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Considerable time was spent in collecting materials, especially from the archives of Madrid; and some idea of the disadvantages under which he labored at this period of his life, (1826) may be inferred from the fact, that he had to employ a reader to make him acquainted with the contents of the authorities he had to consult. His first reader was unacquainted with the Spanish language, which added to the difficulty; but he afterwards obtained the services of a more competent assistant, and matters went on more satisfactorily. In writing he had to make use of a writing case constructed for the use of the blind, which does not permit the writer to see what he himself has written, and it is said that Mr. Prescott never read nor corrected his own manuscript. The " History of Ferdinand and Isabella" was finished and published in 1838, simultaneously in London and Boston. It was received both in England and America, with universal favor, and at once established Mr. Prescott's reputation This great work was soon afterward translated into German, French, Spanish and Italian, and its author was elected a member of the Royal Academy of Madrid.

While engaged upon this work, Mr. Prescott contributed several valuable critical essays to the North American Review. These were-1. A review of Rose's translation of Ariosto. This drew upon him a sharp attack from Signor Da Ponte, an Italian teacher, in New York, to which Mr. Prescott replied 2. A review of Cunningham's "Songs of Scotland" 3. A review of Taschereau's Life of Moliere 4. A review of Washington Irving's "Conquest of Granada 5. Remarks on the bill for erecting an asylum for the blind-a subject on which he doubtless felt deeply 6. An essay on Iralian Poetry and Romance 7. A review of Sale's "Life of Cervantes" 8. A review of Lockhart's "Life of Scott."

Mr Prescott's sight had improved during these labors, and his progress in his next great work was more rapid. The "History of the Conquest of Mexico," appeared in 1843, and raised his reputation to its height. He was elected a member of numerous distinguished learned societies in Europe, and a corresponding member in the class of Moral and Pol tical Philosophy of the French Institute. His "History of the Conquest of Peru" was brought out in 1847, and became as universally read and admired as his previous works. He also wrote (in 1834) an elegant memoir of Charles Brockden Brown, the novelist, and he contributed further to the North American Review, a criticism of Chateaubriand's "English Literature," a review of Bancroft's United States, and one of Madame Calderon's "Life in Mexico." His next literary work was a new edition of Robertson's History of the reign of Charles the Fifth, with valuable notes, and a supplement, continuing the history to the death of that monarch. This appeared in 1856.

In 1850 he visited England, where he was welcomed with all the honor and enthusiasm that the distinguished in science and literature could of fer him; and the University of Oxford conferred on him the degree of Doctor of Civil Law. He now planned his last and most comprehensive work, "The History of the reign of Philip the Second," and collected a vast amount of materials for it. Of this, he lived to complete and publish three volumes, comprising about fifteen years of Philip's reign, leaving twenty-eight more to be treated; so that the work would, probably,

have extended to several additional volumes, had not death cut short the labors of the indefatigable writer.

To Prescott belongs the merit of having shown to Europe that America could produce historians worthy of being named with the most celebrated. He has raised the reputation of our literature abroad, and popularized it; and has given to the country and the world standard works which are "familiar as household words." His style is easy, graceful, and in the highest degree graphic. His histories interest us like a romance. He was eminently qualified for the peculiar walk of literature he had chosen, for he possessed unwearied patience in searching for materials, entire freedom from prejudice and dogmatism, a perfectly calm temper, great candor and judgment in balancing conflicting authorities, and a most picturesque mode of narrating facts. His death is a national loss; but now that he is gone, America will point to him with just pride as one of her illustrious sons, and posterity will assign him a niche by the side of Irving and Bancroft, in whose footsteps our countrymen, Motley and Palfrey, are now so successfully treading.

PLEASANT WORDS.

WE have not been in the habit of making any public acknowledgment of the kind notices taken of our Guardian by various papers. It might be construed as betraying a desire to praise our own magazine. As a general thing, we have left its contents to plead its merits, or exhibit its demerits. We are thankful, however, for the clever notices taken of our first number of the current year. As a specimen, we give the following from "The Missionary," a Lutheran church-paper, ably edited by Rev. Mr. Passavant, of Pittsburg.

