All these defects are to be attributed to his lack of education and knowledge of the world.

Mental discipline is absolutely necessary for a man who would discipline others; and knowledge of the world is essential for one who would successfully deal with men, and distinguish those whom he can from those whom he cannot trust.

Defects of this nature, which sometimes seem like flaws in the man's character, may be set down to this one disability--that he was not educated and was not by habit a man of the world.
All his sins of misgovernment, then, may be condoned on the ground that governing is a science, and that Columbus had never learned it.

What we do find, however, is that the inner light that had led him across the seas never burned clearly for him again, and was never his guide in the later part of his life.

Its radiance was quenched by the gleam of gold; for there is no doubt that Columbus was a victim of that baleful influence which has caused so much misery in this world.