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CHAPTER XXIX.

CHARACTER OF COLUMBUS.

THE character of Columbus, as portrayed by his actions, does not belie the impression given by his son's description of his personal appearance. Hypocrisy is largely predominant; to this revolting trait, to the shame of humanity be it said, he owes

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most of his fame, for the Church, charmed with the devotion he professed, has chanted his praises, and crushed any historian who would not join in them, as long as her power was sufficient. In our own day M. Roselly de Lorgues writes an enthusiastic and

ecstatic panegyric, in which he relieves himself of his overbur dening admiration by exclaiming, in huge capitals, "COLUMBUS WAS A SAINT!" And even American writers would warn off, as from sacred precincts, the profane who, creeping around the idol, would spy its feet of clay.

This blind partiality is, as we have said, in great measure due to Columbus's professions of religious zeal. This "great navigator," who had spent all his life at sea, cannot, on entering upon his self-styled "holy mission," even speak in the language of seamen; he discards all nautical parlance, substituting religious terms "I sailed so many leagues between vespers and complines." He sailed in the name of the Blessed Virgin, the Holy Trinity, and Jesus Christ. He commanded his ship, appropriately (?)" clad in an humble garb, resembling in form and color the habit of a Franciscan monk, simply girded with a cord, and suffered his beard to grow like the brethren of that order." Three times out of four, when lots are cast to decide who shall perform certain penance, by the skillful manipulation of a marked bean he causes the lot to fall miraculously to him, "to show," his son modestly observes, "that his offerings were more acceptable to God than those of others."

All this religious affectation disgusts the truly reverent mind. Above all, when we find what atrocious acts were committed under its protection, and how widely the actions of Columbus differed from his professions when he had attained his end, and was far from all who could bring him to account.

On reaching the island of San Salvador, his first act was, we are told, to fall on his face and kiss the sand; his next, to take possession for Castile; his third, to make all swear allegiance to him as Viceroy of India. This done, he proceeded at leisure to capture the unoffending natives, and bear them into slavery. Years later, when his cruel government had driven Spaniards and natives alike to desperation, so that they sent across the ocean piteous appeals to be relieved from so merciless a tyrant, we find him accused of refusing to permit the baptism of these unfortunate Indians, for the welfare of whose souls he had professed such solicitude, because by embracing Christianity they exempted themselves from slavery, and could no longer minister to his love of gain.

His son tells us: "He was so strict in religious matters, that,

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for fasting and saying the divine offices, he might be thought professed in some religious order. So great was his aversion to swearing and cursing, that I protest I never heard him swear any other oath than by San Fernando, and when in the greatest passion with anybody he would vent his spleen by saying, 'God take you, for doing so and so.' When he was to write, his way of trying his pen was by writing the words 'Jesus cum Maria fit nobis in via," and that in such a character as might very well serve to get his bread."

The praises here given are somewhat equivocal. He does not say his father's life and acts were such as to render him a

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bright example of goodness, but that, for praying and fasting, he might be thought to belong to some holy order. In matters pertaining to religion both father and son seem to have depended more upon the form than the substance; for reality and practical piety they substituted show and profession, and were far from conceiving the ideal of the poet who wrote:

"He prayeth best who loveth best

All creatures great and small,
For the good God who loveth us,
Hath made and loved them all."

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FAC SIMILE OF THE HANDWRITING AND SIGNATURE OF COLUMBUS.-(From his MSS. deposited at Genoa.) 161

161 The above specimen of this exquisite handwriting would seem to suggest that copywere at a premium.

PROFANITY OF COLUMBUS.

355

To try one's pen with the words recorded by Fernando hardly suits the inspiration of genuine reverence, while the gentle oath, uttered with due vehemence, must have fully answered its purpose, and is vigorous enough to meet the requirements of the modern Anglo-Saxon.

From some such original as Columbus, Molière must have draw his inimitable "Tartufe," who is disturbed by the sin of having caught a flea while at prayers, and dispatched him with anger; who advertises his wearing a hair shirt, and, withal, would rob his dupe of home, fortune, and honor. Does not the following seem strangely applicable to our hero?

"The profession of hypocrite has marvelous advantages. How many thus redeem the scandal of youth, and, sagely making a buckler and cloak of religion, indulge their favorite sins with impunity! When found out, they are far from losing credit. A penitent air, a sigh of mortification, two turns of the eyes, and all goes on as before!"

No character in history has more truly, or, as regards posterity, more successfully made a cloak of religion wherewith to hide an ungodly life, than did Christopher Columbus. But hypocrisy availed him less in his own day. He himself, as we have shown, bears witness to the depth of ignominy into which he had fallen in the estimation of his fellow-men. Throughout his history, by whomsoever recounted, distrust and aversion are traceable in those of every rank and degree who had dealings with him, from the sovereigns to the "graceless cook."

Apparently no depravity could be attributed to him which was too gross for belief, and it was but natural and fitting that his ostentatious devotion and pious punctilio should augment the odium in which he was held, while the manner in which he represented himself as the chosen of God, THE CHRIST-BEARER, and the familiar terms in which he speaks of the Deity, are revolting in their blasphemy and hypocrisy.

But the feature of his life which chiefly troubles his would-be canonizers is his private moral character, in which are many ugly flaws which they are anxious to conceal or explain. Among these is his open and notorious illicit amour with Beatrix Enriquez of Cordova, which continued during a series of years. Of this there can be little doubt, notwithstanding the illogical and unsuccessful attempts of Messrs. De Lorgues and Cadoret to

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