The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-03-16

Many objections arc made 10 this paper
m account If advertisements occupying 30
much room. All We have 10 say 10, that
without our advertising patronage 10 could
not publish piper for three months. The
materials we use arc cash articles, aud
they csnno. he bought on credit, and our
advertising patronage furnishes tho money
10 buy them.
THE AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY or
PERU
Mr.. Prescott had lost ono eve by acci-
dent in his carly youth, and had, by study,
50 strained tho other, that he was oil but
completely blind. lie al first ,lespaired, but
he determined to try The could MOI mako
the cars do the work Of the eyes. He taught
his reader, unncquain,cd with any language
hut his own, To pronounce the Spanish,
though not exactly in tho accents Of tho
court Of Madrid. lie read at a slow and
stumbling pace, while tho historian listened
with painful attention. Practice q length
made the work cnsicr Tor both, though tho
render never understood word Of his au-
thor. Ia this way they ploughed along
through seven Spanish qunrtos. He found
at las, Inc could 60 over about two.sl,isds 10
much in m hour M no could when read 20
in English. The experiment was made, and
no became convinced Of the prac,icability
of substituting the chr for tho eye. He
was ovcrjoycd, for his libanry was no Ion.
ger to consist 1t sealed volumes. lie now
obtained the services ola secretary acquaint-
ed with tho different ancient and modern
languages. Still there were many impcdi.
mcnts 10 DO overcome. Ills eye, however,
gradually improved, and he could use il by
daylight (ncver again in the cvoning) q few
hours; though il WINS not ill after some
years, and then with repeated intervals Of
weeks md sometimes months OF debility
Many chapter, and some Of tho severcst
in Ferdinand and Isabella, were written 81.
mos. wholly with the MD Of the eyes Of his
secretary. His modus opcrnudi was ncc-
cssavily peculiar. lie selected first. all
the authorities in tho dilcrec. languages
TIM. could hear on the topic 10 be discussed.
lie then listened TO the reading Of these
one nficr the other, debating very coPious
notes on each. When the subject was
complex, and not pure narrative, requiring
great variety Of reference, and sitting Of
contradictory authorities, tho work must
hive been very difficult, but ]. strengthened
his memory. kept his faculties widc awake
mud tnught him to gcncrnlizc; Tor tho lit
tic details slipped through the holes in bic
memory.
His labor did not end with this process;
lie found j, WINS Ms difficult 10 writo 10 to
read, md procured in London largo wri-
ting case for the blind. This he could use
in tho dark rs we'll ~ tho light. The char
acters, indeed, might pass Cor hieroglyph.
ice, but they wcrc decipl,crod by his sccre-
tnry, md transferred bv him 10 lcgible
form in fair copy. Yet have hoard him
shy bis hnirs sometimes stood on end ut tho
woful plumbers md misconceptions Of tho
original, which every now aud then csca-
ping detection found their why into the first
proof Of the printer. Amid such difficult
ties was tho composition Of his history Of
Ferdinand and Isabella hcroically completed
al the end of something less than ten years
from its commencement. lie remembered
TINT johnson rays that Milton gave up his
history of England because il was scarcely
possible TO write history with the Dyes Of
others; and was stimulated in the midst o(
his endorsements 10 overcome thcm.-
Well might be feel proud satisfaction IN
conquering the obstacles Of nature. Mr..
Prescott had four copies Of the history FIRST
printed Cor himself, and hid 90 little conf.
dcncc in its immediate success, that no had
thought OF post p0niug its publication until
after his death; but his father told him ''.hs
man that writes n book he il afraid 10 pub.
Ii-h, is a coward" This decided him.
The work was published in the beginning
Of 1893. lts reception in bis own counlry,
and in all parts Of Europe, was such - 70
repay him. il any thing could, for the long
nights Of toll By which il Ind been produced.
Benfly's Misccllasy.
WARS GolNG oN?- Ono sunny morning.
a qnidnunc and a bore was sauniering dova
esvkss~> km ~n:.-Ae -