Page:The Life of George Washington, Volume 1.djvu/32

 impression on Spain, inspired very generally throughout Europe the desire of sharing with that nation, the glory, the wealth, and the dominion, to be acquired in the new world.

To accident the English historians attribute the failure of their sovereign to engage this distinguished man in his service. While Christopher Columbus proceeded to solicit, in person, at the court of Ferdinand and Isabella, those aids which were indispensably necessary to the prosecution of the grand schemes he had projected, his brother Bartholomew was dispatched to Henry VII. of England, for the purpose of engaging that cautious but sagacious monarch, to protect his enterprise.

On his passage, Bartholomew was unfortunately captured by pirates. After a long detention, he at length reached England, where his propositions were so favourably received by the sovereign of that nation, as to excite the opinion, that he would probably have acquired to himself and to his country, the honour and advantage of having first patronized this ever memorable voyage, had not the delays experienced by Bartholomew suspended the decision of Henry, until America was discovered under the auspices of Spain.

The impression, however, which Henry had received, prepared him in some measure for the important discoveries which were made, and