The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1859-03-09
William Eickling Prescott.

IL IS not often tnaC we are called upon
to record the death of man after whose |
name there is no necessity to append q
title or word signifying1 the special SER
vices he has rendered to art, literature, or |
science. The world, or at least that por.
tion ofit which is called Christendom,
knows Mr.. Prescott, not as an American,
not as Bostonian but as the historian of
Ferdinand and Isabella. So long as the
English language is spoken, his name will
be enriched with the laurels of Clio.
The announcement that William Hick-
ling Prescott died at Boston. Mass, on
Friday, the 2Sth of January, 1853, after
very brief illness, caused by an attack
of apoplexy, will be received with pro-
found regret by the literary world. In
view o. his his b positi in itseems eminently
proper that we should devote some space
to review of his life and services.
Mr.. Prescott was bern in Salem, Mass :,
in May, 1896. His grandfather was the
Hon. William Presc oft, compatriot of
Warren, Adams, and Hancock, in the
early Revolutionary struggles. Washing
ton called him prescott the brave" At
the battle of Bunker's Hill, Colonel Pres.
colt was in command of the Continental
forces when Warren appeared in the
trenches as private soldier, although
Congress had appointed him a Major
General. Prescott offered to resign the
command, but Warren refused to super
tcede him. At the same time that the
Egrandfather of the historian commanded
on the hill, another near relative, the re-
preventative of the English branch of the
family, and bearing a commission in the
royal navy, served on board one of the
British vessels of war, which, from the
river, kept up steady fire upon the pa
triot lines. The study of the historian
was enriched with tho weapons worn by
each of these officers, which were among
his most valued posses ,ions. is, indeed,
q singular coincidence that the historian
of the Discovery of A merica should re-
present in his own pers on both parties en-
gagged in the struggle Tor supremacy over
| the country. 1a.HaaJ VJ Jaigah
4 Thaokeray opens his. last work, ths
"Virginans," with the following allusior
to the above mentioned trophies:
"On the library wall Of one of the mos
famous writers Of America there hang two
, crossed swords, which his relatives wore
, in the great War of Indep ,ndence. Th'
one sword was gallantly drawn in the ser
. vice of the King; the other was the weap
on of brave and honered republican sol
dier. The possessor of the harmless
: trophy has earned for himself name alik
honored in Ns ancestors country anu hi
own where gerius such as his has alvey:
o peaceful welc3 me-" re7Ts3 q
The father of Mr.. Prescott was born al
Pepperell in 1862, aud married Catharint
!, Hickling, daughter of Thomas Hickling
of the Island of Saint Michael's, and fol
: many years Consul of the United State.
at the Azores. The historian was the
= first issue Of this marriage. 4ssve 81 2
The second son, Edward, was on en-
|, inent lawyer, afterwards entered The
church, md died some fifteen years ago
The elder Prescott was for many year,
: a leader of the Suffolk bar, the family
having removed to Boston in 1908. HI
}, was a member of the State Senate, of the
Governors Council, and a Judge of ths
Common Pleas. He, caused both of hi.
sons TO be educated for the bar. William
Ientered Harvard College in 1871, at th,
:, age of fifteen. and was graduated in 1914
While in College an accidental blow from
a comrade deprived him of the use of ont
+ eye, and the constant literary application
for which he was always noted, deprived
l. him of the use of the other. He was theI
obliged to forego the study of the Law
,r and resolved to devote himself to literar,
pursuits ,r'i t7.aVqe ss' q