Endnotes explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Colonialism and Its Consequences

  Discusses the differing outcomes of French and English colonization in North America, attributing English success to habits of liberty and self-governance.

• Discovery and Exploration

  Covers Columbus's voyages, the discovery of the Maragnon River, and the exploration of the western continent.

• Tyranny and Injustice

  Highlights Columbus's ungrateful treatment by the Spanish monarch and the oppressive colonial systems that denied liberty to French colonists.

• Sacrifice and Suffering

  Columbus's sorrow at Isabella's death and his reflection on his unappreciated services and suffering at the hands of enemies.

Characters to notice

• Christopher Columbus

  Mourns the death of Queen Isabella, his only powerful friend in Spain, and reflects on his ungrateful treatment by the monarch and nation.

• Isabella

  Her death before Columbus's last return from America is noted as a great sorrow to him, as she was his key supporter against court enemies.

• Hesper

  Described as a Titan son of Uranus/Japetus, a beautiful young astronomer who became the evening star, giving his name to western lands (Hesperia).

• Atlas

  Titan king of Mauritania turned into a mountain supporting the heavens; considered the guardian genius of Africa in the poem.

• Manco Capac

  Discussed as the legendary Peruvian lawgiver whose benevolent and pacific institutions are compared favorably to those of Moses, Lycurgus, Numa, Muhammad, and Peter the Great.

• Garcilasso de la Vega

  Cited as the source attributing the entire Peruvian constitution to Manco Capac.

• Moses

  Mentioned as one of the distinguished lawgivers among barbarous nations, compared with Manco Capac.

• Numa

  Mentioned as a lawgiver whose religious ceremonies checked the Romans, though his existence is questioned.

Key passages

• “The death of Queen Isabella, which happened before the last return of Columbus from America, was a subject of great sorrow to him. In her he lost his only powerful friend in Spain, on whose influence he was accustomed to rely in counteracting the perpetual intrigues of a host of enemies.”

  Columbus was deeply saddened by Queen Isabella's death before his final return from America, as she was his sole powerful ally in Spain who helped him fend off constant court intrigues.

  Explains Columbus's personal loss and political vulnerability after Isabella's death.

• “Atlas and Hesper were of the race of Titans. They were sons of Uranus, or of Japetus, according as the fable is traced to different countries... Atlas, from being king of Mauritania, became a mountain to support the heavens, and gave his name to the western ocean. Hesper frequented that mountain in the study of astronomy; till one evening he disappeared, and returned no more. He was then placed in the western heaven; and, having been a beautiful young man, he became a beautiful planet, called the evening star.”

  Atlas and Hesper were Titans, sons of Uranus or Japetus; Atlas became a mountain holding up the sky and named the western ocean, while Hesper, after vanishing while studying astronomy, became the evening star.

  Mythological background for the characters Atlas and Hesper used in the poem.

• “The original inhabitants of Hispaniola were worshippers of the sun. The Europeans, when they first landed there, were supposed by them to be gods, and consequently descended from the sun.”

  The native people of Hispaniola worshipped the sun and initially believed the arriving Europeans were gods descended from it.

  Describes the initial cultural misunderstanding between Europeans and indigenous peoples.

• “The Mexican constitution was formed to render its subjects brave and powerful; but, while it succeeded in this object, it kept them far removed from the real blessings of society. ... But the establishments of Manco Capac ... present the aspect of a most benevolent and pacific system; they tended to humanize the world and render his people happy.”

  The Mexican system made its people brave but denied them societal benefits, whereas Manco Capac's Peruvian institutions were benevolent and aimed at happiness and humanization.

  Contrasts the effects of Mexican and Peruvian political systems on their peoples.

• “Among the colonies derived from the several nations of Europe in modern times, those from the English have flourished far better than the others, under a parity of circumstances, such as climate, soil and productions. ... The habitual use of the liberty of the press, of trial by jury in open court, of the accountability of public agents and of some voice in the election of legislators, must create, in a man or a nation, a character quite different from what it could be under the habitual disuse of these advantages.”

  English colonies thrived more than others under similar conditions because their settlers were accustomed to liberties like free press, jury trials, and political representation, fostering a distinct character of industry and self-governance.

  Argues that English colonial success stemmed from ingrained habits of liberty.