by his boots.

"To exemplify what has just been remarked, by the picture at my side,"
proceeded Mr. Blyth. "The moment sought to be represented is sunrise
on the 12th of October, 1492, when the great Columbus first saw land
clearly at the end of his voyage. Observe, now, in the upper portions
of the composition, how the spirit of the age is mystically developed
before the spectator. Of the two winged female figures hovering in the
morning clouds, immediately over Columbus and his ship, the first is the
Spirit of Discovery, holding the orb of the world in her left hand, and
pointing with a laurel crown (typical of Columbus's fame) towards the
newly-discovered Continent. The other figure symbolizes the Spirit of
Royal Patronage, impersonated by Queen Isabella, Columbus's warm
friend and patron, who offered her jewels to pay his expenses, and
who, throughout his perilous voyage, was with him in spirit, as here
represented. The tawny figure with feathered head, floating hair,
and wildly-extended pinions, soaring upward from the western horizon,
represents the Genius of America advancing to meet her great discoverer;
while the shadowy countenances, looming dimly through the morning mist
behind her, are portrait-types of Washington and Franklin, who would
never have flourished in America, if that continent had not been
discovered, and who are here, therefore, associated prophetically with
the first voyagers from the Old World to the New."

Pausing once more, Mr. Blyth used his explanatory wand freely on the
Spirit of Discovery, the Spirit of Royal Patronage, and the Genius
of America--not forgetting an indicative knock a-piece for the embryo
physiognomies of Washington and Franklin. Everybody's eyes followed the
progress of the wand vacantly; but nobody spoke, except Mr. Hemlock,
who frowned and whispered--"Bosh!" to Mr. Bullivant; who smiled, and
whispered--"Quite so," to Mr. Hemlock.

"Let me now ask your attention," resumed Valentine, "to the same mystic
style of treatment, as carried from the sky into the sea. Writhing
defeated behind Columbus's ship, in the depths of the transparent
Atlantic, you have shadowy types of the difficulties and enemies that
the dauntless navigator had to contend with. Crushed headlong into the
waters, sinks first the Spirit of Superstition, delineated by monastic
robes--the council of monks having set itself against Columbus from the
very first. Behind the Spirit of Superstition, and imper