It required all Columbus's patience and addrefs to negociate with men capable of advancing fuch ftrange propofitions. He had to contend not only with the obftinacy of ignorance, but with what is ftill more intractable, the pride of falfe knowledge. After innumerable conferences, and wasting five years in fruitless endeayours to inform and to fatisfy judges fo little capable of deciding with propriety, Talavera, at last, made fuch an unfavourable report to Ferdinand and Ifabella, as induced them to acquaint Columbus, that until the war with the Moors fhould be brought to a period, it would be imprudent to engage in any new and expenfive enterprise.

Whatever care was taken to foften the harfhnefs of this declaration, Columbus confidered it as a final rejection of his proposals. But happily for mankind, the fuperiority of genius, which is capable of forming great and uncommon defigns, is ufually accompanied with an ardent enthufiafin, which can neither be cooled by delays, nor damped by disappointment. Columbus was of this fanguine temper. Though he felt deeply the cruel blow given to his hopes, and retired immediately from a court, where he had been amufed fo long with vain expectations, his confidence in the justness of his own fyftem did not diminifh, and his impatience to demonftrate the truth of it by an actual experiment became greater than ever. Having courted the protection of fovereign ftates without fuccefs, he applied, next, to perfons of inferior rank, and addreffed fucceffively the dukes of Medina Sidonia, and Medina Celi, who, though fubjects, were poffeffed of power and opulence more than equal to the enterprife which he projected. His negociations with them proved as fruitlefs, as thofe in which he had been hitherto engaged; for these noblemen were either as little convinced by Columbus's arguments as their fuperiors, or they were afraid of alarming the jealoufy, and offending the pride of Ferdinand, by countenancing a fcheme which he had rejected.

Amid the painful fenfations occafioned by fuch a fucceffion of difappointments, Columbus had to fuftain the additional distress, of having received no accounts from his brother, whom he had fent to the court of England. In his voyage to that country, Bartholomew had been fo unfortunate as to fall into the hands of pirates, who having tripped him of every thing, detained him a prisoner for feveral years. At length, he made his cfcape, and arrived in London, but in fuch extreme indigence, that he was obliged to employ himfelf, during a confiderable time, in drawing and felling maps, in order to pick up as much money as would purchase a decent drefs, in which he might venture to appear at court. He then laid before the king the propofals, with which he had been entrufted by his brother, and notwithstanding Henry's exceffive cau

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tion and parfimony, which rendered him averfe to new or expenfive undertakings, he received Columbus's overtures, with more approbation, than any monarch to whom they had hitherto been prefented. Meanwhile, Columbus being unacquainted with his brother's fate, and having now no profpect of encouragement in Spain, refolved to vifit the court of England in perfon, in hopes of meeting with a more favourable reception there. He had already made preparations for this purpose, and taken measures for the difpofal of his children during his abfence, when Juan Perez, the guardian of the monaftery of Rabida, near Palos, in which they had been educated, earnestly folicited him to defer his journey for a fhort time. Perez was a man of confiderable learning, and of fome credit with Queen Ifabella, to whom he was known perfonally. He was warmly attached to Columbus, with whose abilities as well as integrity he had many opportunities of being acquainted. Prompted by curiofity or by friendship, he entered upon an accurate examination of his fyftem, in conjunction with a physician settled in the neighbourhood, who was a confiderable proficient in mathematical knowledge. This investigation fatisfied them fo thoroughly, with refpect to the folidity of the principies on which Columbus founded his opinion, and the probability of fuccefs in executing the plan which he propofed, that Perez, in order to prevent his country from being deprived of the glory and benefit, which must accrue to the patrons of fuch a grand enterprife, ventured to write to Ifabella, conjuring her to confider the matter anew, with the attention which it merited.

