Of the pretensions of the Welsh, or the attempts of the Scandinavians, we have no reason to believe that Columbus ,had any knowledge ; and since the claim of Behaim is extremely doubtful, we may still consider the Genoese navigator as entitled to his full share of honour in the discovery of America.
At a time when darkness had long settled upon Eu rope, when science was beginning only to lift its head, and the guides to knowledge were few, and often igno rant themselves, Christopher Columbus of Genoa fir med the design of crossing the Atlantic, in search of new countries towards the west. This extraordinary man was led to the belief that these countries existed, by a number of conspiring circumstances. Though, in the fifteenth century, the information of such as addic ted themselves to geographical inquiries, was incorrect as well as narrow ; though philosophers had at this time made but little progress in the search after truth ; yet certain steps had been taken, and certain observations recorded, which, if not highly useful in themselves, were very beneficial in the consequences to which they gave rise. Even in that age, those who were accustomed to read and to reflect, had formed pretty accurate ideas with regard to the magnitude of the earth. From the sha dow which is thrown upon the moon in an eclipse of that satellite, they had inferred, that the globe on which we live was round. It was perceived, that Europe, Asia, and Africa, occupied but a small portion of our planet ; and it seemed to be altogether unlik, lv, that the remaining part was covered with a vast and joy les. ocean, unsupplied With continents or islands intendi d forme residence ol man. Marcus Paulus, a Vein good kindly, and others, oho Inul travelled by land into India, and penctl'attil tido the reOlnis Ix yolio the Gan gcs, had related, that the .1siatif countries stretchy d far towards tie east ; so that, the lottiw.ity of the caul, being known, it was obvious that they ieighi be rear In d by holding a course directly. wt ht, sooner and more i er tainty than by any other way. The eflieta y of these reasonings was confirmed by other eireinnstano s of an inferior, but perhaps oh a more striknig nature. St %era, pieces of wood, nicely carved, anti apparently distant COUlitn, had been thrown upon the western «iiist, 01 the Alaueirits. A tree, likewise, of a species
which Europeans were num:tin:tin ed, had been taken tip near the Azores ; and, what was still noire decisive, the bodies of two men, of a strange colour, and unusual ap pearance:, had been tumid upon the coast. Frum all these circumstances Columbus inferred, that the lauds which he alterwards visited really existed ; and that they might unquestionably be reached by hollowing the course v•hich lie pointed out Still, however, the ex:st ence of these lands was nothing more than a plausible conjecture ; and it might have remained as such in the thoughts or the books of the ingenious, if Columbus had not been prompted by considerations of a more effec tual nature, to ascertain whether they could actually be visited.
To discover a passage to the East Indies by sea, was at this time the great uuj•ct ol investigation. The 'Ve netians had long engrossed the profitable trade of that country ; and their wealth, arising chiefly !rum this source, had excited the envy :old the hatred of all the European kingdoms. From the beginnin; of the fif teenth century, tile Portuguese nay igators had been stretching towards the south ol Africa ; and had fi.ould. in opposition to the ancient geographers, that the torrid zone was habitable. It was the of bold and haz ardous adventure. The human mind was to its utmost activity. Whatever appeared to he true, or even remotely probable, was hist:mil) ascertained by di rect and fearless experiment. New islands were dis covered ; unknown regions WI re traversed and explored. Partly by design, and partly by the violence of the winds, the Portuguese had doubled the Cape of Good Hope, and reached the coast of Malabar ; they had tra ded successfully with the inhabitants of India ; and the riches of eastern commerce had been poured into their native country. To find, therefore, a shutter, and more definite route to India, was the immediate object of Co lumbus, in proposing to undertake a voyage of dis covery. The riches of the east were the bribe vv hick lie held out to the sovereign, or the state, that should enable him to execute his purpose ; and it is not to be denied, that the prospect of wealth had a similar effect upon himself.