HIM from dreams OF his distant home -
Yet calm, fearless. and scfposscsscd; animaiin.
and inspiring the courage OF his dropping fpllnwcr.
and confident esch day. that his goal Was ucarl'
woa and We cannot refrain from admriu. i
.l,f,t ...l.
50 much happiness. How far superior the spin
winch animated him. To that which seaycl h
contemporaries, With Balboa, Pzarro. Amasr
and tor,c>. two passions wcr, prcdomiuap,--th
love ct power, ami the hist Of gold Hard. iror
rlt'ess men, whom ne.'ncr love nor pity. the wli
ell 'n"'hei>' nor The mute agony of patriots c1ul.
turn Ir'is 1heit designs; Vet fawuing and Kind "a
times. To dcldde their Niciin>-.tl-,fil AMI .rh.l
"a tigers, and as ravcnnus in their tlir.t tar bl,l
To the simple Indian who hi., hailed ~. ,,I..,.
man a. bcins from some higher .ph-r,--.l.
cherished him in hi, bark-co'cgcd hut. a.j +.
lin IN the products ct be-, hunting now ~iartli,
must have been tie discover, thar be had cherish.
in MS bosom the serpent which was to sting aw,
his n'c Tire annals o( human crime. dark a> d..
are. do NOT possess a biacNcr PAGE than that %
which is recorded the deeds Of the early di>coyc.
crs. IL seemed as though these mcr. on breskin
loose from the restraint ni civilized cietv. shoe
on all feelings OF nature and humanity, and sr,,
drank with CRIME. hiadncs> charity. bcucvocnc,
even interest huaily seemed o. be merged IT, q
savage thirst i"r blood bat rctfibI,ioa cane; al
thr,t monsters against whose >tecl-clai brrasi
TIE i1le arrows ot the Indian ratified in ,.in. p..
i,hrd by each others hands. IN drunken revel, m
midnight trswl.. S.eh were the men Who fr.
ai,eGurei O. our shores, wild dc,peud,c, ca. u
from ali hope at home, and rec 90, Il ma. OF G.
oac merit they dbl possess; that of dsuatlc
courage See Cor,c. a1d his li'tl- band INA Vi
capital OF Mexico hc'rmed in by thousands of en-
m'r,, Yet tnamphug a, Ia, over these couui.e
h'rdeS, 10y the energy Of III, uos VIII which knr,
not tear,-1 memorable instance OF tie mastery ID
moral superiority oven mcrs pLySic.l f,rce Tuu