This letter has a significance which raises it out of the ruck of this complaining correspondence.  Amerigo Vespucci had just returned from his long voyage in the West, when he had navigated along an immense stretch of the coast of America, both north and south, and had laid the foundations of a fame which was, for a time at least, to eclipse that of Columbus.  Probably neither of the two men realised it at this interview, or Columbus would hardly have felt so cordially towards the man who was destined to rob him of so much glory.  As a matter of fact the practical Spaniards were now judging entirely by results; and a year or two later, when the fame of Columbus had sunk to insignificance, he was merely referred to as the discoverer of certain islands, while Vespucci, who after all had only followed in his lead, was hailed as the discoverer of a great continent.  Vespucci has been unjustly blamed for this state of affairs, although he could no more control the public estimate of his services than Columbus could.  He was a more practical man than Columbus, and he made a much better impression on really wise and intelligent men; and his discoveries were immediately associated with trade and colonial development, while Columbus had little to show for his discoveries during his lifetime but a handful of gold dust and a few cargoes of slaves.  At any rate it was a graceful act on the part of Vespucci, whose star was in the ascendant, to go and seek out the Admiral, whose day was fast verging to night; it was one of those disinterested actions that live and have a value of their own, and that shine out happily amid the surrounding murk and confusion.

Letter signed by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, his Son, February 25, 1505.

“Very dear son,—­The Licientiate de Zea is a person whom I desire to honour.  He has in his charge two men who are under prosecution at the hands of justice, as shown by the information which is inclosed in this letter.  See that Diego Mendez places the said petition with the others, that they may be given to his Highness during Holy Week for pardon.  If the pardon is granted, it is well, and if not, look for some other manner of obtaining it.  May our Lord have you in His Holy keeping.  Done in Seville, February 25, 1505.  I wrote you and sent it by Amerigo Vespucci.  See that he sends you the letter unless you have already received it.

     “Your father. 
                    Xpo FERENS.//”

This is the last letter of Columbus known to us otherwise an entirely unimportant document, dealing with the most transient affairs.  With it we gladly bring to an end this exposure of a greedy and querulous period, which speaks so eloquently for itself that the less we say and comment on it the better.