Complete Works of Edmund Burke

by Edmund Burke

  He embarked upon his fourth voyage in May 1502. His design was to stand directly for the coast of South-America, and keep along the Northern shore until he came to the place where he heard an obscure account of some narrow streight, (whether a streight or isthmus was not so clear from the accounts he had); and by this, if a streight, he hoped to pass into the great South-Sea. After so very long a voyage as his had been to America, and the discovery of a continent which was not that of India, nor that of China; he saw clearly that the maps were no longer in the least to be relied on; he therefore depended solely upon his own ideas. He reviewed the bearings of all the countries which his former experience, or his late discoveries had opened to him; he considered the figure of the earth in general; he reasoned upon the ballance and distribution of the land and water; and comparing all these he concluded, that beyond the continent he had discovered was another ocean, probably as great or greater than that he had formerly passed; if this were so, then it was probable too that these oceans had some communication. He judged it to be near those places since called Veragua and Nombre de Dios; but not thinking his ships so fit for that voyage, he proposed to put into Hispaniola to change there, and make some new dispositions. Before he came into the harbour, he judged it necessary to give the new governor Obando notice of his arrival, and the reasons which determined him to put in here. Columbus, whilst he navigated and resided in the West-Indies, was extremely diligent in his observations upon the nature of the air, the seasons, the meteors, rains and winds; and how each of these seemed to affect the others; nor was he less sagacious in drawing prognostics from the remarkable appearances in all of these; and now he judged from observations that a great hurricane was approaching, and this was an additional motive to him to desire to come into harbour. He heard too, that a considerable fleet was on the point of setting sail for Europe, therefore he desired that the departure of this fleet might be deferred for some days. But it was his destiny that ingratitude should pursue him every where, and persecute him in every shape. For the governor, without any cause, not only refused to hearken to his advice about the sailing of the ships, but absolutely denied him permission to enter into harbour, to save his life in that island which he himself had discovered and subdued. He had nothing to do but to draw up as close to the shore as he could. The storm came on the next night, but providence favouring his innocence, and assisting his capacity, brought him safe through it, though as terrible a storm as had ever happened in those seas. The fleet of twenty sail, which against his advice had put to sea, suffered the punishment due to their termerity. Only four escaped the storm, sixteen perished. Amongst those which were lost, was the ship which carried back that governor to Spain, who had sent Columbus thither in so oppressive and scandalous a manner; amongst the four that were saved, was one that had on board some treasure, all that could be rescued from the pillage of the admiral’s fortune. So that whilst he was mortified at this shameful instance of human ingratitude, Heaven seemed to declare in his favour, and to condemn and punish it. His character was highly raised by the prediction of the storm, and by his behaviour in it; for to his, and his brother’s good conduct, the safety of his little fleet was justly attributed. His brother was a navigator and philosopher, second only to the admiral, very useful to his affairs, and a comfort and assistance in all his misfortunes, by his capacity and the goodness of his heart.

  After he had weathered the storm he left this island, in which he had so surprizing an instance of ingratitude, in pursuit of more matters to employ it. In this voyage he discovered all the coast of Terra Firma to the isthmus of Darien, where he hoped to have found a passage to the South-Sea. In this he was disappointed, but he was not disappointed in the other part of his project; for every where as he advanced, he became more sensible of the value of his discoveries on the continent. He found a people more civilized and more abounding in gold than the islanders he had met with had been. He entered a harbour, which from it’s excellence he called Porto Bello, well known since as one of the greatest openings by which the Spanish commerce is carried on between the two worlds. Here the admiral desi•ned to establish a colony, under the command of his brother, proposing to return to Europe himself to obtain the requisites for a compleat settlement. But the avarice and insolence of his men raised the country upon him, and obliged him to relinquish his design, without having an opportunity of doing any thing more than shewing his judgment in the choice of the situation, and his own and brother’s bravery in extricating their men from the calamities in which their folly had involved them.

