Page:The life of Christopher Columbus.djvu/94

70 travellers, his relish for cosmography drew him into relations with the travellers of various nations who arrived in Italy, and went to Rome, the centre of Christianity and the permanent source of civilization.

From the only two fragments that have come down to us of the correspondence between Columbus and Toscanelli, it is seen: —

First. That previously to the month of June, 1474, Columbus had communicated to the learned Florentine his project of navigating westwards. Toscanelli forwarded to him a copy of a letter which a few days before he had sent the canon Fernando Martinez in answer to one the latter had written him on the part of the King of Portugal. Now, this letter was dated the twenty-fifth of June, 1474.

Secondly. That Toscanelli took a lively interest in the letters of Columbus; that he judged his reaching the Orient by sailing westwards a grand and noble idea; and that already Columbus had mentioned to him the invaluable advantages that would result from it to Christianity. We beg our readers to remark this fact and the date; for, in this single word Christianity, were summed up the object, the completion, and the recompense of the idea of Columbus.

Eighteen months had elapsed, during which the project was matured.

In 1476, Columbus, having attained his fortieth year, resolved to attempt the realization of his plan. For that purpose his eyes naturally turned to his own country. He was desirous of associating her in the honor of such a discovery. Some Portuguese writers have pretended that Columbus had first offered to Portugal the first fruits of his project. Some historians, who have not been able to comprehend this sublime character, have repeated it after