Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-02-17

The death Of William II. Prescott, on,

The death Of William II. Prescott, on
Of the most learned and accomplished I
historians is serious loss TO the literar
world. Mr.. Prescott died in the yer
height Of, bis celebrity, after literary ca
.eer. perhaps unsurpassed for its br,llianc
and the persistency Of his labors under th
most serious physical disability. An &C
cident in early life deprived him Of tn
sight of one eye, and the other soon be
eS0e so much enfeebled and impaired a
to render it nearly useless Though orig
inally intending to follow the profession o
the law, the loss of bis sight prevented
him from carrying out this intention, sns
he determined to become historian. III
devoted ten years, on a well considered
plan, to careful course of ancient and
modern classical study and intellectual dis
eipline. His reading and studies were car
riel on to great disadvantage from the
necessity Of using the eyes Of others rath.
er than his own !; yet under the heavy and
incessant burdens imposed upon him, bis
courage never faltered and his spirits new.
er sank. lie had the requisite intelli gence
patience and perseverance to begin at the
beginning and creep up, which is, as eve
ry ambitious youth should learn, the spec
diest and sure.t path to success in any
trade, profession or art.
His preliminary studies completed, Mr..
Prescott chose The Reign Of Ferdinand
and Isabella, as the subject of his first work
to which he devoted ten years of faithful
labor. This work was FIRST published in
1888, since which time j, has not only been
printed and reprinted in the United States
in England and France, but has been
translated into Spanish, Italian and Ger
man, and is known as standard classical
work wherever history is studied. In lS43
Mr.. Prescott published his Conquest Of
MEXICO, and in lS47 the Conquest Of Peru
bothef which met with the amplest sue
cess in America and Europe. The last
work which engaged Mr.. Prescott's pen,
and which he leaves unfinished. is the HIS.
tory Of Philip II. The three volumes of
Philip which have been given to the pub.
lie, fully sustain the previous reputation
of its author, as a historian. and it mus,
ever be a subject Of great regret that he
was not permitted to bring hi, record Of
this interesting period in the affairs Of
Spain and OF Europe to close.
Mr.. Prescott was descended from y fam
lily distinguished for talent and patriotism.
His father was an eminent .jurist OF Mass
achuset.s, and his grandfather, Col. VIM.
Prescott, commanded at Bunker Hill on
the memorable l7;b of June, l775. The
subject Of this notice was in the sixty third
year Of his age, and leaves widow and
three children. He has oLtsiued q world
wide reputation by his own exertions and
by the exercise Of will which no obc,a-
cles could divert from the accomplishment
of its masured purposes. How nobl,
shines out the name of Prescott in an age
and country whose distinguishing char,
aeseristic is to do things impetuoa.ly and
under the spur of the occasion, rather than
to do them well and for ali time ~ the re.
suits of he tlreless labors OF Prescott; show
tina, he has done.-Nemark (N. u Jour-
nal.