The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-10-25
FISHES LECTURES.
No. II-French and Spanish Conquests.

Another interested audience listened to the
second lecture Of the course on American His
tory by Mr. John Fiske, whose fascinating pen
pictures have now become so celebrated. The
speaker began by weighing the effect of the
discoveries on this continent by the Spaniards.
For seven centuries they had been battling the
Mohammedans, and victory at last perched
upon the Castilian standard. This long train
ing in the art of determination had developed
a pugilistc spirit and when the news of the
success of the voyage of Columbus was pro-
mulgated in the courts of Spain, life assumed
new color for them. Like Alexander they
sighed for fresh victims and dreaded a life Of
ennui, which loomed ND before them. These
spurred and plumed medieval grandees looked
with delight upon the famous prospect. A
teeming Eldorado was opened and they pro-
posed to have the first finger in the pie. These
romantic freebooters began to colonize the new
world for two purposes-to enlarge their bank
accounts and to christianize the natives. Hav-
ing attended to the former. they felt free to
use their we'll known religious arguments.
Their sovereign king lent his moral influence
to their positive logic, and indeed if there was
a throat to be cut or hereto to be squeezed,
he either whet the knife or loaned the vice.
When the French Huguenots in Florida were
quietly in the shelter of their fort, three CEN
turtles ago, sent thither by Admiral Coligny,
that scientific butcher, Menendez, murdered
them all in the name of the Holy Trinity. At
the news of this frightful atrocity the old
Spanish monarch laughed to the extent of
compromising his buttoned frock. When the
massacre was repeated by the same skillful
operator, the blood-thirsty old ruler grew red
in the face when he read at the bottom of the
despatch that a few were spared. No quarter
suited him, On this CHASTITY underpinning
rested the framework of st. Augustine, a city
built on the skeletons of half thousand vic
Tins to treachery.
The voyages of John and Sebastian Cabot
and Jacques Cartier in the 10th century were
next detailed in an interesting manner and
these were followed by cursory glanceS at the
voyages of Frobisher, Drake and Raleigh.
The discoveries of these energetic explorers
made New France and New England contem-
poraneous. Samuel Champlains work in the
colonization Of America was referred to with
interest because of his high mndedneSs, chv-
airy and charity to all, both native and white.
The interesting story of the wonderful exploits
Of La Sale in his long and earnest efforts to
The realistic touches OF. the artist were appar-
ent here in this romantic tale, and it was not
difficult to participate in the anxiety and final
JOY of the intrepid navigator as he finally
planted the .feur-de-lis at the mouth of the fa,
ther of waters" This grand story of defeats and
triumphs closed the hour, and the next lecture
will discuss the struggle between France and
England for the possession of the plumber. We
would again indicate to our readers the extra
ordinary characters of these lectures and hope
that all who would know of the beauties OF our
own history may learn Of them from such
splendid source. We know of no better way
to get at the tasty pith of American history
than this. The remainder of the course will
cost one dollar, and as each lecture is an en-
tirety, unconnected with the previous ones,
purchasers can attend at any time.
After the lecture large number of our well
known citizen were invited to meet Mr. Fiske
at the house of DIR. Thomas A. Foster on
Brown street. The remainder of the evening
was spent in a Conversations, and the Doctor
added delightful climax in the way of dain-
ty lunch.