s, in his ignorance, risked
all and vanquished all.

"Dragging up drowned honor by the locks,"

as says our Shakespeare. Columbus is America's benefactor. He showed
the Puritans a New World, toward whose shores to sail, and behind whose
harbor-bar to cast anchor. Nothing can invalidate these claims. Honor
him who honors us in giving us a rendezvous for liberty and
civilization. This mood of history Washington Irving caught, and
because he did, I honor him. He was sagacious. He did not traduce a
hero, but enthroned him. In short, Irving behaved toward Christopher
Columbus as a historian and a gentleman, and set Americans a pattern in
history-writing in that they should be the historiographers of their
own world. This Nestor's lessons were heard and heeded. If you care
to read Irving's various historical writings, the logic of these
writings will appear. America was his home and love. He thought to
write the story of how a brave man gave a world this huge room it knew
not of. Loyalty made him historian. His researches gave him
familiarity with Spanish archives. The movement of the era touched
him; for Irving was susceptible to the finer moods of literature, as
any who reads the "Sketch-book" knows; and once having set foot on
Spanish historical _terra firma_, he began a journey as a traveler
might. America led Irving to Columbus, Columbus led him to Spain,
Spain led him to Mohammedism, and Mohammedism led him to Mohammed. How
natural his literary travels! Consider the consecutiveness of his
historical attempts: "Life of Columbus," "Spanish Voyages," "Conquest
of Grenada," "Conquest of Spain," "Moorish Chronicles," and "Life of
Mohammed." The influence of this historical research, too, you shall
find in reading his romances: "Wolfert's Roost," "Legends of the
Conquest of Spain," "Bracebridge Hall," and "Alhambra."

Patriotism taught Irving's Clio to find her voice. Nor must we forget,
in any estimate of Irving's service, his biography of Washington. This
is his tribute to the battle-days of his beloved America.

In strict affinity with Irving in the time of his history is Prescott.
This man is a distinguished historian. To history he devoted his life,
and to such effect that he is to be ranked among the masters of history
among the ages. America attracted him as it had attracted Irving. The
era of the discovery enticed him as the voyage had enticed Columbus.
"Ferdinand and Isabella" are the