The morning call., 1892-10-21

been ail-powerful IN staying the barbareus
hordes of the East and North and to save
for future generations all that was best in
the civilization of the ancients. But though
the pages of history often record deeds, in
ventions and discoveries, which all have
contributed TO excite human efforts, few If
any have equaled the deed of Columbus.
either in immediate or in even distant
effects.
In the latter part of the fifteenth GEN.
tury-the end of the dark ages-human in
telligence, progress and invention were
almost at standstill. For centuries it had
merely crawled along, following the
same stereotyped groove which for two
thousand years had been considered
as the only one that was proper, true or
possible. Since the time of the Greek civil.
ization nothing new had been created In
philosophy and science. Aristotle and
Pliny were yet the only authorities in
natural philosophy, in mechanics and
mathematics; no improvements worth men,
tioning had been made on Archimedes'
tales and Euclid; in geography even. the
know ledge of the ancients had not heen
verified. To the great mass of learned or
ignorant, navlgators as we'll as students
the sbadowy sea bounded the horizon he.
hind the pillars of Hercules as the confines
OF the then known world. In every de.
partment of human knowledge the mind
was fettered by ignorance, prejudice and
lear. Only once previous had Europe come
IN closer contact with foreign nations. The
crusades had wonderfully and powerfully
stimulated European activity, but their
effects were more transient and AT the
time Of Columbus discovery were hardly
felt. Pecuniarily the crusades had not been
a success and had rather brought impoyer-
ishment than financial prosperity: enor-
nous sums had been expended. nothing had
ever been received back. Not SO the ex-
petition to the New World.
The discovery of this continent is, prob
ably, the greatest event in the history of
mankind, and the effects upon the human
race will probably last as long as the race
itself, whether we consider material pros
perity or intellectual progress and supe-
riority. the two in fact being inseparable.
The very preparations for Columbus voy-
age stimulated research and set the minds
of men warning with each other as to the
possibility of the existence Of other couti-
nents and races, unsupported by lawgivers,
by the learned and by divines The more
powerful the opposition to this Columbu
undertaking the greater would be the effects
of its success. While the three caravels Of
the navigator plowed the Atlantic Ocean the
interest of Spain was reused to its highest
pitch, and when at last the discoverer re-
turned and the New World lay open for the
gaze of all. the mental aud material efforts
to throw off the yoke and thralldom of ages
almost shook the world.
While previous to the discovery of Amer
lea only few of the more far-seeng had
guessed the grand truths If the universe.
the masses had either not thought at all or
only according to established rules. To
them the human race was the center of
creation, and everything else created for its
special benefit. The first and immediate eff
feet of Columbus discovery was TO show
To those who cared to think the real insg-
nfcance of the self and the boundiess ex-
tent of the universe and the earth. The ro-
tundty Of the earth had been suspected and
theoretically demonstrated ages before
Columbus, but only through his discovery
was it possible TO point with certainty TO the
fact that we inhabit a globe, which. unsup-
ported, rests among the other spheres of
the universe. and that India and the Oren
may be reached whether we set out toward
the east or follow the setting sun. II one
old, fundamental truth. considered doctrine.
could thus be shattered by single discov-
cry, what security would there be for all
other doctrines from which 1t had been
heretical TO differ?
The extended geographical knowledge
brought others as direct consequence.
The rotundity of the earth was proven con-
o1r e..
enabled to state that 1t moved. The spirit
of adventure and discovery had broken out
like widfre. at first over Western Europe,
and later had extended TO the balance OF the
civilized world. While the merchants and
adventurous pirates and eonquerors We'd
with each other to pocket the treasures of
the newly discovered countries the learned
accumulated facts which disproved old ideas
and which spuIred to new researches The
countless millions of treasure which was
brought back by the navigators contributed
as much as the discovery itself to promote
scientific and literary attainments. and
every branch of human knowledge felt the
effects.
The wonders of the New World were I'M
like those previously seen In the Old
When Columbus saw the magnificent trOp-
icaI vegetation OF the West Indian Islands
he regretted his ignorance of botany, which
bound him from justly approaching the
fruits, flowers and agricultural products
that presented themselves on every side, or
even prevented him from intelligentIy de-
scribing them to his friends and protectors at
home. The botanical science to which Co.
lumbus referred was. however, only the
knowledge of Aristotle and Pliny, supple
mented by that of q few Arab writer's.
The fruits and plants he brought home, and
which were found so unlike anything seen
heretofore. universally excited the curiosity
of students and must be considered as the
first incentives to a closer study of natural
history, which in time led to the achieve
ments Of Linneus. Darwin and the modern
school.
Astronomical science may be considered
as direct child OF Columbus discovery. IL
the earth was round and hung in the uni
verse, why could not the stars and planets
be of similar construction, and not alone
lights suspended to light the paths of noe
turnal travellers on earth. Calico. Tycho
Brahe, Newton. and many Others demon
strated that they were a part of the vast
stellar system and in size even greater than
the earth
While the botanical and geological speci-
mems brought back by the nayigators
proved 10 be new and different from any,
thing previously known, the minerals and
ores demonstrated the homogeneitv Of the
eartb's crust and stimulated the science Of
alchemy to discover and produce that gold
which the New World furnished in annar.
emily inexhaustible abundance.
Fostered not only by the tales Of wonders
seen by those who Yentnred unnn Tho IL