PRESCOTT, William Hickling, American historian: b. Salem, Mass., 4 May 1796; d. Bos ton, 28 Jan. 1859. In 1811 he entered Harvard College and was graduated in 1814. He long had trouble with his eyesight. which eventually became so weak that during the latter half of his life he could read only for a few moments at a time, and could scarcely see to write at all. He had early resolved to devote himself to a literary life and soon after leaving college went to Europe and spent two years in traveling through England, France and Italy. The sub ject for which his inclination and abilities more especially fitted him was history and he pub lished his
The labors of Prescott afford a remarkable instance of the success of indomitable indus try and perseverance carried out in the face of what might otherwise appear almost insur mountable obstacles. Partial blindness pre venting him from consulting personally the authorities from which he drew his materials, he had them read aloud to him. His first reader knew, however, no language but English. The historian *taught him,' as he says, *to pro nounce the Castilian, suited, I suspect, much more to my ear than to that of a Spaniard? He afterward obtained the services of a reader acquainted with several of the Continental lan guages. Prescott's contemporaries laid strong
emphasis and not unjustly, on the thoroughness of his research. But unfortunately'modern dis covery had done much to correct his\-pictures of early American civilization, for his informa tion on which he had no recourse save the Sloan ish chroniclers. Hence