Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-03-11

grandson s, Tor the angel mad struck the
granite rock; and 10 the waters leaped
out. Olive Branch.
Mr.. Prescott's Method of Lit
erary Labor.
Everything that relates to the his
torical labors of the late William II.
Prescott is Of general interest We have,
therefore, prepared a somewhat minute
sketch of the method preparation and
composition adopted by the deceased, by
which he was enabled TO overcome his
impaired vision, and to place his name
among historians Of the very first rank
Mr. Prescott, it is we'll known, though
not blind, was affected with disorder
of the nerve of the eye, so that he was
wholly incapacitated for reading and
writing in the ordinary ways. He was
exceedingly systematic in his mode of
life, and devoted five hours out of the
twenty-four to historical labors. After
breakfast he listened for an hour to some
light reading, novel, poem, or other en-
tertaining book. He then walked for
an hour. At half past ten O'Clock his
secretary came to his study and remained
till twelve o'clock. Another walk Of an
hour was then taken after which he went
to his study and remained another hour
and half with his secretary. After
dinner light reading was again resorted
to, and at six o'clock the secretary re-
turned and remained until eight. This
routine Of work and leisure was very
ri2idy observed throughout the season,
during the years devoted to the prepara-
ton of the elaborate volumes.
Mr.. Prescott's mode of writing history
was this We will take, for example, his
last work. "Philip the Second He
arranged in his study all the books and
manuscripts relating to that monarch.
which he had been years in collecting, 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 manu-
scripts, richly bound, which probably
cost more than all the rest of the collec-
ton, though some Of the printed works
are exceedingly rare and yalua ble-the
libraries and bookstores of all Western
Europe, from Cadiz to Amsterdam, hav-
ing been ransacked by agents in search
of everything that could throw light on
the history of Philip the Second Ex-
cept dictionaries and other works of
reference. books not specially relating to
the subject in hand were excluded from
the study.
With his materials thus gathered
about him. the Historian commenced his
work. The Secretary first read the only
English h story Of tie King and his
Reign. Notes and observations were
dictated as they were suggested by the
book. Having freshened his recollec
,ions by hearing this volume read, Mr.
Prescott proceeded to examine the treas
ures he had collected. Each book was
taken from the shelf in turns by the
Secretary, who read aloud its title, its
table Of contents. and a few pages by
way of specimen ofits style and charac-
ter. Notes were taken while this ex-
was ous WHICH WClt
preserved for future reference. OF the
three or four hundred volumes, great
majority of course proved worthless, be.
ing either merely repetitions, or trans
latlons Of procedinT authors, or else. if
original, without authority. The number
of books of real value would be thus re-
duced down perhaps to hundred.
The huge folios of MSS. were next
attacked. These had been examined by
competent person. who prepared
careful digest and ia ble of contents
Tie Secretary read this. and notes were
dictated as he proceeded. Having thus
as it were taken an account of stock, and
ascertained the general character of his
materials, they were next inspected in
detail in the following manner The
first chapter OF Philip the Second con-
tains an account ofthe abdication and last
days of the father and predecessor, Charles
the Fifth. The Secretary gathered
round him every volume, printed or MSS,
which contained anything about the last
name monarch. The books are in the
English. French, Spanish, Italian and
Latin languages. One by one they were
read aloud. anl copious notes were die
tated. When everything that related to
Charles the Fifth had thus been perused
and noted. the historian began to compose
his work, or, more properly speaking, to
write it-for the composition had of
course been going on in his mind during
these preparatory labors.
The apparatus used BY Mr.. Prescott
consisted Of frame the size ofa common
sheet Of letter paper. with brass wires
inserted to correspond with the number
Of lines marked. Then carbonated pap
er was used. and instead of q pen the
writer employed stylus with an agate
Point. The great difficulty in the way
of a persons writing in the ordinary