iscoveries
made by men of genius. If it should be asked, how men first came upon
the continent of America? Is it not easily answered, that they were
placed there by the same power who causes trees and grass to grow?

14. The reply which Columbus made to some of those who envied him the
high reputation he had gained, is still famous. These people pretended
that nothing could be more easy than the discoveries he had made; upon
which he proposed to them to set an egg upright on one of its ends; but
when they had tried in vain to do it, he broke one end of the egg, and
set it upright with ease. They told him any one could do that: How comes
it then, replied Columbus, that not one among you thought of it? This
story is related of Brunelleschi, who improved architecture at Florence
many years before Columbus was born. Most bon-mots are only the
repetition of things that have been said before.

15. The ashes of Columbus cannot be affected by the reputation he gained
while living, in having doubled for us the works of the creation. But
mankind delight to do justice to the illustrious dead, either from a
vain hope that they enhance thereby the merit of the living, or that
they are naturally fond of truth.

16. Americo Vespucci, whom we call Americus Vespusius, a merchant of
Florence, had the honour of giving his name to this new half of the
globe, in which he did not possess one acre of land, and pretended to be
the first who discovered the continent. But supposing it true, that he
was the first discoverer, the glory was certainly due to him who had the
penetration and courage to undertake and perform the first voyage:
Honour, as Newton says in his dispute with Leibnitz, is due only to the
first inventor; and those that follow after are only his scholars.

17. Columbus had made three voyages as admiral and viceroy, five years
before Americas Vespusius had made one as a geographer, under the
command of admiral Ojeda; but the latter, writing to his friends at
Florence, that he had discovered a new world, they believed him on his
word, and the citizens of Florence decreed, that a grand illumination
should be made before the door of his house every three years, on the
feast of All Saints. And yet, could this man be said to deserve any
honours, for happening to be on board a fleet that, in 1489; sailed
along the coast of Brazil, when Columbus had, five years before, pointed
out the way to the rest of the world?

18. There has la