The San Francisco call., 1908-03-22
AMERICA DID NOT
INTEREST TUDORS
Discovery of the New World
Aroused No Enthusiasm
in England
Indifference to the Epoch Is
Reflected in the Literature
of That Day

One of the curious and interesting
problems encountered by students of
the early Tudor dynasty is the indiffer-
ence with which Englishmen of that
day viewed the early American discov.s
tries, an Indifference reflected in the
literature of the period to surpris
ing degree. 1t was, moreover, an in
difference that becomes doubly inter
esting when contrasted with the very
marked enthusiasm with which Eng
lands neighbors across the channel
greeted the new discoveries.
On the continent it was an epoch that
marked the great transition from me-
dieval to modern times; when new
boundaries defined the old limitations
of thought and action; when dull indif-
ference gave way to lively enthusiasms,
when for the first time to quote
Taine, men opened their eyes and
saw" Suddenly. just as the fires of all
these quickening impulses began to
burn brightly. new world was brought
to the old, with new lands, new creeGs,
new riches and new races of men.
Vasco da CANA doubled the cape of
Good HOPE and returned with rich car
goes from India, Columbus crossed the
unknown sea, Cabot explored the coasts
of Labrador and sAmericus vespucius
amazed and delighted the age with the
story of his voyages to the new western
world. The publication of Columbus,
first letter on his return in 1893 at once
aroused popular attention on the COM
tinent to a degree never before accord
ed any incident of human progress.
In that year and in the years imme-
diately following the letter was pub
lished and republished, in one form or
another, m Barcelona, Rome. Basle.
Paris, antwerp, Florence and Strasburg,
and it was translated into the Ian
guagess of those countries that ALI
might learn of the wonderful discovery
that had been made. The tale was told
in prose and verse, and in one instance
the Basle letter of 1494--rude pic
toriaT embellishments were used, as if
to attract and focus the mind on this
great and new thing.
That popular interest on the contf-.
nent demanded more light on the
strange and absorbing subject is shown
by the rapidity with which every avail
able story from the new world found
it's way into print. At Venice, in 1904
was published a book of voyages by
SpanIards containing the first three let
ters of Columbus. In the same year
Vespucius> sent to his old patrons, the
Medici the account of his four voyages.
Columbus voyages. With one of Vespu-
cius, were published in book form at
Vincentia in 1907 and in Milan in 1903,
1912, 1917, 1913 and 1921. They were
also translated into German at Nurem-
berg in 1903, into low German at Eu-
beck in the same year, and into French
at Paris III 1915. At Basle. in 1921, was
published an account of the invasion
of Mexico Meanwhile Peter Martyr,
an Italian scholar living in Spain, was
busy reporting at first hand the varied
accounts of all the voyages which were
then opening the new world. He be-
gan to print them in Seville in 1900,
and new and enlarged editions followed
IN 1911 and 1915
Throughout all this excitement there
was no response in England, and the
literature of the country on this sub
ject was almost silent Although the
printing press had been established in
London in 1477, and in the succeeding
half century had grown to immense
popularity. no printed reference to the
new. world occurred anywhere in the
English language. SO far as is known.
until the years 1903, 1911 and 1917. and
even these references were in vague
and nebulous terms that could not
serve to arouse more than 1eeting
interest, If indeed they aroused any in
terest at all. From 1877 to 1876
years-not a word was published in
England referring to America or Amer
lean exploration.-New York Post.