  Driven from hence, and finding his vessels in so bad a condition, that it was by no means advisable to proceed upon further discoveries, he quitted the continent, after having discovered the Eastern side of the isthmus of Darien, and the whole more as far as Gracios o Dios in the gulph of Honduras. He then stood over to Hispaniola. His voyage was made under a thousand difficulties of the severest kind; their vessels so leaky, that the crew had not a moment’s respite from the pump, and scarce any provision remaining to refresh them after their labours. To compleat the sum of their calamities a violent storm arose, in which the ships fell foul of one another. But though he providentially weathered this storm, it was now scarcely possible to keep his ship above water, and he was glad to make Jamaica, where he was a second time relieved from the greatest dangers and distresses.

  But a distress of almost as bad a nature exercised his invention here. His ships were absolutely unfit for service beyond all possibility of being repaired; no means of getting new; the inhabitants suspicious, and the ill behaviour of his men gave daily occasion to increase those suspicions. In this distress, he prevailed upon some of the hardiest and most faithful of them to pass over in a canoo to Hispaniola, to represent his calamitous situation to the governor, and to beg vessels to carry them off.

  Eight months did the admiral remain in this island, without the least intelligence from his messengers, or assistance from the governor. The natives grew exasperated at the delay of the Spaniards, and the weight of subsisting them, which was a heavy burthen on the poverty of the Indians. Provisions therefore came in very sparingly. Things even threatened to grow much worse; for the seamen, who are at best unruly, but think that all discipline ceases the moment they set foot on land, mutinied in great numbers. By this mutiny the admiral’s authority and strength was considerably weakened, whilst the natives were exasperated by the disorders of the mutineers; but he found means to recover his authority, at least among the Indians. Knowing there would shortly be a visible eclipse of the moon, he summoned the principal persons in the island; and by one who understood their language told them, that the God whom he served, and who created and preserves all things in heaven and earth, provoked at their refusing to support his servants, intended a speedy and severe judgment upon them, of which they should shortly see manifest tokens in the heavens, for that the moon would, on the night he marked, appear of a bloody hue, an emblem of the destruction that was preparing for them. His prediction, which was ridiculed for the time, when it came to be accomplished struck the barbarians with great terror. They brought him plenty of provisions; they fell at his feet, and besought him in the most supplicating stile to deprecate the evils which threatened them. He took their provisions, comforted them, and charged them to attone for their past sin by their future generosity.

  He had a temporary relief by this stratagem, but he saw no prospect of getting out of the island, and pursuing those great purposes to which he had devoted his life. The mutiny of his men was in danger of growing general, when every thing seemed to be settled by the sight of a ship in the harbour, sent by Obando, the governor of Hispaniola. But as if it was calculated, not only to abandon, but to insult this great man in his misfortunes, the captain of the vessel was a mortal enemy to the admiral, and one of the persons principally concerned in those rebellions, which had formerly given him so much trouble. But his design was only to be a witness of the distress of his affairs; for he came ashore, forbidding h
is crew all manner of communication with the admiral or his men; and after delivering to Columbus an empty letter of compliment, embarked without even flattering him with the least hope of relief.

  Thus abandoned, his firmness and presence of mind alone did not forsake him. The arrival of this ship for a moment reconciled his men to obedience; but when they saw it depart, they were almost unanimously on the point of shaking off all authority, and abandoning themselves to the most desperate courses. But the admiral, without betraying the least sign of disappointment or grief, told them in a chearful manner, that he had a promise of an immediate supply; and that the reason of his not going off in this ship was, that she was too small to carry off all the Spaniards who were with him; and that he was resolved not to depart until every man of them might enjoy the same conveniency. The easy and composed air of the admiral himself, and the care he manifested for his people, superior to his own preservation, reconciled their minds, and made them attend their fate with patience. But he knew his delay might be very tedious in this island, and that as long as there remained a receptacle to which every ill humour amongst his men might gather, his affairs would grow worse every day; now that he found those that adhered to him firmly attached to his cause, he came to a resolution of taking vigorous measures with the rest. He sent his brother, a sensible and resolute man, with a proper force, and well armed, to treat with them; and in case of obstinacy to compel them to obedience. They met, and the captain of the mutineers, grown insolent with a long course of licentiousness and rapine, not only rejected the proposal, but offered violence to the admiral’s brother, who using this as a signal to his men, who were prepared, they fell upon the rebels with such resolution, that ten lay dead in a moment with their chief; disordered by the unexpected attack, the rest fled, and soon after were obliged to submit.

