William Hickling Prescott ( May 4 , 1796 â `` January 29 , 1859 ) was an American historian who was interested in Spain and the Spanish Empire . William Hickling Prescott ( May 4 , 1796 â `` January 29 , 1859 ) was an American historian and Hispanist , who is widely recognized by historiographers to have been the first American scientific historian .