P. 236, 1. 19. He spoke; and all was silence, all was night! These scattered fragments may be compared to shreds of old arras, or reflections from a river broken and confused by the oar; and now and then perhaps the imagination of the reader may supply more than is lost. Si qua latent, meliora putat. "It is remarkable," says the elder Pliny, " that the Iris of Aristides, the Tyndarides of Nicomachus, and the Venus of Apelles, are held in higher admiration than their finished works." And is it not so in almost every thing? Call up him that left half-told P. 238, 1. 5. The soldier, &c. In the Lusiad, to beguile the heavy hours at sea, Veloso relates to his companions of the second watch the story of the Twelve Knights. L. vi. P. 238, 1. 8. So Fortune smiled, careless of sea or land! Among those, who went with Columbus, were many adventurers, and gentlemen of the court. Primero was the game then in fashion. See Vega, p. 2, lib. iii. c. 9. P. 238, 1. 22. LERMA the generous,' AVILA the proud;' Many such appellations occur in Bernal Diaz. c. 204. P. 239, 1. 1. Yet who but He undaunted could explore Many sighed and wept; and every hour seemed a year, says Herrera. I. i. 9 and 10. P. 240, 1. 13. While his dear boys-ah, on his neck they hung, .... "But I was most afflicted, when I thought of my two sons, whom I had left behind me in a strange country. before I had done, or at least could be known to have done, any thing which might incline your highnesses to remember them. And though I comforted myself with the reflection that our Lord would not suffer so earnest an endeavour for the exaltation of his church to come to nothing, yet I considered that, on account of my unworthiness," &c. Hist. c. 37. P. 240, 1. 21. The great GONZALO Gonzalo Fernandez de Cordova, already known by the name of The Great Captain. dered on the 2d of January, 1492. on the 3d of August following. Granada surren Columbus set sail Probably a soldier of fortune. There were more than one of the name on board. P. 242, 1. 1. War and the Great in War let others sing, Not but that in the profession of Arms there are at all times many noble natures. Let a soldier of the Age of Elizabeth speak for those who had commanded under him, those whom he calls "the chief men of action." "Now that I have tried them, I would choose them for friends, if I had them not: before I had tried them, God and his providence chose them for me. I love them for mine own sake; for I find sweetness in their conversation, strong assistance in their employments with me, and happiness in their friendship. I love them for their virtue's sake, and for their greatness of mind (for little minds, though never so full of virtue, can be but a little virtuous), and for their great understanding: for to understand little things, or things not of use, is little better than to understand nothing at all. I love them for their affections for self-loving men love ease, pleasure, and profit; but they that love pains, danger, and fame, shew that they love public profit more than themselves. I love them for my country's sake: for they are England's best armour of defence, and weapons of offence. If we may have peace, they have purchased it: if we must have war, they must manage it," &c. P. 243, 1. 19. The Cross shone forth in everlasting light! The Cross of the South; 66 una Croce maravigliosa, e di tanta bellezza," says Andrea Corsali, a Florentine, writing to Giuliano of Medicis in 1515, "che non mi pare ad alcuno segno celeste doverla comparare. E s'io non mi inganno, credo che sia questo il crusero di che Dante parlò nel principio del Purgatorio con spirito profetico, dicendo, I'mi volsi a man destra, e posi mente All' altro polo, e vidi quattro stelle," &c. Un It is still sacred in the eyes of the Spaniards. sentiment religieux les attache à une constellation dont la forme leur rappelle ce signe de la foi planté par leurs ancêtres dans les déserts du nouveau monde.' P. 244, 1. 3. Roc of the West! to him all empire given ! Le Condor est le même oiseau que le Roc des Orientaux. Buffon. "By the Peruvians," says Vega, "he was anciently worshipped; and there were those who claimed their descent from him." In these degenerate days he still ranks above the Eagle. P. 244, 1. 4. Who bears Axalhua's dragon-folds to heaven; As the Roc of the East is said to have carried off the Elephant. See Marco Polo.-Axalhua, or the Emperor, is the name in the Mexican language for the great serpent of America. P. 244, 1. 10. To where ALASKA's wintry wilds retire; Northern extremity of the New World. See Cook's last Voyage. Mines of Chili; which extend, says Ovalle, to the Strait of Magellan. I. 4. P. 244, 1. 14. High-hung in forests to the casing snows. A custom not peculiar to the Western Hemisphere. The Tunguses of Siberia hang their dead on trees; "parceque la terre ne se laisse point ouvrir." 66 P. 245, 1. 2. M. Pauw. and, thro' that dismal night, Aquella noche triste." The night, on which Cortes made his famous retreat from Mexico through the street of Tlacopan, still goes by the name of LA NOCHE HUMBOLDT. TRISTE. P. 245, 1. 3. By his white plume revealed and buskins white, Pizarro used to dress in this fashion; after Gonzalo, whom he had served under in Italy. P. 245, 1. 10. O'er him a Vampire his dark wings displayed. A species of Bat in South America; which refreshes by the gentle agitation of its wings, while it sucks the blood of the sleeper, turning his sleep into death. P. 245, 1. 11. 'Twas MERION's self, covering with dreadful shade. Now one, Now other, as their shape served best his end. Undoubtedly, says Herrera, the Infernal Spirit assumed various shapes in that region of the world. |