Moved by the reprefentations of a person whom the respected, Ifabella defired Perez to repair immediately to the village of Santa Fé, in which, on account of the fiege of Granada, the court refided at that time, that fhe might confer with him upon this important subject. The firft effect of their interview was a gracious invitation of Columbus back to court, accompanied with the prefent of a small sum to equip him for the journey. As there was now a certain profpect, that the war with the Moors would speedily be brought to an happy iffue by the reduction of Granada, which would leave the nation at liberty to engage in new undertakings; this, as well as the mark of royal favour, with which Columbus had been lately honoured, encouraged his friends to appear with greater confidence than formerly in fupport of his fcheme, The chief of thcfe, Alonfo de Quintanilla, comptroller of the fi-: nances in Caftile, and Luis de Santangel, receiver of the ecclefiaftical revenues in Arragon, whofe meritorious zeal in promoting this great defign entitles their names to an honourable place in history, introduced Columbus to many perfons of high rank, and interested them warmly in his behalf.

But it was not an casy matter to inspire Ferdinand with favourable fentiments. He ftill regarded Columbus's project as extravagant and chimerical; and in order to render the efforts of his partizans ineffectual, he had the address to employ in this new negocia tion with him, fome of the perfons who had formerly pronounced his scheme to be impracticable. To their aftonishment, Columbus appeared before them with the fame confident hopes of fuccefs as formerly, and infifted upon the fame high recompence. He propofed that a fmall fleet should be fitted out, under his command, to attempt the discovery, and demanded to be appointed hereditary admiral and viceroy of all the feas and lands which he fhould difcover, and to have the tenth of the profits arising from them, settled irrevocably upon himfelf and his difcendants. At the fame time, he offered to advance the eighth part of the fum neceffary for accomplishing his defign, on condition that he fhould be enti tled to a proportional share of benefit from the adventure. If the enterprise fhould totally mifcarry, he made no ftipulation for any reward or emolument whatever. Instead of viewing this conduct as the clearest evidence of his full perfuafion with respect to the truth of his own fyftem, or being ftruck with that magnanimity which, after so many delays and repulfes, would ftoop to nothing inferior to its original claims, the perfons with whom Columbus treated, began meanly to calculate the expence of the expedition, and the value of the reward which he demanded. The expence, moderate as it was, they reprefented to be too great for Spain, in the present exhausted state of its finances. They contended, that the honours and emoluments claimed by Columbus, were exorbi tant, even if he should perform the utmost of what he had promifed; and if all his fanguine hopes fhould prove illufive, fuch vaft conceffions to an adventurer would be deemed not only inconfide rate, but ridiculous. In this impofing garb of caution and prùdence, their opinion appeared fo plausible, and was fo warmly fupported by Ferdinand, that Ifabella declined giving any countenance to Columbus, and abruptly broke off the negociation with him which fhe had begun.

This was more mortifying to Columbus than all the difappointments which he had hitherto met with. The invitation to court from Isabella, like an unexpected ray of light had opened such profpects of fuccefs, as encouraged him to hope that his labours were at an end; but now darkness and uncertainty returned, and his mind, firm as it was, could hardly fupport the fhock of fuch an unforeseen reverse. He withdrew in deep anguifh from court, with an intention of profecuting his voyage to England, as his last refource.

