ROBERTSON. 291 



spired with the sanguine temper which enables genius 

 to work its wonders. 



The voyage is related with absolute clearness as re- 

 gards all its nautical details, which are given so as to 

 fix our attention without wearying it, and elucidate the 

 narrative without encumbering it. But in the inci- 

 dents of the passage we take the greatest interest, 

 placed, as we feel ourselves to be, in the position of the 

 navigators, to whom every occurrence was of moment, 

 because everything was of necessity new. Their con- 

 duct and their feelings, however, occupy us still more, 

 for beside our sympathy with them, upon them the fate 

 of the great enterprise depends. 



But one figure ever stands out from the group ; it is 

 the great Captain who guides the voyage through the 

 unknown ocean, and whom, beside his past history, 

 we all the while feel by anticipation to be piercing 

 through the night of ages to bring into acquaintance 

 with each other the old world and the new. Upon 

 his steady courage, undismayed by the dark uncertainty 

 of all his steps, upon his fortitude which no peril can 

 shake, his temper unruffled by all opposition, upon his 

 copious resources under every difficulty, we dwell with 

 the most profound attention ; sometimes hardly ven- 

 turing to hope for his successful conquest over so 

 many difficulties. The voyage meanwhile proceeds, 

 and the distance from any known portion of the world 

 becomes tremendous, while nothing but sea and air is 

 on all hands to be discerned. At length some slight 

 indications of approach to land begin to be perceived ; 

 but so slight that universal despondency creates a 

 general resistance, breaking out into actual mutiny. 



u2 



