lumbus to perfevere in an undertaking fo laudable, and which muft redound fo much to the honour of his country, and the benefit of Europe k).

His fchemes for carrying it into execution.

1

ན་

To a mind lefs capable of forming and of executing great defigns than that of Columbus, all thofe reafonings, obfervations, and authorities, would have ferved only as the foundation of fome plaufible and fruitlefs theory, which might have furnished matter for ingenious difcourfe, or fanciful conjecture. But with his fanguine and enterprising temper, fpeculation led directly to action. Fully fatisfied himself with refpect to the truth of his fyftem, he was impatient to bring it to the teft of experiment, and to fet out upon a voyage of discovery. The first step towards this was to fecure the patronage of fome of the confiderable powers in Europe, capable of undertaking fuch an enterprife. His long abfence had not extinguished the affection which he bore to his native country, he wished that it fhould reap the fruits of his labours and in

vention.

He applies to the Genoefe.

With this view, he laid his fcheme before the fenate of Genoa, and making his counk) Life of Columbus, e. viii.

cover.

try the first tender of his fervice, offered to fail under the banners of the republic, in queft of the new regions which he expected to difBut Columbus had refided for fo many years in foreign parts, that his countrymen were unacquainted with his abilities and character; and, though a maritime people, they were fo little accustomed to diftant voyages, that they could form no juft idea of the principles on which he founded his hopes of fuccefs. They inconfiderately rejected his propofal, as the dream of a chimerical projector, and loft for ever the opportunity of reftoring their commonwealth to its ancient fplendour 1).

To the king of Portugal.

Having performed what was due to his country, Columbus was fo little dicouraged by the repulfe which he had received, that, inftead of relinquifhing his undertaking, he purfued it with fresh ardour. He made his next overture to John II. king of Portugal, in who fe dominions he had been long eftablifhed, and whom he confidered on that account, as having the fecond claim to his fervice. Here every circumftance feemed to promife him a more favourable reception. He applied to a monarch of an enterprifing genius, no incompetent judge in naval affairs, and proud of patronifing every attempt to difcover new coun

Herrera Hift. de las Indias Occid. Dec. 1, lib. i. e, 7.

tries.

His fubjects were the most experienced navigators in Europe, and the feast apt to be intimidated either by the novelty or boldnefs of any maritime expedition. In Portugal, the profeffional fkill of Columbus, as well as his personal good qualities, were thoroughly known; and as the former rendered it probable that his fcheme was not altogether chimerical, the latter exempted him from the fufpicion of any finifter intention in propofing it. Accordingly, the king liftened to him in the moft gracious manner, and referred the confideration of his plan to Diego Ortiz, bifhop of Ceuta, and two Jewish phyficians, eminent cofmographers, whom he was accuftomed to confult in matters of this kind. As in Genoa, ignorance had oppofed and difapointed Columbus, in Lifbon he had to combat with prejudice, an enemy no lefs formidable. The perfons, according to whofe decifion his fcheme was to be adopted or rejected, had been the chief directors of the Portuguese navigations and had advised to fearch for a paffage to India, by fteering a course directly oppofite to that which Columbus recommended as shorter and more certain. They could not, therefore, approve of his propofal, without fubmitting to the double mortification of condemning their own theory, and of acknowledging his fuperior fagacity.

By whom he is deceived.

After teafing him with captious queftions, and starting innumerable objections with a view of betraying him into fuch a particular explanation of his system, as might draw from him a full difcovery of its nature, they deferred paffing a final judgment with refpe&t to it. In the mean time. they confpired to rob him of the honour and advantages which he expected from the fuccefs of his fcheme, advifing the king to dispatch a veffel, fecretly, in order to attempt the propofed difcovery, by following exactly the courfe which Columbus feemed to point out. John, forgetting on this occafion the fentiments becoming a monarch, meanly adopted this perfidious counfel, But the pilot, chofen to execute Columbus plan, had neither the genius, nor the fortitude of its author. Contrary winds arose, no fight of approaching land appeared, his courage failed, and he returned to Lifbon, execrating the project as equally extravagant and dangerous m).

He leaves Portugal, and repairs to the court of Spain.

Upon difcovering this difhonourable transaction, Columbus felt the indignation natural to an ingenuous mind, and in the warmth of his refentment determined to break off all intercourse with a nation capable of fuch flagrant

m) Life of Columbns, e, xi, Herrera, decad. E. lib i. e. 7.

treachery. He inftantly quitted the kingdom, and landed in Spain towards the clofe of the year one thoufand four hundred and eighty four, As he was now at liberty to court the protection of any patron. whom he could engage to approve of his plan, and to carry it into execution, he refolved to propofe it in perfon to Ferdinand and Ifabella. who at that time governed the united kingdoms of Caftile and Aragon.

Sends his brother into England.

But, as he had already experienced the uncertain iffue of applications to kings and minifters, he took the precaution of sending into England his brother Bartholomew, to whom he had fully communicated his ideas, in order that he might negociate, at the fame time with Henry VII. who was reputed one of the most fagacious as well as opulent princes in Europe.

It was not without reafon that Columbus entertained doubts and fears with respect to the reception of his propofals in the Spanish court. Spain was, at that juncture, engaged in a dangerous war with Granada, the laft of the Moorish kingdoms. The wary and fufpicious temper of Ferdinand was not formed to relifh bold or uncommon defigns. Ifabella,