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SUBSEQUENT CAREER OF CORTES. [Book VII

Monteleone, a Neapolitan noble. The present pro-prietor of these princely honors and of vast domains,both in the Old and the New World, dwells in Sicily ,and boasts a descent—such as few princes can boast— from two of the most illustrious commanders ofthe sixteenth century, the “ Great Captain,” andthe Conqueror of Mexico.

The personal history of Cortés has been so mi-nutely detailed in the preceding narrative, that itwill be only necessary to touch on the more promi-nent features of his character. Indeed, the historyof the Conquest, as I have already had occasion toremark, is necessarily that of Cortes, who is, if Imay so say, not merely the soul, but the body, of theenterprise, present everywhere in person, in the thickof the fight, or in the building of the works, withhis sword or with his musket, sometimes leading hissoldiers, and sometimes directing his little navy.The negotiations, intrigues, correspondence, are allconducted by him; and, like Caesar, he wrote hisown Commentaries in the heat of the stirring sceneswhich form the subject of them. His character ismarked with the most opposite traits, embracingqualities apparently the most incompatible. He wasavaricious, yet liberal; bold to desperation, yet cau-tious and calculating in his plans; magnanimous,yet very cunning; courteous and affable in his de-portment, yet inexorably stern; lax in his notionsof morality, yet (not uncommon) a sad bigot. Thegreat feature in his character was constancy of pur-