Chap. V.]

CHARACTER OF COLUMBUS.

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He died in ignorance of the real grandeur of hisdiscovery. Until his last breath he entertainedthe idea that he had merely opened a new way tothe old resorts of opulent commerce, and had dis-covered some of the wild regions of the east. Hesupposed Hispaniola to be the ancient Ophirwhich had been visited by the ships of Solomon,and that Cuba and Terra Firma were but remoteparts of Asia. What visions of glory would havebroke upon his mind could lie have known thathe had indeed discovered a new continent, equalto the whole of the old world in magnitude, andseparated by two vast oceans from all the earthhitherto known by civilised man ! And how wouldhis magnanimous spirit have been consoled, amidstthe afflictions of age and the cares of penury, theneglect of a fickle public, and the injustice of anungrateful king, could he have anticipated thesplendid empires which were to spread over thebeautiful world he had discovered; and the na-tions, and tongues, and languages which were tofill its lands with his renown, and to revere andbless his name to the latest posterity!