BOOK I. Fame and progiefs of veries. EXTRAVAGANT as this donation, compre hending, fuch a large portion of the habitable globe, would now appear, even in Catholic countries, no perfon in the fifteenth century doubted that the Pope, in the plenitude of his apoftolic power, had a right to confer it. Prince Henry was foon fenfible of the advantages which he derived from this tranfaction. His schemes were authorised and fanctified by the bull approving of them. The fpirit of discovery was connected with zeal, for religion, which, in that age, was a principle of fuch activity and vigour, as to influence the conduct of nations. Chriftian princes were deterred from intruding into thofe countries which the Portuguese had difcovered, or from interrupting the progrefs of their navigation and conquefts". All THE fame of the Portuguese voyages foon The Portu- fpread over Europe. Men, long accustomed to guefe difcc- circumfcribe the activity and knowledge of the human mind within the limits to which they had been hitherto confined, were astonished to behold the sphere of navigation so fuddenly enlarged, and a profpect opened of visiting regions of the globe, the exiftence of which was unknown in former times. The learned and fpeculative rea Y See NOTE X. foned foned and formed theories concerning thofe un expected discoveries. The vulgar inquired and wondered; while enterprising adventurers crowded from every part of Europe, foliciting Prince Henry to employ them in this honourable fervice, Many Venetians and Genoefe, in particular, who were, at that time, fuperior to all other nations in the fcience of naval affairs, entered aboard the Portuguese fhips, and acquired a more perfect and extenfive knowledge of their profeffion in that new fchool of navigation. In emulation of thefe foreigners, the Portuguese exerted their own talents. The nation feconded the defigns of the prince. Private merchants formed companies, with a view to fearch for unknown countries. The Cape de Verd iflands, which lie off the promontory of that name, were difcovered, and foon after the ifles called Azores. As the former of thefe are above three hundred miles from the African coaft, and the latter nine hundred miles from any continent, it is evident, by their venturing fo boldly into the open feas, that the Portuguefe had, by this time, improved greatly in the art of naviga tion. Prince WHILE the paffion for engaging in new un, Death dertakings was thus warm and active, it received an unfortunate check by the death of Prince 1455. Henry. I. to 1403. BOOK Henry, whofe fuperior knowledge had hitherto directed all the operations of the discoverers, and whose patronage had encouraged and protected them. But notwithstanding all the advantages which they derived from thefe, the Portuguese, during his life, did not advance, in their utmost progrefs towards the fouth, within five degrees. of the equinoctial line; and, after their conFrom 1412 tinued exertions for half a century, hardly fifteen hundred miles of the coaft of Africa were difcovered. To an age acquainted with the efforts of navigation in its ftate of maturity and improvement, those effays of its early years must. neceffarily appear feeble and unfkilful. But, inconfiderable as they may be deemed, they were fufficient to turn the curiofity of the European nations into a new channel, to excite an enterprising spirit, and to point the way to future difcoveries. The paffion for difcovery lan guishes for fome time. ALPHONSO, who poffeffed the throne of Portugal at the time of Prince Henry's death, was fo much engaged in fupporting his own pretenfions to the crown of Caftile, or in carrying on his expeditions against the Moors in Barbary, that the force of his kingdom being exerted in other operations, he could not profecute the discoveries in Africa with ardour. He committed the conduct of them to Fernando Gomez, a merchant I. in Lisbon, to whom he granted an exclufive BOOK right of commerce with all the countries of which Prince Henry had taken poffeffion. Under the restraint and oppreffion of a monopoly, the fpirit of discovery languished. It ceased to be a national object, and became the concern of a private man, more attentive to his own gain, than to the glory of his country. Some progrefs,, however, was made. The Portuguese ventured at length to cross the line, and, to their astonishment, found that region of the torrid zone, which was fuppofed to be fcorched with intolerable. heat, to be not only habitable, but populous and fertile. JOHN II. who fucceeded his father Alphonfo, poffeffed talents capable both of forming and executing great defigns. As part of his revenues, while prince, had arifen from duties on the trade with the newly-difcovered countries, this naturally turned his attention towards them, and fatisfied him with refpect to their utility and importance. In proportion as his knowledge of thefe countries extended, the poffeffion of them appeared to be of greater confequence. While the Portuguese proceeded along the coaft of Africa, from Cape Non to the river of Senegal, they found all that extensive tract to be sandy, barren, and thinly inhabited by a wretched people, 1471. 1481. Revives with additional ar dour. I. BOOK people, profeffing the Mahometan religion, and fubject to the vaft empire of Morocco. But to the fouth of that river, the power and religion of the Mahometans were unknown. The country was divided into fmall independent principalities, the population was confiderable, the foil fertile, and the Portuguese foon discovered that it produced ivory, rich gums, gold, and other valuable commodities. By the acquifition of thefe, commerce was enlarged, and became more adventurous. Men, animated and rendered active by the certain profpect of gain, purfued discovery with greater eagerness, than when they were excited only by curiofity and hope. Its progrefs. 1484. THIS fpirit derived no fmall reinforcement of vigour from the countenance of fuch a monarch as John. Declaring himself the patron of every attempt towards difcovery, he promoted it with all the ardour of his grand-uncle Prince Henry, and with superior power, The effects of this were immediately felt. A powerful fleet was fitted out, which, after difcovering the kingdoms of Benin and Congo, advanced above fifteen hundred miles beyond the line, and the 'Portu Navigatio Aloyfii Cadamufti apud Novum Orbem Grynæi, p. 2. 18. Navigat. all Ifola di San Tome per un Pilotto Portugh. Ramufio, i. 115, guefe, |