and every discovery made, gave life and encouragement to brave
adventurers.

[Sidenote] A project of Columbus for attempting a discovery.

About this period Christopher Columbus, a native of Genoa, appeared, who
was a man of great ingenuity, courage, and abilities, and had acquired
better notions of the globe, and greater skill in navigation, than any of
his cotemporaries. Imagining there might be territories in the west to
balance those in the east he directed all his views to that quarter, and
was eagerly bent on a voyage of discovery. He drew a plan for the
execution of his project, which, together with a map of the world, he
laid before his countrymen, shewing them what grandeur and advantage
would accrue to their state, should he prove successful. But the leading
men of the republic considered his project as wild and chimerical, and
shamefully treated him with neglect. Though mortified at this ill usage,
he nevertheless remained inflexible as to his purpose, and therefore
determined to visit the different courts of Europe, and offer his service
to that sovereign who should give him the greatest encouragement and
assistance.

While he resolved to go in person to France, Spain and Portugal, he sent
his brother Bartholomew to England; which nation had now seen an end of
her bloody civil wars, and begun to encourage trade and navigation. But
Bartholomew, in his passage, was unfortunately taken by pirates, and
robbed of all he had; and, to augment his distress, was seized with a
fever after his arrival, and reduced to great hardships. After his
recovery, he spent some time in drawing charts and maps, and selling
them, before he was in a condition to appear at court. At length, being
introduced to the king, he laid before him his brother's proposals for