returned from their venturesome pilgrimage, the first glimpse of home that greeted them was likely to be the beacon-light in the tower where the master sat poring over problems of Archimedes or watching the stars. For Henry, whose motto was "Talent de bien faire," or (in the old French usage) "Desire[381] to do well," was wont to throw himself whole-hearted into whatever he undertook, and the study of astronomy and mathematics he pursued so zealously as to reach a foremost place among the experts of his time. With such tastes and such ambition, he was singularly fortunate in wielding ample pecuniary resources; if such a combination could be more often realized, the welfare of mankind would be notably enhanced. Prince Henry was Grand Master of the Order of Christ, an organization half military, half religious, and out of its abundant revenues he made the appropriations needful for the worthy purpose of advancing the interests of science, converting the heathen, and winning a commercial empire for Portugal. At first he had to encounter the usual opposition to lavish expenditure for a distant object without hope of immediate returns; but after a while his dogged perseverance began to be rewarded with such successes as to silence all adverse comment. [Footnote 380: [Greek: Homoios de kai peri tes exo stelon legetai; dysmikotaton men gar semeion tes oikoumenes, to ton Iberon akroterion, ho kalousin Ieron.] Strabo, ii. 5, Sec. 14; cf. Dionysius Periegetes, v. 161. In reality it lies not quite so far west as the country around Lisbon.] [Footnote 381: See Littre, _Dictionnaire_, s. v. "Talent;" Du Cange, _Glossarium_, "talentum, animi decretum, voluntas, desiderium, cupiditas," etc.; cf. Raynouard, _Glossaire Provencale_, tom. v. p. 296. French was then fashionable at court, in Lisbon as well as in London.] [Sidenote: The Madeira and Canary islands.]