"THE GUARDIAN. Edited by Rev. H. Harbaugh, Lancaster, Pa. This pleasant monthly begins its tenth volume with more than usual ability. An elegant engraving of "The Bride" is not the least of its attractions. The contributions from

the pen of the Editor, so original, varied, and interesting, give to the Guardian a freshness and a charm which we find in few of the many magazines which visit our sanctum.

We are indebted for similar favorable notices to the "German Reformed Messenger," Chambersburg, Pa., the "Lutheran Observer," Baltimore, Md., the "Western Missionary," Dayton, Ohio, the "Moravian," Phila., (now published at Bethlehem, Pa,) the "Lewisburg Chronicle," the "Saturday Express," Lancaster, and other papers. We shall labor still further to deserve this good opinion of the press, as well as that of our subscribers.

We also return our thanks to those friends who by letter and otherwise have promised to interest themselves for the extension of the Guardian in their localities. A specimen number will be sent at any time to such as require it. For the club rates we respectfully refer the reader to the Prospectus on the cover of the present number.

A LECTURE :

DELIVERED TO THE YOUNG MEN OF MANHEIM, FEBRUARY 11, 1859.

BY THE EDITOR.

WE cannot help remarking what a contrast there is between the spectacle before us, and what might be observed, at this hour, in other places. While the walls of this church are witnessing a large number of orderly young men, collected for mutual improvement, happy in the sober and quiet enjoyment of mind and heart, there are many at the corners of our streets, in public places of vain resort, in saloons for sensual indulgence, and at the gaming table, taking their first lessons in rudeness, vulgarity, profanity, rowdyism, and crime-thus gathering for themselves bitter treasures for after life.

The wisest man that has ever lived said-"The glory of young men is their strength." The loveliest and most loving of all the Apostles once said "I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong." This induces me to keep in mind, in addressing you this evening, that much good or evil to yourselves and to others depends upon what course you shall take in life. As young men, or as those who are just becoming young men, you are not only strong as possessing vigorous and elastic constitutions, but strong also in the position you occupy in society, and in your influence for weal or for woe in the community in which you live; and especially upon those of like age with yourselves, who with you must form the next generation. No wonder that Paul, that magnanimous moral hero, enjoined it upon Timothy, himself a young man, not to fo get this class of the community: "Young men likewise exhort to be sober-minded." It is remarkable that the expression, "young men," occurs about sevenly times in the holy Scriptures, and generally in reference to their influence for good or for evil upon society.

A moment's consideration will convince a close observer that young men are strong that they fill a large and prominent space in the general features of society. Young men, in a family, represent that family before the public either to its honor or to its disgrace. If their course of conduct is honorable, the families to which they belong are honored; if their conduct is disgraceful, the families to which they belong will share in that disgrace in the eyes of the public. It is a fact so general that it cannot have escaped the notice of any one, that throughout our land some of the highest and most respectable families have been dishonored by the bad conduct of their sons. On the other hand, how frequently have obscure parents been raised to notice and respect by the honorable and excellent conduct and character of their rising sons; so that an anx ous public, and history afterwards, have eagerly asked"Whose son is he?"

Neighborhoods, villages and cities, receive character abroad, to a great extent, from the conduct of their young men. It is these who are carried away from home by the spirit of enterprise, or by excursions of pleasure,

to neighboring places; and hence they do, of course, represent abroad the spirit and character where they reside; and strangers will judge of their native place according to the specimens which are thus brought to their view. We will venture the assertion that old settlers in this town, who have observed closely, know the general character of every neighborhood and smaller village around, by the representations which are given of it by the conduct of the young men who appear here, from these places, on public occasions. So in our cities, almost every street and corner has a certain character, which it has received from the conduct and general character of its young men. Is it not true, then, that young men make up a prominent feature of the general character of society? What an obligation does this lay upon the young men of a place, to honor it by an honorable and excellent course of conduct and life!Should all the young men of your age in this town become profane, vulgar, and shameless street rowdies, then indeed might we exclaim, in anguish of heart-"The beauty of Israel is slain upon thy high places: how are the mighty fallen!"

