334. COL 
line. It has a fine aromatic fmell, but is difagreeably bit¬ 
ter, and flightly pungent to the tafte. It is almoft a fpe- 
cific in the cholera morbus, naufea, vomiting, purging, 
diarrhoea, dyfentery, bilious fever, indigellion, want of 
appetite, acidity in the primae viae, and molt diforders of 
the (lomach and bowels. It is powerfully fedative, cor¬ 
roborant, and antifeptic: The bark more powerfully're¬ 
fills the putrefaction of animal flelh, but this root exceeds 
it in preferring the bile from putridity, and alfo in cor¬ 
recting its putrefcency. It is a good lubftitute for the 
bark where an averiion thereto rende'rs the taking of it 
difficult. As it does not belong to the clals of heating 
bitters, it may be ufed in heCtic fevers. A tinCture of 
this root in brandy is the molt ufeful remedy known for 
moderating the retchings fo commonly attendant on 
pregnant women during the firlt months of pregnancy. 
It may be given in powder from three grains to two 
drams, but the common dofe is from ten to thirty grains, 
every three or four hours ; and in bilious cafes, it Ihould 
be joined with equal part of vitriolated kali. The powder 
lias been applied to ulcers which by common remedies 
cannot be brought into a healing ftate; and Mr. Home 
thinks it next to rhubarb ; nay even when rhubarb be¬ 
gins to lofe its effeCt, columbo will frequently renew the 
healing procefs, and ultimately be fuccefsful. Diftilied 
with fpirit, it fends over little or nothing of its tafte or 
fmell; but the extraCt, made by evaporating a decoCtion 
of it in rectified fpirit of wine, is better than the root it- 
felf in powder; about two-thirds of this root is obtained 
in the fpirituous extraCt. 
COLUM'BUS (Chriftopher), a Genoefe by birth, and 
famous in liiftory for being the dilcoverer of America, 
was born in 144.2. King Ferdinand of Spain, in reward 
of his merit, ennobled him and all his pofterity, and gave 
him for arms a fea argent; and azure, fix iflands or, un¬ 
der the cope of Caftile and Leon, the world as a crell, 
and thefe words: 
Por Cafiilla , y por Leon, 
It ala puevo monde halto Colon. 
He may be laid to have fulfilled that famous prophecy of 
Seneca, who, in the chorus of his Medea, (peaks thus: 
“ Late pofterity fhall fee the time, when the weftern ocean 
fiiall not be the bounds of all things ; but a vaft conti¬ 
nent (hall appear, a new world be diicovered, nor fhall 
Thule be any longer the remoteft region of the earth.” 
He died in May 1506, and was buried, by the ’king’s 
order, magnificently in the cathedral at Seville ; and had 
this epitaph cut on his tomb: A CaJUlla y a Leon nuevo 
mundo dio Colon. That is, “ Columbus gave Caftile and 
Leon a new world.” This great and good man may be 
propoled as a model to all future dilcoverers. Brave, 
intelligent, patient, perievering, and humane, he appears 
to realize the ideal perfection of that character. His 
laurels, unlike thofe of his fuccefTors, were never ftained 
with blood, and he appears to have been as anxious for 
the fafety and well-being of thofe whom he conquered, 
as of his own people. Reciprocity of benefit feems to 
have been his conltant aim, yet calumny fullied that re¬ 
putation which it was fo much for the intereft of vir¬ 
tue to have continued lpotlefs, and ignominious chains 
lhackled thofe hands which feemed deftined by nature to 
have borne a fceptre. “ The hardfhips and dilappoint- 
ments he fuffered on occafion of the conquering of Ja¬ 
maica, and hisSovereign’s ingratitude together (for Ifa- 
bella was then dead),” fays an acute and invelfigating 
writer, Mr. Bryan Edwards, in his Hiftory of the Weft 
Indies, “ proved too mighty for his generous fpirit, and 
he fell under them on his return to Spain; leaving, how¬ 
ever, a name not to be extinguifhed but with that world 
whofe boundaries he had enlarged.” 