  Thus the admiral pacified every thing with equal spirit and address, sometimes giving way to the storm, and temporizing when he doubted his strength; but when he was assured of it, always employing it with resolution and effect, turning every incident, even the most unfavourable, to his advantage; and watching every change of nature, and every motion of the human mind, to employ them in his purposes. It is the principal thing which forms the character of a great man, to be rich in expedients; the use Columbus made of the eclipse was truly ingenious. It may be said, that such a thing cannot be imitated amongst a civilized people. I grant it. But the way to imitate great men is not to tread in their steps, but to walk in their manner. There is no people who have not some points of ignorance, weakness, or prejudice, which a penetrating mind may not discover, and use as the most powerful instruments in the execution of his designs. Such a knowledge as this, is the only thing which gives one man a real superiority over another; and he who understands the passions of men, and can entirely command his own, has the principal means of subduing them in his own hands.

  The admiral might have spent his whole life in this miserable exile, if a private man, moved with esteem for his merit, and compassion to his misfortunes, had not fitted out a ship for his relief. This brought him to Hispaniola. The governor, who refused to contribute any thing to his coming, when he came received him with that overacted complaisance and shew of friendship, which so often succeeds the greatest insolence in base minds, and which they practise with so little shame and remorse to the persons they have before loaded with the greatest injuries. The admiral bore this like every thing else; and convinced that a dispute with a governor in his own jurisdiction would bring him little advantage and honour, he hastened every thing for his departure to Spain, where he arrived after a voyage in which he was tossed by most terrible storms, and sailed seven hundred leagues after he had lost his main-mast.

  He was now grown old, and severely afflicted with the gout. The queen his patroness was dead; and the king, of a close and dissembling disposition, and a narrow mind, was the only person he had to sooth his misfortunes, or pay the reward which was due to his labours. But he received neither comfort nor reward; the performance of his contract was deferred upon frivolous pretences; and he employed the close of his life, as he had done the active part of it, in a court sollicitation; the most grievous of all employments to any man, the most hopeless to an old man. Vanquished at last by years, fatigues, and disappointments, he died with those sentiments of piety, which supported him through the misfortunes of his life, and added a finishing, which nothing else could give to his greatness of mind, and all his other virtues.

  CHAP. VIII.

  HEnceforward, in treating of the progress of the Spanish discoveries and arms, instead of designs laid in science, and pursued with a benevolent heart and gentle measures; we are but too often to shew an enthusiastic avarice, urging men forward to every act of cruelty and horror. The character of this first discoverer was extremely different from that of all with whom he dealt, and from that of most of those who pursued his discoveries and conquests; some with a vigour and conduct equal, but all with virtues very much inferior. In his character hardly is any one of the components of a truly great man wanting. For to the ideas of the most penetrating philosopher, and a scheme built upon them worthy of a great king, he joined a constancy and patience, which alone could carry it into execution, with the fortune of a private man. Continual storms at sea, continual rebellions of a turbulent people on shore, vexations, disappointments, and cabals at court, were his lot all his life; and these were the only reward of services, which no favours could have rewarded sufficiently. His magnanimity was proof against all of these, and his genius surmounted all the difficulties they threw in his way, except that of his payment, the point in which such men ever meet with the worst success, and urge with the least ability. That surprizing art, possessed by so few, of making every accident an instrument in his designs; his nice adjustment of his behaviour to his circumstances, temporizing, or acting vigorously as the occasion required, and never letting the occasion itself pass by him; the happy talent of concealing and governing his own passions, and managing those of others; all these conspire to give us the highest idea of his capacity. And as for his virtues, his disinterested behaviour, his unmoveable fidelity to the ungrateful crown he served, the just policy of his dealing with the Indians, his caution to give them any offence, and his tender behaviour to them when conquered, which merited him the glorious title of their father, together with his zeal to have them instructed in the truths of religion, raise him to the elevated rank of those few men whom we ought to consider as examples to mankind, and ornaments to human nature.

