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fome of the grandees, who, from ignorance, from envy, or from that cold timid prudence which rejects whatever has the air of novelty or enterprife, had hitherto condemned all prince Henry's fchemes. They represented, that it was altogether chimerical to expect any advantage from countries fituated in that region. which the wifdom and experience of antiquity had pronounced to be unfit for the habitation of men; that their forefathers, fatisfied with cultivating the territory which Providence had allotted them, did not wafte the ftrength of the kingdom by fruitless projects, in queft of new fettlements; that Portugal was already exhausted by the expence of attempts to discover lands which either did not exift, or which nature deftined to remain unknown; and was drained of men, who might have been employed in undertakings attended with more certain fuccefs, and productive of greater benefit. But neither their appeal to the authority of the ancients, nor their reafonings concerning the interest of Portugal, made any impreffion upon the determined philofophic mind of prince Henry. The difcoveries which he had already

made convinced him that the ancients had little more than a conjectural knowledge of the torrid zone. He was no lefs fatisfied that the political arguments of his opponents with refpect to the interest of Portugal were malevolent and illfounded. In thofe fenti

His fchemes

he derived from this tranfaction. were authorised and fanctified by the bull approving of them. The fpirit of difcovery was connected with zeal for religion, which, in that age, was a principle of fuch activity and vigour, as to influence the conduct of nations. All Chriftian princes were deterred from intruding into thofe countries which the Portuguese had difcovered, or from interrupting the progrefs of their navigation and conquefts (y).

Fame and progrefs of the Portuguese discoveries.

The fame of the Portuguese voyages foon fpread over Europe. Men, long accustomed to circumfcribe the activity and knowledge of the human mind within the limits to which they had been hitherto confined, were aftonifhed to behold the fphere of navigation fo fuddenly enlarged, and a profpect opened of vifiting regions of the globe, the existence of which was unknown in former times. The learned and fpeculative reasoned and formed theories concerning thofe unexpected difcoveries. The vulgar inquired and wondered; while enterprifing adventurers crouded from every part of Europe, foliciting prince Henry to employ them in this honourable fervice. Many Venetians and Genoefe, in particular, who were, at that time, fuperior to all other nations in the science of naval affairs, entered aboard the

y) See NOTE X.

ROBERTSON Vol. L

E

countries which the Portuguese fhoud difcover. He promised that, in all their expeditions, it fhould be the chief object of his countrymen to fpread the knowledge of the Chriftian religion, to establish the authority of the holy fee, and to increase the flock of the universal paftor. As it was by improving with dexterity every favou→ rable conjuncture for acquiring new powers, that the court of Rome had gradually extended its ufurpations, Eugene IV. the pontiff, to whom this application was made, eagerly seized the opportunity which now presented itself. He inftantly perceived, that by complying with prince Henry's requeft, he might exercife a prerogative no lefs flattering in its own nature, than likely to prove beneficial in its confequences. A Bull was accordingly iffued, in which, after applauding in the ftrongest terms the paft efforts of the Portuguese, and exhorting them to proceed in that laudable career on which they had entered, he granted them an exclufive right to all the countries which they fhould difcover, from Cape Non to the continent of India.

Extravagant as this donation, comprehending fuch a large portion of the habitable globe, would now appear even in Catholic countries, no perfon in the fifteenth century doubted that the Pope, in the plenitude of his apoftolic power, had a right to confer it. Prince Henry was foon fenfible of the advantages which

he

His fchemes

he derived from this tranfaction. were authorised and fanctified by the bull approving of them. The fpirit of discovery was

connected with zeal for religion, which, in that age, was a principle of fuch activity and vigour, as to influence the conduct of nations. All Chriftian princes were deterred from intruding into thofe countries which the Portuguese had difcovered, or from interrupting the progrefs of their navigation and conquefts (y).

Fame and progrefs of the Portuguese difcoveries.

The fame of the Portuguese voyages foon fpread over Europe. Men, long accustomed to circumfcribe the activity and knowledge of the human mind within the limits to which they had been hitherto confined, were aftonifhed to behold the fphere of navigation fo fuddenly enlarged, and a prospect opened of vifiting regions of the globe, the existence of which was unknown in former times. The learned and fpeculative reafoned and formed theories concerning thofe unexpected difcoveries. The vulgar inquired and wondered; while enterprifing adventurers crouded from every part of Europe, foliciting prince Henry to employ them in this honourable fervice. Many Venetians and Genoefe, in particular, who were, at that time, fuperior to all other nations in the science of naval affairs, entered aboard the y) See NOTE X.

ROBERTSON Vol. L

E

Portuguese ships, and acquired a more perfect and extenfive knowledge of their profeffion in that new fchool of navigation. In emulation of these foreigners, the Portuguefe exerted their own talents. The nation seconded the defigns of the prince, Private merchants formed companies, with a view to fearch for unknown countries, (1446.) The Cape de Verd iflands, which lie off the promontory of that name, were discovered, and foon after, the ifles called Azores. (1449). As the former of these are above three hundred miles from the African coaft, and the latter nine hundred miles from any continent, it is evident, by their venturing fo boldly into the open feas, that the Portuguese had, by this time, improved greatly in the art of navigation.

Death of prince Henry. (1463.)

While the paffion for engaging in new undertakings was thus warm and active, it received an unfortunate check by the death of prince Henry, whofe fuperior knowledge had hitherto directed all the operations of the discoverers, and whofe patronage had encouraged and protected them. But nothwithstanding all the advantages which they derived from thefe, the Portuguese, during his life, did not advance, in their utmoft progrefs towards the fouth, within five degrees

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