Columbus thus addrefles Ferdinand in a letter dated 
from Jamaica, 1504 : “ Diego Mendez and the papers I 
fent by him will fliew your highnefs what rich mines of 
•gold I have difcovered at Veragua} and how I intended 
COL 
to have left my Brother at the river Bela, if the judgment* 
of heaven and the greateft misfortunes in the world had 
not prevented it. However, it is fufficient that your high¬ 
nefs and your fuccelfors will have the glory and advan¬ 
tage of all, and that the full difcovery and fettlement are 
reierved for happier perfons than the unfortunate Colum¬ 
bus. May God be fo merciful to me as to conduit Men¬ 
dez to Spain ! I doubt not but that he will convince you 
and my iliuftrious miftrefs, that this will not only be a 
Caftile and a Leon, but a difcovery of a world of fubjeCls, 
lands, and wealth, greater than man’s unbounded fancy 
could ever comprehend, or avarice itfelf covet; but nei¬ 
ther he, this paper, nor the tongue of mortal man, can 
exprefs the anguifh and afflictions of my body and mind, 
nor the miferies and dangers of my fon, brother, and 
friends. Alas 1 piety and juftice have retired to their ha¬ 
bitations above, and it is a crime to have undertaken and 
perfevered too much. As my mifery makes my life a 
burden to myfelf, fo I fear the empty titles of vice-roi 
and admiral render me obnoxious to the hatred of the 
Spanifh nation. It is vifible that all methods are taking 
to cut the thread that is breaking; for I am in my old 
age opprefled with inlupportabie pains of the gout, and 
am now languilhing and expiring with that amcngft fh- 
vagesj where I have neither medicines nor provifions for 
the body, prieft nor facrament for the foul. O blefled 
Father of God, that compaffionates the milerable and af¬ 
flicted, why did not cruel Bovadilli kill me, when he 
robbed me and my brother of our dearly-purchafed gold, 
and lent us to Spain in chains, without trial, crime, or 
fliadow of mifconduCt? Thefe chains are all the treafures 
I have, and they fhall be buried with me, if I chance to 
have a coffin or a grave; for I would have the remem¬ 
brance of fo unjuft an aCtion perifli with me, and, for the 
glory of the Spanifh name, be utterly forgotten. Let it 
not bring a further injury on the Caftilian name; nor 
let ages to come know, that there were wretches fo vile 
in this, as to think of recommending themfelves to your 
majefty by deftroying the unfortunate and the miferable 
Chriftopher Columbus, not for his crimes but for his fer- 
vices, in giving Spain a new world. As it was heaven 
that inlpired and conducted me to it, the heavens will 
weep for me, and fhew pity ; let the earth, and every foul 
in it that loves juftice and mercy, weep for me ; and oh, 
ye glorified faints of heaven, that know my innocence* 
and fee my fuiferings here, have mercy upon me! for, 
though this prelent age is envious and obdurate, furely 
thofe that are to come will pity me, when they are told 
that Chriftopher Columbus, with his own fortune, at the 
hazard of his own life, his brother’s life, and with little 
or no expence to the court of Spain, in ten years, and in 
four voyages, rendered greater fervices than ever mortal 
man did to any prince or kingdom, yet was left to perifli, 
without being charged with the leaft crime, in poverty 
and mifery; all but his chains being taken from him j 
fo that he who gave Spain another world, had neither 
fafety in it, nor yet a cottage for himfelf and his wretched 
family. But fliould heaven ftill perfecute me, and feero 
difpleafed with what I have done, as if the difcovery of 
this new may be fatal to the old world ; and, a$ a punifh- 
ment, bring my life to a period in this miferable place ; 
yet do you, good angels ! you that fuccour the opprefled 
and innocent, bring this paper to my great miftrefs ! She 
knows how much I have done, and will give credit to 
what I have fuffered for her glory and fervice ; and will 
be fo juft and pious as not to let the children of him that 
lias brought to Spain fudh immenfe riches, and added to 
its dominions vaft and unknown kingdoms and empires,, 
want bread, or fubfift only upon alms. She (if fhe lives) 
will confider that cruelty and ingratitude'will-bring 
down the wrath of heaven, fo that the World I have dif¬ 
covered fhall be the means of ftirring up all mankind to 
revenge and rapine; and the Spanifh nation will fuffer 
hereafter for what envious, malicious, aad ungrateful, 
perfons do now.” 
“ The 
