Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-02-15
4ailp Siroiniau.
Mr.. Evorett's Eulogy on Prescott.

There was meeting of tho Massachusetts His
torcal Society, in Boston on Thursday morning
MIR. Everett, who was absent at tho last meeting of
tho Society. was present this occasion, and
delivered the following Eulogy the late Mr.
Prescott:
Mr. Presidcnt--At tho special meeting of tho
Society, held on the lst inst, to tako becoming
notice Of tho death of our honorcd and lamented
associate, Mr. Prescott, you kindly apoogised-
with your usual houghtfulncss for my necessary
absence. | was in the State of New Jersey that
day, under an engagement to repeat my addeoss
on tho character oi Washington and it was only
by the aid of telegraph. that received tho notice
Of the meeting You will readily believe that
regretted most deeply my inability to join you in
the last tribute of respect to the memory of our
friend. paid with SO much feeling and pathetic el-
oquencc by our worthy associates who took part
in that day = proceedings. IL now ask pcrmis-
sion to add Tow words To what nppropri.
a,cly and touchingly said by thom it is not that
the Society necds my aid in doing honor to his be-
loved namo, but that mysclf-tho friend of moro
than forty years standng--may not seem wanting
on nm occasion of such affecting interest.
Being about to lcnyo home on Monday. tho 3lst
of January, On visit to Philadelphia, aud taking
my accustomed walk in tho middle Of tho day on
tho preceding Saturday, ] met our lato lSmcnted
and beloved associate. lilo seemed 10 mo as well
M ut any time the past twelve month, but my son
who waswtl me. thought him somewhat chang
cd, On tho following Friday, the telegraph trans
mitcd tho news of his dcnth TO phndelph
whore think eau trul say. IL was mourned nv
deeply and sincerely as anywhere in boston, out
Of the circle of immediate relatives and friends.
They felt his death as tho loss not ot my one
place, but of tho whole coantry, and this feeling
have found universally prevalent. in n somewhat
extensive circuit since made in New York, where
most distinguished brother historian gave utter
mn IN Ian lp n,ns rtutp mil M
presslvc tn tho unaffected SORROW Of the commu-
NIFTY, aud in the ncighboring city of Brooklyn,
which | have since visited. Everywhere, Mr..
President those tributes oi respect and affection.
which have beon paid to our dear irland by his
ncinhhors associates, md immediate fellow citi-
xens. have found u ready response throughout tho
country. Ms they will throughout tho civilized
world.
cnn add nothing to what has been already
said on the general contcmp ntun Of his ominonce
ms nn author. his worth ~ man, his gennlity us
II companion, his fidelity ns u fricnd,-his severe
trials. his heroic cxertions, his glorious succcss-
But | have thought il might be in my power to
~ay few words not unacceptable of the rapidity
and tho extent to which his reputation was cstab-
lshcd abroad, aud generous recognition of his in
ability, in Europe. Tho History Of Ferdinand
and l.nlclla was published ut tho close of ls'i7
tho beginning Of 1898 und on my arrival in En-
rope IN the summer of 1910 found it extensively
known aud duly appreciated. Mr. Prescott. fol-
lowing down the stream of Spanish history, had
already cnnceived tho pro oct of writing Mt some
future period. tho History of Phillip the Second,
after he should have narrated, in works to be pre-
pared in the interval, tho magnificent episodes OF
tho Conquest of Mexico md Peru. rcmonstra-
; ted with him for passing the reign of the En-
pcror Charles ", urging upon him TINT the mate
rinls which hnd become accessible since Robert
sons time. especially tho archives Of Smancas.
the want of access to which was so much deplored
by him, would enable him to treat that period to
ny good advantage rs that of Ferdinand and lsa
bella or Phillip. But he modestly persisted in
thinking that the reign of Charles V. was exhnus-
ted by Robertson. Tho supplementary chapter
with which he has enriched tho edition OF that
work, published under his supervision afcw years
since, is II sufficient proof that it would have boon
in his power 10 construct nm original history Of
TINT reign, which would have fully clualled in in.
tcr'st any that has been produced by him.
He requested me to make some preliminary in
quirics Mt Paris, in reference to materials for Phil
ip the Scconi; especially to obtain information Ms
to the portion oi tho archiovcs Of Simancas, which
had been carried in the time Of Napoleon to Paris,
and were si'll detained there. No difficulty ct
tended a thorough exploration of the rich materi-
al- in the royal library; but the papers from 81
mnncns were guarded with greater care in the ''ar
chicves uf the Kingdom" The whole of that col
brated uations collection had been transportaAt TO
Paris in the time of Napoleon: and after his down.
ta and in the general restoration, those portions
of the nrehicves which putported to relate to the
History of France were, in spite OF tho urgent
! and oftrcte teaied reclnmations of tho Spanish Gov
crnment. detained in Paris. 1t was natural under
these circumstances, that they should DO watched
with some jealousy; but the name Of MIR. Prescott
WAS the key which unlocked the depository; and
by the Kindness of Mr.. Mignot, who had himself
examined them with diligence, they were fully
thrown open to my inspection on his behalf
| The snme result followed similar application
ut Florence the same year. Not only were the
private collections of the Marquis Gno Capponi,
and the Count Guiceiardini, the lineal descendant
of the historian, thrown open to tho use OF MIR.
Prescott but after tedious hestations and delays,
on the part of subordinate officials, with the con-
sent of the Grand Duke of Tuscany perempto-
nv order was at length issued by Prince Corsini,
that should be allowed to explore the Medician
Archives (Brchivio Medic;o) and mark for tran
scription whatever thought would be useful tor
Mr. Prescott. When add thatthis magnificent
collection of eighty thousand volumes (snce great
ly augmented, as | learn from my friend. Mr..
ficknor, by bringing together all the provincial
archives of every part of the grand duchy) the
animation of which rendered easy by q copi-
Gus index, contained the correspondence OF the
Tuscan minister at Madrid, during the entire
reign of Phillip the Second, it will be readily con-
ceyed how rich we're the materials for the history
Of that period Nothing that l marked for tran
scription was refused. 1t sufficient that
! thought it would be useful to Mr.. Prescott; and
among the portions of the correspondence which
| was nble in this way to procure for him, were
the semi weekly communications OF the Tuscan
minister on the arrest, imprisonment, and death
of Don Carlos. That papers 80 delicate guarded
with such jealousy for three centuries should
have been fully thrown open by Catholic SOW
witness at once to the liberality of the grand
dnke nnd the European rcputaton OF lament