THE METHODIST

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are been common to the family for several generations. If of noble origin, then, the splendours of his ancestors must have waned, and their fortunes sunk into decay. This, however, is of little consequence to the fame of Columbus. He had a higher patent of nobility than that of illustrious birth. No herald's office could have made him so great as he became without its aid. grandeur was derived from God and his own great soul. His greatness was like of that of Milton, Cromwell, and Newton-that intrinsic worth, power, and dignity, which lift their possessor above mere social distinctions, and make titles a matter of little importance. Great families might, then, receive lustre by belonging to him; he could derive none by having descended from them. His son Fernando per"I am of opinion," he says, "that I should derive less

ceived this.

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THE METHODIST

NEW CONNEXION MAGAZINE.

JULY, 1857.

ESSAYS, &c., ON THEOLOGY AND GENERAL LITERATURE.

COLUMBUS, AND THE DISCOVERY OF AMERICA.

A LECTURE.

BETWEEN different individuals, and the character of their histories, it is interesting to observe how great may be the contrast. The great mass of men in every generation are comparatively obscure and unknown. They are real, living men, affected by all the variety of human experiences, but the eye of the great world never sees them. That world takes no notice of their existence, it records not the actions of their lives, and drops no tear into their graves; it permits them to pass away "unwept, unhonoured, and unsung." They are atom men, drops only in the ocean of human existence. They may be conspicuous in their own circle, but that circle itself is narrow-a little unnoticed eddy on the broad stream of the world. There are others who stand out from the great multitude, rise to distinction, exert a mighty influence on the destinies of millions, give a direction to the current of all succeeding history, and thus engrave their names conspicuously on the rock of time, for the gaze and admiration of all succeeding ages. To this distinguished few belongs Columbus, to whose character and achievements we shall now direct your attention. Columbus was born at Genoa, in 1435 or 1436. His Italian name was Colombo. Several noble houses have claimed relationship to him; but with what degree of truth does not appear. His father was a woolcomber, and this employment seems to have been common to the family for several generations. If of noble origin, then, the splendours of his ancestors must have waned, and their fortunes sunk into decay. This, however, is of little consequence to the fame of Columbus. He had a higher patent of nobility than that of illustrious birth. No herald's office could have made him so great as he became without its aid. His grandeur was derived from God and his own great soul. His greatness was like of that of Milton, Cromwell, and Newton-that intrinsic worth, power, and dignity, which lift their possessor above mere social distinctions, and make titles a matter of little importance. Great families might, then, receive lustre by belonging to him; he could derive none by having descended from them. His son Fernando perceived this. "I am of opinion," he says, "that I should derive less

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dignity from any nobility of ancestry, than from being the son of such a father." At a very early age he displayed a strong inclination for a sea-faring life. His father gave him an education suited to this taste, sending him to the University of Pavia to study geometry, geography, astronomy, and navigation. He had previously received an ordinary education, together with instruction in drawing and design. Late in life, when reviewing his brilliant career of discovery, he attributed his early passion for the sea, and for the studies adapted to navigation, to a divine impulse, impelling him to the destiny which awaited him. And although there might be a tinge of superstition in his mode of viewing the case, yet, when we look at the whole series of occurrences in his life-when we connect the capacity which he alone possessed with his early passion, his adapted training, the formidable obstacles he vanquished, and the great result, we can scarcely fail to regard his career as the evolution of a design which was worthy of the special interposition of the providence of God. To give limits and order to the subject, we shall direct attention to the Intellect of Columbus, his Perseverance, his Courage, his Delight in the aspects of nature, his Moral Character, and his Rewards.

So in

First, then, let us look at the Intellect of Columbus. Of a painter it was asked what he mixed up with his colours to produce the rich effects which were admired in his paintings. "I mix them with brains," was his reply a reply applicable to the mental character of Columbus. It would be extremely interesting to trace those discoveries, inventions, and systems, which have become most celebrated and influential in the world, to their origin. It would be found that whatever share apparent accident may have had in them, the germinal thought has been developed by mental labour; that a higher than ordinary intellect probably conceived, but certainly elaborated and matured the original idea. To the accident of an apple falling the discovery of the law of gravitation has often been attributed; but although the apple may have fallen, it simply furnished an illustrative solution of the great problem which the mind of Newton had long been revolving. It was but the spark to fire the train which had long been preparing. To millions of other minds the same accident might have happened, and it would have been simply the fall of an apple, and nothing more. the case of Columbus, it is clear that, at whatever happy moment the idea of sailing westward for the discovery of land broke in upon him, it was not the result of mere accident. Prince Henry of Portugal was, in that age, a magnanimous patron of science, and especially as applied to maritime discovery. Through his encouragement the mariner's compass, which had been invented a century and a half before, was brought, especially among the Portuguese, into more general use; great enterAnd although prizes were undertaken, and great discoveries made. Henry's grand idea, that of sailing to India by the way of Africa, was not realized until long after his death, yet he reaped rich rewards of his peaceful ambition, and bestowed immense benefits upon his country, which, from being one of the least, suddenly rose to be one of the most important among the nations. Now the wife of Columbus was the daughter of Bartholomew Perestrello, one of the most distinguished of Prince Henry's navigators. From the mother of his bride he obtamed the charts and journals of her late husband; and we cannot