PRESCOTT, WILLLk31 HICKLING, LL.D., American historian, son of a distinguished_ lawyer and statesman, and grandson of col. William Prescott, an officer of the revolu tion, was b. at Salem, Mass., on May 4, 1796. He entered Harvard college in 1811, and graduated in 1814. During his college course, he had one eye blinded by a piece of bread playfully thrown by a. fellow-student, and his studies so affected the other that he was sent abroad for his health, and traveled in England, France, and Italy. On his return to America he married, and abandoned the study of law for literature. In 1819, he determined to devote 10 years to study, and the succeeding 10 to composition. He contributed, however, several papers to the North American Review, collected Mis cellanies. In 18•3 he was engaged in the study of Spanish literature, and selected materi als for his History of Ferdinand and Isabella. While engaged in this work, his sight failed, and, with the aid of a reader who knew no Spanish, he went through the seven quarto volumes of Mariana's history. After 10 years of painful labor his work was made ready for the press, and a few copies struck off for his friends, whose warm approval secured its publication in 1837 (3 vols. 8vo, Boston and London). 'It met with immediate success, and was translated into French, Spanish, and German. He next devoted six years to the History of the Conquest of Mexico (3 vols., 1843, London and New
York); and four years to the Conquest of Peru (2 vols., 1847). These careful, elaborate, and charmingly written works made for him a high reputation. He was chosen corre sponding member of the French institute; and, on his visit to Europe in 1850, he was received withthe highest distinction. In 1855, he published two volumes of his IlPftory of Philip IL, and a third volume in 1858, but left it unfinished. He died at Boston, Jan, 28, 1859. Mr. Prescott was an elegant scholar and writer, a man of a cheerful humor and affectionate character, methodical in his habits, and persevering in his pursuits. He walked five m. regularly every day, comprising as Le walked. He devoted five hours to literary labor, two hours to novel-reading, for the refreshment of his mind—Scott, Dick ens, Dumas, and Sue' being his favorite authors. He gave one-tenth of his ample income in charity, and divided his time between his winter mansion in Boston, a summer resi dence at Nahant, and a farm-house where he spent the autumn. In his large with the light carefully regulated for his imperfect vision., he wrote with a stylus each day what he had composed, which was then copied, read over, and carefully corrected. His life, by George Ticknor, was published in 1864.