en, and it may be long before an unmistaken Prescott appears; but
meantime I should like to help young Americans to a general grasp of the
truths upon which coming histories will be based. This book is not a
history; it is simply a guideboard to the true point of view, the broad
idea,--starting from which, those who are interested may more safely go
forward to the study of details, while those who can study no farther
may at least have a general understanding of the most romantic and
gallant chapter in the history of America.

We have not been taught how astonishing it was that one nation should
have earned such an overwhelming share in the honor of giving us
America; and yet when we look into the matter, it is a very startling
thing. There was a great Old World, full of civilization: suddenly a New
World was found,--the most important and surprising discovery in the
whole annals of mankind. One would naturally suppose that the greatness
of such a discovery would stir the intelligence of all the civilized
nations about equally, and that they would leap with common eagerness
to avail themselves of the great meaning this discovery had for
humanity. But as a matter of fact it was not so. Broadly speaking, all
the enterprise of Europe was confined to one nation,--and that a nation
by no means the richest or strongest. One nation practically had the
glory of discovering and exploring America, of changing the whole
world's ideas of geography, and making over knowledge and business all
to herself for a century and a half. And Spain was that nation.

It was, indeed, a man of Genoa who gave us America; but he came as a
Spaniard,--from Spain, on Spanish faith and Spanish money, in Spanish
ships and with Spanish crews; and what he found he took possession of in
the name of Spain. Think what a kingdom Ferdinand and Isabella had then
besides their little garden in Europe,--an untrodden half world, in
which a score of civilized nations dwell to-day, and upon whose
stupendous area the newest and greatest of nations is but a patch! What
a dizziness would have seized Columbus could he have foreseen the
inconceivable plant whose unguessed seeds he held that bright October
morning in 1492!

It was Spain, too, that sent out the accidental Florentine whom a German
printer made godfather of a half world that we are barely sure he ever
saw, and are fully sure he deserves no credit for. To name America after
Amerigo Vespucci was such an igno