The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-01-21
SECOND NOTICE.

SECOND NOTICE.
The approach of the fourth centenary OF
the discovery of America lends especial
interest TO whatever may be learned OF
its discoverer. Much as has been written
of Columbus and his voyages, Justin
Winsor's volume is by far the most ade-
quate and scholarly of recent contribu-
tions to our knowledge of him; avoiding
as it does the adulation of Prescott and
the scarcely less exaggerated eulogies of
Irving and Humboldt, equally with the
unstinted denunciation of Aaron Good
rich, whose peevish criticisms are too
unreservedly biased to make his results
of any value.
1t is not the belief Of Mr.. Winsor that
Columbus was influenced in his plans
for finding India by the west by any
bruit of the Morse discoveries. He dis
credits the tale that Columbus had voy
aged to Iceland, and points out that the
supposed reference to such voyaging in
a memoir by Columbus himself is "sur-
rounded with the confusion that be-
longs to everything dependent on Colum-
bus own statements, or on what is put
forth as SUCH" The belief in such
rent throughout almost the whole range
was In no wise the merit of Columbus,
who proved entirely wrong in every
theory he held except as regards the
sphericity of the earth, and this was a
belief which had been the common
property of learned men from a very
early period.
Columbus failed in his early negotia-
tions with the King of Portugal for sup
port in his proposed undertaking "be-
cause his advances were altogether too
arrogant and fantastic" to gain the con-
sideration of the monarch. He succeed
ed in the end with Isabella, partly by the
appeals which were made to her cupidity
and her ambition, and partly by the per-
sonal ascendancy over her which he ac-
quired and never lost wholly. Mr.. VIM
sor's estimate of Isabella will hardly
please the good ladies of the Isabella
Association. IAN anxious inquirer" he
says, into the queens ways is not
quite sure that she was able to distin-
guish between her own interests and
those of God" In his narrative of the
first voyage of Columbus the historian
notes %he greed that made him appro-
pirate to himself the reward offered to
the first man who saw land, his estab-
lishnent of the slave trade, not only
without authority from his royal patro-
ness but against her command, his utter
lack of tact in dealing with the men un-
der him, and the open display of avarice
which led the natives, holding up a piece
of gold, to say, Behold the Christians
God !" His further haps and mishaps,
including the much-discussed commits
sion of Bobadilla and the degradation of
Columbus, who was returned to Spain in
irons, are treated in spirit of judicial
fairness.
In summing up the life of Columbus
the author says =" To make his first voy-
age partook of foolhardiness. 1t was
none the less foolhardy when it was
done. We have seen pitiable
man meet a pitiable death. Hardly a
name in profane history is more august |;
hardly another character in the worlds
history has made so little of its opportu-
mites. His discovery was blunder I;
his blunder was new world; he might
have been its father he proved to be its
despoiler"
Not the least interesting part of the
Winsor's volume is the chapter devoted
to portraits of Columbus. The biblio-
graphy and the illustrations from ancient
maps and charts are of great value.