New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-05
HISTORY OF PORTUGAL.
A STORY OF STRANGE NATIONAL vICdssI-
tubes.
THE STORY OF PORTUGAL. BY II; Morse stephens

THE STORY OF PORTUGAL BY Morse stephens
Ipmo, PIP. XIV 449. G. P. Puthams sohs'
Tho history Of Portugal. as Mr.. stephens has sum
cienty shown In this panstaking wosk, Is so illcu
with strange vicssitudes and stirring events that IL
should long since have engaged the attention OF SONIC
gresk historian. The modern decline OF the country
and Its gradual recession TO psce OF conlpai"uNs
smsn importance in the affairs OF the world perhSp'
expladn the neglect which has been It's fate out T.
cent research has revealed the existence In snoh hs
ries as are current of plumbers serious that IN soo
n.cts n NAV be said that the annals OF the country
REQUIRE TO be rewritten Mr.. stephens has addressed
himself conscientiously 10 task In which I'VE co"iu
derive. absolutely assistance rom Vofhs "ii"N.
Enslah and he has produced oook WHICH, W'ne
necessarily condensed and mainly chronoiosi0~ "
its schome, most be recognized as the nle. ~usV
worthy sketch Of Portugal which has appeared IN ,,o
English language The first surprise that awaits ms
,as6~< N that thew will henccforth have to aoanoon
some notions about the ORIGIN Of Portugal winch hAVc
b.en uutversally received for centuries Thus IL mas
n he realized that Portugal is not Lus'ain" '"s
her greatest poet has immortsized the ancient eio
Neither are the Portuguese separate race rr0i 'e "
habatsats of Spain. The Portuguese ana the spaiau'
were originally one people. i"os 80, n,,,,, hv
through the careful cultivation OF nsuonai sprio W
..rlv portuguese princes whose ambition leu theih W
the establishment of a separate Kingdom ana WHO
were Jvse enough to realize that this could only DO nc
.o,n,,sh.s nv educating the mobiles and the peopie
70 take pride In their nationality.
In work designed as this is. the modern STUDENT
,orst neroe,ve one radical defect which, however
shoud NOT be hastily ascribed TO the author IL Is
.ata,oens on the deeds OF kings and commanders not
a htstorv OF a people. II Is, In Short history whVteli
ertsr tfe old methods In which we seek IN vain LOT
anv HIGHT upon social life, national charactesucs,
bevond what grew indirectly out of the chronicles VI
the rufers A long procession OF monarchs anu no
soe@in mass
ne The names Of poets and of letters appear al
,..-yaIs The narrative Is punctuated with battles
and sdeees palace revolutions, conspiracies and In
trtsues But tho nation itself finds no representation
That II lived and suffered we know but wha0 uhe peo
ME were like, how they took hfe w1at measure Vi
civilization they had attained at THIS perioo Ut 1ao
we are not told. Perhaps the material for sucn
study no longer exists. Perhaps It would nave Deeh
impossible to attempt social inquest In so limited
snaoe az was 40 the disposal Of Mr. stephens In any
avent the work remains to done. and 1t might very
well be done by the writer who has aireaoy a"o 81
ample q preparation as this volume
Tne interest which attaches to the history OF For
tueal Is Of kind to fasten the attention OF sven o
least yhonghtful for concerns one OF those strange
es and falls Of states which better than all philoso
nbv Illustrates the incidence Of human action 1t has
Ast 10 he learned how this little country grew into
great Power; and then II has to be inquired why'
appareutfy at the height OF glory and prosperity IL
cpnmbled and collapsed, never TO rise again. AT tle
tepinnng of It's existence as separate hngoon ue
contiguty Of the Moors furnished the rule OF conduct
sor most OF it's princes. To expel the Mahometans
,va. considered and for a long time actually was,
prime necessity, and which took precedence OF all
ether OBLIGATIONS The Portuguese masses were at
first ndsposed TO turn their poughshares into SWORDS
but circumstances proved stronger than their native IN
clnations In a country alternately swept and mar
ried by Christian and Moslcm armies the peaceful III
dustres could not exist Agriculture died early ana
nv degrees the profession of became the only one
which promised subsistence TO the majority. 30 the
Portuguese became nation Of warriors, and In due
fine thew overcame the M0ors and after many clashes
with their neighbor, Spain, conquered the right 10
live peacefully. Then followed the consolidation Oh
the kingdom under kings who made strenuous efforts
to revive agriculture and commerce. Peace found
great store of martial energy needing wise disposition
and the work Of exploration supplied the means OF
EMPLOYING part Of It. Under Prince Henry the Novi-
eator this work was well begun II may be said that
he established school Of exploration, and as BIZ this
tine the feudal system had Been changed for sbsolut
ISM and the Grown very rich, there was no lack
Of money for such enterprises.
THIS was the dream Of Portugas splendor and it is
worth bearing in mind that her period OF exploration
antcdated that Of England by hundred years. In
the sixteenth century the Portuguese flag and power
were the only Western known in the Orient. Her
explorers had discovered not one but several new
worlds II is curious that but for prejudice Co
Iumbus might have gone forth to his immortal destiny
under the flag of Portugal. But when he presented
his views at the Court Of Lisbon he was regarded as
visionary, and he went away discouraged. Yet
there was no court then existing where such man
had better right to look for appreciation and aid for
Prince Henry and his contemporaries and successors
knew we'll the vast possibilities Of discovery from
what their own countrymen had done and were stu
doing. The road 10 India had been found Brazil
had been discovered by mere accident Scores OF
islands had been added to the national possessions
Trade had followed the flag One discovery had led
to another IN many instances. Why then should the
plans of Columbus have appeared visionary TO such
a peoplef AL that be said, perhaps, is that II
was to b. and Portugal at least had her hands full
with the vistas opened to her. It was long be-
fore the value Of Brazil to be realized. All
hopes expectations fastened upon the Indies
and thence soon began to flow q stream Of wealth
which might have made the country but for its form
Of government.
AS II was this wealth chiefly enriched the king.
Tho imbece policy which expelled the Jews from the
country destroyed It's commercial prospects at the
same tine. The merchants, traders and people bene-
hted no doubt 10 some extent from the new avenues
Of commerce, but the Crown appropriated the lions
share of the Aeiatc trade and the policy Of the Gov
eminent prevented Portugal from becoming centre
of distribution, England to be. All posi-
bilties at this time TO have been within the
reach Of the country, but they were suffered to pass
by Even peace lost much Of Its blessings through
the steady growth Of emigration TO Brazil where the
people found greater freedom than could be had az
home, and also broader opportunities. This how
ever was Portugaps golden age, the age in which
Camoens wrote in which the national literature -four
ished almost like that Of England under Elizabeth
and in which the name aud fame Of the Portuguese
were carried to the ends Of the earth. II then
that her arms triumphant In the coasts Of India
In the Spice Islands, through Brazil even on the Dor
ders OF China. It then she acquired those splen
did Asatc possessions which she TO retain for
brief a period. II then that she acquired heI
stronghold Of Goa forever associated with the name
of St. Francis Xavier. and unhapply not less init
mateIy united with the cruel history of the Inouisi
ton A true and full chronicle OF the course of thai
dread institution at Goa would be work TO excite
horror in every reader but such chronicle will
be written. Here and there glimpses are caught
through the relations of travellers of what the qu