The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-02-26

breakfast be listened for an hour to rom,
ligh, reading, a novel, poem, or ether Gu
tertsining book. he then walked fer ar
hour. At .half,pas, ten o'clock his sec
retsry came to his study and remained
till twelve o clock. Another walk of an
hour was then taken, after which be wen,
to his study and remained another hou,
and a half with his secretary. Af,e,
dinner light reading was again rcsorted
to, and at six o'clock the secretary re.
turned and remained until eight. This
routine Of work and leisure was very rig.
idly observed throughout the season, dur.
ing the years devoted to the preparation
of his elaborate volumes.
Mr.. Prescott 3 mode Of writing histo-
~ was this we will take, for example,
his last work, "Phili the Second. r.
He arranged in his study all tie books
and manuscripts relating to that mon
arch, which he had been years in col.
Letting, at an expense Of many thousand
dollars. They numbered three or four
hundred printed volumes of all sizes
There were also some twenty thick folios
of manuscript, richly bound, which pro-
badly cost more than all the rest of the
collect on, though some of the printed
works are exceedingly rare and valuable
the libraries and bookstores of all
Western Europe, from Cadiz to Amster-
dam, having been ransacked by agents in
search of everything that could throw
light on the history Of Philip the Sec
ond Except dictionaries and other
works of reference, books not specially
relating to the subject in hand were cx-
cluded from the study.
With his materials thus gathered about
him, the Historian commenced his work.
The Secretary first read the only Eng
lish history of the King and his reign.
Notes aud observations were dictated as
they were suggested by the book, Hav-
ing freshened bis reflections by hearing
this volume read, Mr. Prescott proceed
ed to examine the treasures he had col
lcctcd Each book was taken from the
shelf in turns by the Secretary, who read
aloud its title, its table of contents, and
few pages by way of specimen of its
style and character. Note, were taken
while this examination was going on,
which were preserved for future refer
cnce. OF the three or four hundred vol
umes, great majority of course proved
WORTHLESS, being either erely repetitions,
or compilations or translations Of preccd-
ing authors, or else, if original, without
authority The number of books of real
value would be thus reduced down per
haps to hundred.
The huge folios of MSS were next at,
tackled. These had been examined by a
competent person, who prepared a care
full digest and table Of contents The
Secretary read this, and notes were die
tated as he proceeded Having thus as
it were taken an account of stock, and
ascortained the general character Of his
materials, they were next inspected in
detail in the following manner: The first
chapter of Philip the Second contains an
account Of the abdication and last days Of
his father aud predecessor, Charles the
Fifth. The Secretary gathered round
him every yolume, printed or MSS,
which contained anything about the las.
named monarch. The books are in the
English, French, Spanish, Italian aud
Latin languages. One BY one they were
read aloud, and copious Totes were die.
tated When everything that related to
Charles the Fifth had thus been perused
aud noted, the historian began 10 coih
pose his work, or, more properly speak
ing, to write it--tor the process Of com
position had of course been going on in
his mind during these preparatory labors
The apparatus used by Mr.. Prescott
consisted Of frame the size Of com
mon sheet Of letter paper, with brass
wires inserted 70 correspond with the
number Of lines marked: Thin carbon
ated paper was used, and instead of u
pen the writer employed stylus with un
agate point The great difficulty in the
way of persons writing i'll the ordinary
manner, whose vision is impaired, arises
from not knowing when the ink il ex-
run into one another Both difficulties
are obr lated by the simple arrangement
just described The pages thus written
by Mr. Prescott were copied by the Sec,
retary, and read, that such interlnes.
tons, alterations and amendments nigh,
be made, as were needed. The material,
fer the second chapter, on the early life
of Philip, were next taken up, and the
same process repeated, until the volume
is ready for the printer. About six
years were devoted to the first two vel
umes Of Philip the Second, including tho
preparatory studies. These volumes ap
peared in 1855, the third of the serie.
was issued within few weeks, and it i.
understood that the fourth is considcra
bly, advanced
The Hon. George Bancroft, in an elo
auent tribute to his friend, before tn,
New York Historical Society, thus re
ferred to the studious and systematic
habits of Mr. Prescott; "His habit.
were methodicallv exact; retiring earl,
and ever at the same hour, he rose early
alike in winter and in summer at the ap
pointed moment, rousiDg himself instant
| ", though in the soundest sleep, at til,
first note of bis alarm bell; never givin;
indulgence to lassitude or delay. To tn
hours which he gave to his pursuits h
adhered as scrupulously as possible, neve
| lightly suffering them to be interfere,
with now listening to his reader nov
dictating what was to be written, nov
using his own eyes sparingly for read
| ing now writing by tho aid of simpl
machinery devised for those who are il
darkness, now passing time in thought
fully revolving his great theme.
The excellence Of his productions is il