About that time Granada furrendered, and Ferdinand and Isabella, in triumphal pomp, took poffeffion of a city, the reduction of which extirpated a foreign power from the heart of their dominions, and rendered them mafters of all the provinces, extending from the bottom of the Pyrenees to the frontiers of Portugal. As the flow of fpirits which accompanies fuccefs elevates the mind, and renders it enterprifing, Quintanilla and Santangel, the vigilant and difcerning patrons of Columbus, took advantage of this favourable fituation, in order to make one effort more in behalf of their friend. They addreffed themselves to Ifabella, and, after expreffing some surprise, that fhe who had always been the munificent patronefs of generous undertakings, should hefitate so long to countenance the most iplendid scheme that had ever been propoled to any monarch; they reprefented to her, that Columbus was a man of a found understanding and virtuous character, well qualified, by his experience in navigation, as well as his knowledge. of geometry, to form just ideas with respect to the structure of the globe and the fituation of its various regions; that, by offering to rifk his own life and fortune in the execution of his scheme, he gave the most fatisfying evidence both of his integrity and hope of fuccefs; that the fum requifite for equipping such an armament as he demanded was inconfiderable, and the advantages which might accrue from his undertaking were immense; that he demanded no recompence for his invention and labour, but what was to arise from the countries which he should discover; that, as it was worshy of her magnanimity to make this noble attempt to extend the sphere of human knowledge, and to open an intercourse with regions hitherto unknown, fo it would afford the highest satisfaction to her piety and zeal, after re-establishing the Christian faith in those provinces of Spain from which it had been long banished, to discover a new world, to which the might communicate the light and blessings of divine truth; that if now she did not decide inftantly, the opportunity would be irretrievably loft: that Columbus was on his way to foreign countries, where fome prince, more fortunate or adventurous, would clofe with his propofals, and Spain would for ever bewail the fatal timidity which had excluded her from the glory and advantages that he had once in her power have enjoyed.

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Thefe forcible arguments, urged by perfons of fuch authority. and at a juncture fo well chofen, produced the defired effect, They difpelled all Ifabella's doubts and fears; fhe ordered Columbus to be inftantly recalled, declared her resolution of employing him on his own terms, and regretting the low ftate of her finances, generously offered to pledge her own jewels, in order to raise as much money as might be needed in making preparations for the

voyage. Santangel, in a tranfport of gratitude, kiffed the Queen's hand, and in order to fave her from having recourse to such a mortifying expedient for procuring money, engaged to advance immediately the fum that was requifite.

Columbus had proceeded fome leagues on his journey, when the meffenger from Ifabella overtook him. Upon receiving an account of the unexpected revolution in his favour, he returned directly to Santo Fé, though some remainder of diffidence ftill mingled itfelf with his joy. But the cordial reception which he met with from Ifabella, together with the near profpect of fetting out upon that voyage which had fo long been the object of his thoughts and wifhes, foon effaced the remembrance of all that he had fuffered in Spain, during eight tedious years of folicitation and fufpence, The negociation now went forward with facility and difpatch, and a treaty of capitulation with Columbus was figned on the feventeenth of April, one thousand four hundred and ninety-two. The chief articles of it were, 1. Ferdinand and Isabella, as fovereigns of the ocean, conftituted Columbus their high admiral in all the feas, iflands, and continents which fhould be difcovered by his induftry; and ftipulated, that he and his heirs for ever fhould enjoy this office, with the fame powers and prerogatives which belonged to the high admiral of Caftile, within the limits of his jurisdiction. 2. They appointed Columbus their viceroy in all the islands and continents which he fhould difcover; but if, for the better administration of affairs, it should hereafter be neceffary to establish a separate governor in any of those countries, they authorised Columbus to name three perfons, of whom they would chufe one for that office; and the dignity of viceroy, with all its immunities, was likewife to be hereditary in the family of Columbus. 3. They granted to Columbus and his heirs for ever the tenth of the free profits accruing from the productions and commerce of the countries which he fhall difcover. 4. They declared, that if any controverfy or law-fuit fhall arife with refpect to any mercantile tranfaction in the countries which should be discovered, it should be determined by the fole authority of Columbus, or of judges to be appointed by him. 5. They permitted Columbus to advance onc-eighth part of what fhould be expended in preparing for the expedition, and in carrying on commerce with the countries 'which he fhould difcover, and intitled him, in return, to an eighth part of the profit.

Though the name of Ferdinand appears conjoined with that of Ifabella in this tranfaction,his distrust of Columbus was ftill fo violent that he refused to take any part in the enterprise as King of Arragon. As the whole expence of the expedition was to be defrayed by the crown of Caftile, Ifabella referved for her fubjeft»