It must also be remembered that the ranks of manly, middle life, are constantly filling up from the ranks of the young. Experience teaches, also, that very few of those who have had a bad training in youth change. their course and character in middle life. It is as easy for an Ethiopian to change his skin, or for a leopard to change his spots, as for those who have been thus ripened in evil to change their course in middle life. Few rivers are turned into a new channel when once they sweep along in the full tide of their strength; and equally few turn to a new course of life when once the strong current of middle life is bearing them on towards their destiny.

To those of your age, upon whom life is just opening in smiles, how very important is care and caution. Look well to your chart, and see that you sail in a safe direction.

Here I must speak a few words as a minister, or I cannot speak as a friend. This world in which you are to live and act your part, is a fallen world, filled with sin and defilements. Eden, with its holy scenes, is nowhere to be found in this outer darkness of moral ruin. The very earth on which we walk is cursed and unclean by traces and tracks of sin.Though there are some beautiful ties remaining, which bind it together and cover its deformity, yet these are but as flowery vines that stray out over ruins to hide its dreary desolations, and form a better covert for hissing serpents or ominous birds of night. We should be cautious in plucking these flowers, or reposing in the arbors formed from the foliage which only hides danger.

Evil society meets us on all sides with a polluting grasp, and is ready to invite and draw us into its unclean embrace. To all our senses existing evil presents some of its defilements. To our eyes appear the pride and vanity of life-to our ears its profanity, the whispers of unbelief, and the siren seducements of forbidden pleasures. In the strong language of a holy man, "our habitation is in the midst of deceit."

To these outward influences of evil to which you, as young men, are exposed, must be added the inward dispositions to evil which are found by nature in all. Temptations from abroad would be comparatively. - powerless, were the heart always well fortified with a holy repugnance

to evil. Outward foes are weak, when the camp and the fort are strong. But, alas in many cases, the heart not only lies defencelessly open to temptation, but has itself a strong love to be carried away by its besiegNot only open to evil, but loving it and going after it.

ers.

"See where rebellious passions rage,

And fierce desires and lusts engage;
The meanest foe of all that train

Has thousands and ten thousands slain."

I need not tell you, my young friends, that thousands of young men have failed to stand this trial of virtue! They have yielded to the seducements of vice, in one or other of its hydra forms, and ended their course in ruin and shame. Many an one, upon whom the morning of life dawned as brightly and hopefully as it does upon you, has found his way to the ranks of the rotten sot, into the fellowship of rowdies and rioters-to the board of the night-loving gambler-and at last to the forlorn and forsaken outskirts of society, if not to the dungeon and the gallows!making fearful shipwreck of health, character, and all that makes life pleasant and eternity desirable. Well may we exclaim, in view of the dangers which threaten :

"Oh! Pilot, these are fearful seas,
There's danger on the deep !"

Do you, young friends, this evening expect from me some advice? I will venture it, believing that you will receive it as well intended, and use it for your good. The ground of my advice shall all be contained in three short words. If you will be worthy, in deed and in truth, of your position and privileges, be Sober-be Intelligent-be Good.

Be Sober. To this you are solemnly bound; and this is absolutely necessary to full and final success in any enterprise. A great man, a holy man, an inspired man, a man who was himself an example of moral heroism such as the world never saw, has said "Every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things" No fact is better established than that intemperance enfeebles the body, enervates the mind, and weakens the moral purpose. No one became ever truly great who was its slave; or, if even some eminence has been attained by any, it was only like a castle in ruins on a mount, a monument to his own disgrace, and a subject for gloomy reflections to the passer by. The way of the intemperate is the way to sure ruin and shame-their path "takes hold

o hell!"

To avoid this path is wisdom. It is much easier not to enter upon it, than, having entered, to retrace our steps. In this respect the old proverb is beautifully applicable-"An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure." The habit is entirely acquired; it is much easier to let it alone than to learn it: for it is repulsive, and evidently against nature, to drink strong drink. When first taken the system recoils at it in sickening disgust; and it is not until ruin, to some extent, has taken place in the system that it can be taken without the most unpleasant sensations.

Hence, then, we see the wisdom of early caution and care on the part of the young to go safely upon the preventive principle. Seeing, in the example of others, the danger afar off, determine that you yourselves will never enter upon the path that has led others to ruin. Be faithful

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