Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-02-12
miscellaneous
sULoey OF PRESCOTT BY BANCROFT.

1bkv6t We ERCoOOl1 Dt ohNOpOS 4
AT the meeting Of the Historical Society in New
York, on Tuesday evening, lloratio Gates Jones,
Esq, Secretary Of the Pennsylvania Historical
Society. read the paper Of the evening on E5enezer
Kinnesly and his discoveries in Electricity.
President King, Of Columbia College then, an
nounced the death Of William II, Prescott, aud
George Bancroft, Esq, and Rev. DR.. De Witt made
eloquent addresses. In reference to Prescotts,
works, Mr.. Bancroft said:
Each Of Prescott's works has n charm of its
own ; the f7st has the special attraction that be
longs to the earliest but thoroughly matured fruit
Of his youthful aspirations. Iu the Conquest of
Mexico" a subtle, scarce pereeptible, yet all per
vadiug warmth underlies tho style Of the whole,
running through every sentence from the first
to the last. The plastic power OF the author
in moulding crude and incongruous and
forbidding materials into shape and unity
and life appears most oonspicuously in the Con
quest Of Peru" In his last work we discern in
the highest degree tho hand Of the master. Years
seemed only to renew the freshness OF bis talent,
enbaoce the brill ahcy Of his coloring, and confirm
the vigor Of his grasp. | remember hearing Bry
ant, in his eulogy on FenEimore Cooser, speak
with wondering admiration Of the undimmed lus
tire Of / INVENTION which he displayed in one OF his
works written when he was more than fifty years
old. Prescott's last volume was finished alter he
was sixty, and it is a perfect model of skill in mar
ration. Every statement is the result of most elab-
crate research, and yet, us he passes from court to
country, fron valley to mountain ranges, from
Spain to the Lcvant, among Moors and Turks, and
nI-.:--H.-l n,.sa;rs fran, Rarhnrv- his mover
mepts are as easy and graceful as ,hose of the
hummiug bird as it roves after honey among the
flowers of Summer and his pictures OF battles are
as vivid as though the sun had taken them in Its
brightest colors at the very moment they we're rag
ing.
In the writing. of Prescott his individual char
acter is never thrust on the attention OF his read
srs; but. as should ever BE the case IN a true WORK
of art, it appears only in %giimpses, or as an ao'
attraction from the whole. Yet his personality Is
,be source of the charm of bis style, all WHO knew
him will say, he was himself greater and better
than his writing, While his histories prove him
10 have felt that he owed his time to the service OF
mankind. ever, thing about him marked him out
TO DO the most beloved of companions, and the lie
and Joy, and pride of society.
His personal appearance itself was singularly
nleasipg, and won for him everywhere IN advance
welcome and favor. His countenance had some
thing that brought to mind 'the beautiful dlsdain'
that boyers on that Of the Apollo. But, while he
vas high spirited, he was tender, and gentle and
humane. His voice was like music, and one could
never hear enough OF it. His cAeerfulness
reached and animated all about him. lie could
=. .l.,rn1paso opd cOull also sneak
earnestly and profoundly; but he knew no
how to be ungracious or pedantic. In truth, thu
charms of his conversation were unequalled, IL
no united the rich stores Of memory with the cas-
Of one who is familiar With the world, =
In his friendships he was most faithful tru
20 them always, true to the last never aiiowin
his confidence to be so much ruf1ed by the nois
clamors of calumny, or by rivalry, or by difference
of opinion. In the management OF his affairs b
was prudent and considerate in his expenditure
liberal to all about him, and to those in want eve
largely generous, having an open hand, but oo'n
rood without cbservation. His affections reste
early and happily on the c%ongenial object ct h
choice, and the rosy light Of his youth never dimr
ed b, a cloud went with him all his way throua
life.
Brothers of the Historical Society, / see amor
Won those who knew Prescott rs a friend we 10
the cultivated world in honoring his memory '
mingle our tears with those of his family. Sta
ding, az it were, BY his grave, we cannot reca
anything in his manner, his character, his e
dovments, or his conduct, that we could vii
changed. If he had faults, his associates love
him too we'll to find them out. We, none OF u
know Of his wri ing one line that he could wish
blot out, or uttering a word of which the eel
need be suppressed. Those Of MS who are gto
ing old must Dear in mind that he has gone but
little before us his spirit speaks to you, you
man, charging you to emulate him in the cuitu
of intelligence, and the practice f virtue.