The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-31


destined to lose themselves in the distance of
perspective. The historian has not this
license. He is rather to be compared to the
architect who would not be forgiven the ex-
cessive carving of one stone of facade, and
the leaving the others untouched. A work Of
history is like a monument; proportion, har-
mony, are its imperious laws. If those laws
be violated, one may accomplish beauties, but
not beauty.
Perhaps Prescott did not sufficiently remem-
Der these eternal principles. Let us hasten to
say that the subject of which he treated lent
singularly to the error into which he fell. The
period of which he undertook to give the
history embraces more than hundred years,
and hundred years filled, perhaps, with the
greatest events of which Spain has been the
theatre. Within, after long period of civil
wars, sudden transformation takes place in
her constitution, and she ceases to be a
geographical expression serving to designate
the peninsula comprised between the Pyre-
nees and the Straits of Gibraltar, to become
the nation, one and formidable, whose
monsrchs were for century to make
Europe tremble. Alongside of this national
movement, great political revolution is ac-
complishing in her bosom. The crown, lean
ing on the Cortes, breaks and reduces to the
role of courtiers these proud lords of CASTLE
and Arragon, which still form to-day the most
exclusive aristocracy of Europe. Ten years
suffice to Ferdinand and Isabella to arrive at
this result, which the constant policy of our
kings from Louis vi to Louis XI had in vain
pursued. Without, the Spanish armies are
always in the field; they struggle with France
in the plains of Roussillon aud on the banks of
the Garigliano; they drive out of Spain the
followers Of the Koran, and, crossing the strait
carry the war even into their territory.
The narrow limits in which he thought to con-
fine himself did not permit Prescott to measure
according to their historic Importance the
place which he gave to each of these grand
facts. Consequently, in the fear that this work
should have no other merit than that, of
clear, judicious, methodical exposition of the
principal events of an important epoch, he has
chosen, as we said just now, certain number
of episodes in the development of which he
has taken pleasure. The wars with the Arabs
end the conquest of Granada in the first part,
the struggles with France and the exploits of
Gonzalve of Cordova in the second hold place
that one would hardly wish less important, for
they are the finest pages of the book, but which
one cannot prevent ones self from acl1now-
| lodging as exaggerated. One pays afterwards
| the pleasure one has experienced in feeling
the interest languish aud the attention be-
come distracted in reading certain chapters in
| which incidents Of real importance are related
| with too much brevity. By deciding to
lepgthen his work little, while at the same
time not going back, perhaps, quite so far,
| and by knowing how to add and to retrench,
| Prescott could have made of his Ferdinand
| and Isabella one of those finished works which
| defy criticism and remain as models. His
| countrymen, as we have seen, had no fault to
| find; but for us, who know what he is capable
| of doing, we believe we render him homage
| by showing ourselves little more severe.
| If we are to believe Prescott one of the
| faults against which he had the greatest diff
Guilty in contending was a constant inclination
to idleness and Encouragement. To whoever
reads his biography, with the most attentive
| eye, it is difficult however, to perceive at
what moment he gave himself up to this in
cnatlon, and what space these attacks of dis
! couragement fill Scarcely four months after
| the publication of Ferdinand and Isabella
that 10 to say, in the spring of lS39-we find
! him writing to Europe to have sent out docu-
! ments relative to the history of the conquest
of Mexico, and, full of ardor for this new sub
! ject, beginning vast course of general and
preparatory reading. Great was his Joy when
the precious boxes of manuscripts which he
! had asked for arrived from Spain. While he
! occupied himself with delight in abstracting
their contents, new accident, of very diff
ferent nature from those which he had passed
| through so far, Interrupted him in the midst
| of his laboTs, and was near making him aban-
don forever his design.
America numbered then among its most dis
! tinguished WfrateurS the romancer- historian,
Washington Irving, better known in France
! by the graceful compositions of the "Sketch-
! Book" than by his other more serious works,
the "Life of Columbus" and the "Chronicles
| of Granada" the publication of which had
preceded that of "Ferdinand and Isabella" 1t
seems that dsagreeable fatality had always
! devoted itself TO direct the attention of those
two writers towards the same subject. Pres
colt had been absorbed for year in the 'His-
tory of the Conquest of Mexico" when he
learned from common friend that Washing.
ton Irving had forestaled him in this
road. This friend, indeed, assured him,
that, on the news Of this rivalry, Irving had
protested his repugnanGe to enter thus
into contest with the historian of Ferdinand
and Isabella" and that he had announced
his intention of abandoning to him the ground
on which they had both set foot at the same
time. In this delicate copjuncture, Prescott
decided on the only step worthy of him
worthy also, as we shall see, of the man with
whom he had to do-that Of exp planning himself
frankly with Irving. An exchange of cour-
teous letters took place-letters which for the
honor of both are worthy to be Transcribed
here in full. In this correspondence, Wash
ington Irving acquainted Prescott of the def
mite abandonment he made in his favor OF the
disputed subject. Perhaps Prescott would
have accepted less willingly this remuneration
If he could have known at the same tins how
painful it was to his rival. "When I made
this sacrifice to Mr.. Prescott" " wr0te Wash.
ington Irving many years after, cit was my
bread in some measure that sacrificed to him,
for counted on the profit | should derive
from this work to mend little my impaired
finances. My pecuniary position would have
been transformed. Nevertheless, l do not
regret what have done.'
,I,t L. L - g