Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. I.djvu/557

MILITARY POLICY OF THE SOVEREIGNS. 411 could not entirely intercept. On this point, there- chapter fore, it was determined to concentrate all the — — — strength of the monarchy, by sea and land, in the ensuing campaign of 1487. riod. His instruction effected for classical literature in Spain, what the labors of the great Italian scholars of the fifteenth century did for it in their country ; and he was rewarded with the substantial gratitude of his own age, and such empty honors as could be render- ed by posterity. For very many years, the anniversary of his death was commemorated by public ser- vices, and a funeral panegyric, in the university of Alcala. The circumstances attending the composition of his Latin Chroni- cle, so often quoted in this history, are very curious. Carbajal says, that he delivered Pulgar's Chron- icle, after that writer's death, into Lebrija's hands for the purpose of being translated into Latin. The latter proceeded in his task, as far as the year 1486. His history, however, can scarcely be termed a translation, since, although it takes up the same thread of inci- dent, it is diversified by many new ideas and particular facts. This unfinished performance was found among Lebrija's papers, after his decease, with a preface containing not a word of acknowledgment to Pulgar. It was accordingly pub- lished for the first time, in 1545 (the edition referred to in this his- tory), by his son Sancho, as an original production of his father. Twenty years after, the first edi- tion of Pulgar's original Chronicle was published at Valladolid, from the copy which belonged to Lebri- ja, by his grandson Antonio. This work appeared also as Lebrija's. Copies however of Pulgar's Chron- icle were preserved in several pri- vate libraries ; and two years later, 1567, his just claims were vindi- cated by an edition at Saragossa, inscribed with his name as its au- thor. Lebrija's reputation has sustain- ed some injury from this transac- tion, though most undeservedly. It seems probable, that he adopted Pulgar's text as the basis of his own, intending to continue the nar- rative to a later period. His un- finished manuscript being found among his papers after his death, without reference to any authority, was naturally enough given to the world, as entirely his production. It is more strange, that Pulgar's own Chronicle, subsequently print- ed as Lebrija's, should have con- tained no allusion to its real author. The History, although composed as far as it goes with sufllicient elabo- ration and pomp of style, is one that adds, on the whole, but little to the fame of Lebrija. It was at best but adding a leaf to the laurel on his brow, and was certainly not worth a plagiarism. END OF VOL. L v/