160 



points, yet as your Voyage aux régions equi- 

 no xi ale s stops short of Peru, I shall have to grope 

 my way along through the greater part without the 

 master's hand which in the Nouvelle Espagne led 

 me on so securely. 



The Peruvian subject will I think occujjy less time 

 and space than the Mexican, and when it is finished 

 I propose to devote myself to a history of the Reign 

 of Philip the Second. For this last I have been long 

 amassing materials, and a learned Spaniard has ex- 

 plored for me the various collections , public and pri- 

 vate, in England, Belgium, France and is now at 

 work for me in Spain. In Ranke's excellent History : 

 ,, Fürsten und Völker von Süd -Europa", I find an 

 enumeration of several imj)ortant Mss. chiefly Vene- 

 tian Relations of which I am very desirous to obtain 

 copies. They are for the most part in the Royal li- 

 brary of Berlin and some few in that of Gotha. I 

 have written to our minister Mr. Wheaton to request 

 him to make some arrangements, if he can, for my 

 effecting this. The liberal principles on which lite- 

 rary institutions are conducted in Prussia, and the 

 facilities given to men of letters, together with the 

 known courtesy of the German character, lead me 

 to anticipate no obstacles to the execution of my de- 

 sires. Should there be any, however, you will con- 

 fer great favour on me by giving your countenance 

 to my applications. 



I trust this will not appear too presumptuous a 

 request on my part. Although I have not the honour 

 of being personally known to you, yet the kind mes- 

 sages I have received from you, and lately through 