  I hope it will be forgiven me, if I add a remark upon the conduct of the court of Spain with regard to this great man. Though, as we saw all along, this conduct was equally unjust and impolitick, sorry I am, that no lesson of instruction can be drawn from the event, which was in all respects as fortunate, as the measures pursued were ungrateful and imprudent. But there was a coincidence of events at that time, which does not always happen so opportunely to justify an ungrateful and narrow policy. It is certain that some men are so possessed with their designs, that when once engaged, nothing can discourage them in the pursuit. But great and frequent discouragements are examples to others, which will at least certainly have an effect, and will terrify men from forming such designs at all. Then the spirit of invention and enterprize dies away; then things begin to stagnate and to corrupt; for it is a rule as invariable in politicks as it is in nature, that a want of proper motion does not breed rest and stability, but motion of another kind, a motion unseen and intestine, which does not preserve but destroy. The best form and settlement of a state, and every regulation within it, obeys the same universal law; and the only way to prevent all things from going to decay, is by continually aiming to better them in some respect or other; (since if they are not better, they will surely be worse,) and to afford an attentive ear to every project for this purpose. I am sensible that it must frequently happen, that many of these projects will be chimerical in themselves, and offered by a people of an appearance and manner not ver
y prejudicing in their favour. But then I am satisfied too, that these men must in the nature of things have something odd and singular in their character, who expose themselves, and desert the common and certain roads of gain, in pursuit of advantages not certain to the publick, and extremely doubtful to themselves.

  It is equally true, that if such people are encouraged, a number of visionary schemes will be offered. But it is the character of pride and laziness to reject all offers, because some are idle, as it is of weakness and credulity to listen to all without distinction. But surely, if judgment is to have any share in our conduct, it is the province of judgment to sift, to examine, to distinguish the useful from the foolish, the feasible from the impracticable, and even in the midst of the visions of a fruitful and disordered brain, to pick out matter which a wise man will know how to qualify and turn to use, though the inventor did not. Cromwell, partly from his circumstances, but more from his genius and disposition, received daily a number of proposals of this kind, which always approached him in a fanatical dress, and were mixed frequently with matters the most remote from probability and good sense; and we know that he made a signal use of many things of this kind.

  Colbert spent much of his time in hearing every scheme for the extending of commerce, the improvement of manufactures, and the advancement of arts; spared no pains or expence to put them in execution, and bountifully rewarded and encouraged the authors of them. By these means France advanced during the reign of Lewis the fourteenth, and under this minister more than it had done in many reigns before; and by these means, in the midst of wars, which brought that kingdom and all Europe to the brink of destruction; amidst many defaults in the royal character, and many errors in his government, a seed of industry and enterprize was sown, which on the first respite of the publick calamities, and even whilst they oppressed that nation, rose to produce that flourishing internal and external commerce and power, that distinguishes France, and forms it’s strength at this day, tho’ a less active reign, and ministers of a different character have succeeded. On the contrary, it was always the character of the court of Spain to proceed very slowly, if at all, in any improvement; and to receive schemes for that purpose with coldness and disdain. The effects upon the power of that monarchy were answerable with regard to America, the conquest as well as the discovery was owing wholly to private men; the court contributed nothing but pretensions and patents.