Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-08-11
Prescntt. The EEistorian.

The July number of the Massachusetts, Teacher
contains very interesting article from the pen Of
Rev. GEo. E. ELLIS upon Mr.. PREsCoTT and his
histories In this article Mr.. ELLIs introduces
friendly and communicative letter from Mr.. PREs-
Corr explaining the origin and extent of the Diff
culties under which it is well known he has labored
in the composition of his histores. II is says the
Boston Journal, pleasantly related tale of faithful
pursuit of knowledge under difficulties
ST suppose you are aware that when in college,
received an injury in one eye which deprived me
of the use OF it for reading and writing. AN lLJu-
dicious use Of the other eye, on when the DuFueh
of my studies was now wholly thrown Drought vi d
rheumatic inflammation which deprived me en-
tirely of the Use of my sight Tor some weeks
When this WAS restored the eye femaineun 100
irritable state to be employed ID reaulhg LOT
sevaraI wears I cons quentiy abandoned the
- ~ r. Law upon which | had entered; and, as
a man must find something to do determined TO
devote myself to letters, in which independent ca
reer could regulate my own hours with reference
IN ubat nv sight might enable me TO accomplish.
s,I had early conceived strong passion for his-
toricaI writing, TO which, perhaps, the reading Of
Gibbons autobiography contributed not little.
nroDosed to make myself q historian 10 the bes l
sense of the term, and hoped to produce something
which postertY would not willingly let die. In
memorandum book as far back as the year 1919,
ten years Of my life to the study of ancient and
modern iteratures-chieay the latter-aud to give
ten more 10 some historical work. l have had the
good fortune to accomplish this dssign pretty nearly
within the limits assigned In the Christmas OF
1887 my first work, the History of Ferdinand and
Isabella, was given to the public.
"During my preliminary studies in the field of
general literature my eyes gradually acqu red so
much strength that | was enabled to use them
many hours of the day. The result of my stud
les at this time l was IN the habit OF giving in
the form of essays 10 public journals, chiefly Ia
thu North american, from which a number, quite
large enough, have been transferred to a sepa-
rate volume OF Miscellauies Having settled on
SUI ject for particular his ory l lost no time in
collecting the materials for which had peculiar
advantages. But, just before these materials ar
rived, my eye had experienced so severe a strain
that l enjoyed no of it again for reading for
several years. 1t has indeed never since fully re-
covered its strength, nor have l ever veutured to
it again by candlelight. l well remember the
blank despair which felt when my literary treas
arrived from Spain, and l the mine of
wealth lying around me which l was forbidden to
explore. determined TO see what could be done
with the eyes of another / rememered that JOhu-
son had sid in reference to Milton, that the great
poet had abandoned his projected history of Eng
land, finding il scarcely possible for a man with
out eyes to pursue historical work requiring ref
erence TO various authorities. The remark piqued
me to make an attempt.
81 Outlined the services of a reader who knew
DO language but his own. / taught him to pro-
Douncc the Casiilian in manner suited, suspect,
much more to my ear than that of a Spaniard; and
we began our wearirome journey through Maria
mas noble history. | not even now call to
mind without smile, the tedious hours In which
seated under some old trees in my country resi-
dence we pursued our slow and melancholy way,
over pages which afforded no glimmering Of light
To him, and from which the light come diuly slrug-
half info .it,la abY1l,
But, in few weeks the light became ronger, and
] was cheered by the consciousness of my own i'm
provGment; and when we had toiled way
THROUGH seven quartos | found l could understand
the hook when read about two-thirds fast OIL
binary English. Ny readers office required the
PATIENCE he had not even this result to cheer
him in his labor.
~ now felt that the great difficulty could be over
come; and | obtained the services Of a reader
whose acquaintance with the modern and anci Mt
tongues supplied, far it could be supplied,
the deficiency Of eyesight on my part. But though
in this way could examine various authorities, it
was not easy to arrange in my mind the results Of
my reading, drawn from different and often con-
Trajectory accounts. To do this dictated cOpious
notes as went along; and when had read enough
for chapter-from thirty to forty and sometimes
hity pages In length had a mass of memoranda
in my own language, which would easily bring be-
fore me at one view tn. fruits OF my researches
These notes carefully read to me; and while
my recent studies were fresh in my recollection l
ran over the whole of my intended chapter in my
mind. This process l repeated at least half a doz-
en- times, that when finally put my pen to pa
per 1t ran off pretty giOiy, for it effort of
memory rather than creation. This method had
the advantage of saving me from the perplexity of
frequently referring to the scattered passages in
the originals, and il enabled me to make the cor
rections in my own mind which are usually made
in tie manuscript, and which, with my mode of
writIng-as l shall explain-wOuid have much en-
barrassed me. Yet must admit that this method
OF composition, when the chapter very long,
was somewhat too heavy a strain on the memory
to b. altogether recommended.
writing presented me difficulty even greater
than reading lhierry, the famous blind hlstor IN
OF the Norman Conquest, advised me to cultivate
dictation; but have usually preferred substitute
that found in a writing-case made Cor the blind
which procured in London forty years since IL
Is simple apparatus often described by me- for
the benefit OF persons whose vision is imperfect II
consists OF frame OF the S Zs of a sheet of paprr
traversed by brass wires many lines are want
ed on the page, and with a sheet OF carbonated pa
Per, such as is used for getting duplicates, pasted
on the reverse side With ivory or agate STYLUS
the writer traces his characters between the wirss
on the carbonated sheet, making indiible matks
which he cannot see, on the white page below
THIS treadmill operation has its defects and have
repeatedly supposed had accomplished good
page, anu proceeding in al the glow of compo-
=
insert Il sheet OF my writing paper below that nv
! aoor had all been thrown away and that the leaf
looked as blank myself. Notwithstaudipp tb,ss
and other whimsical distresses of the kind have
found my wr.ting-case my best friend in my LONELY
hours, and with it have written nearly all that
have sent into the world the last forty years.
1.-THE manuscript thus written aud dtcphered-
for it was in the nature OF herogly phcs-by nv
secretary was then read to me for correction, auC
copied of in a fair hand for the printer. All this
il may be thought, rather slow process, re
qGriug the virtue OF patience in all the parties con
erned. But in time my eyes improved again
Befre / had finished Ferdinand aud Isabella
could use them some hours every day. And thus
they have continued till within q few years thOogt
subject to occasional Interruptions, sometimes o
months, when l could not look at book And
this circumstances, as well as habit-second natgr,
has led me to adhere still TO my early method OF
composition. OF late years L have suffered not SC
much from inability Of the eve as dimness OF the
vision, aud the warning that the time is not
lar distant when must rely exclusively on the eyes
OF another Tor the prosecution OF NV studies. Per-
haps Il should be received warning that it i;
time 10 close them together"
Harry CoUSrRY.-Sweeden must be one o
the happiest countries in theword according to Ia
description of the Rev. 4. Z. Hughes, who say,
that is "a country where, from the clumsiuess o
the constitution, aud the good sense OF the inEab
tants, the power OF the sovereign aud the liberty
OF the subject are almost equally unlimited u eouu
Try where federation Of religion aud religious iuJol
GRANGE are alike unknown. Tue religion of Ia