XXVI NORTH AMERICAN LINGUISTICS. 
Icazbalceta (Joaquin Garcia). Apuutes | para un j Catalogo cle Escri- 
tores I en | Leuguas Indigenas tie America. | Por | Joaquin Garcia 
Icazbalceta. | [Design.] 
Mexico. I Se ban imjireso GO ejemplares | enlalmprenta Particular 
del Autor. | 1866 | job. jcp. 
Printed cover, 1 1. ; half-title, 1 1. ; title, 1 1. ; advertencia, pp. v-xiii; pp. 1-157. 
24°. My copy of this work, which is "Ejemplar No. 47," has been corrected in 
manuscript by the author, aud a number of titles added. 
Titles of works in the Cahita, Cora, Cumanagota, Chuchona, Heve, Huasteca, 
Mame, Matlalzinga, Maya, Ma.zahua, Mesicaua, Mij(>, Mision de San Autonio, Mix- 
teca, Mutsuu, Opata, Otomi, Pima, Qnicb^, Quichua, Tarabumara, Tarasca, Tejas, 
Tepehuana, Timnquaua 6 Floridiaua, Totonaca, Yuuga, aud Zapoteca. 
"Some lime since I was invited by the estimable litterateur, Dr. D. 6. Bereadt, 
to contribute some notes for a new edition of the work of Dr. Ludewig entitled 
The Literature of American Aboriginal Languages, and this has given origin to the 
present catalogue. * * » 
"Desirous on the one hand of obliging Dr. Berendt, and on the other impelled 
by my own inclination to contribute something to the advancement of science, 
though it be ever so little, I have endeavored to increase as far as I was able the 
stock of knowledge concerning the wriiers in the indigenous tongues of Mexico. 
Ludewig, with few exceptions, limited himself to grammars and vocabularies, with- 
out including other works written in American languages, as catechisms, etc. 
Perhaps he did well considering the extent of his plan; but mine being less ambi- 
tious, I thought It necessary to include whatever might be found written in the 
Mexican languages, so that no author or book of importance might be omitted. 
Books composed in Mexican languages are almost all rare and little known; even 
those more recently printed are not easily found, either by reason of the small 
number of copies printed or because the demand for them has ceased. 
."Some time ago I resolved to gather all the books of this description which I 
could get, and I deem myself lucky in securing more than eighty. These form the 
basis of my catalogue. The first addition to it was to be a list of works which I had 
seen elsewhere and of which I had taken notes. Here terminated that portion of 
my work on which reliance could be placed; this portion was certainly small 
enough, aud a large field of uncertainty was left; this was filled with the large 
number of works quoted by other authors, which J have not seen. I encountered 
the problem which Ludewig attempted to solve, and I was loath to pass the confines 
of certainty to lose myself in a labyrinth of inquiries and conjectures with little 
probability of a safe issue. 
"Unfortunately, owing to the incredible indifference which till recently pre- 
vailed in regard to these important studies, there is no hope of completing this 
catalogue by personal inspection of the works concerned. But all possible means 
must be resorted to for widening the limits of the known at the expense.of what 
is doubtful. I have decided to print these Apitntes with no other object than to 
place them in the hands of inquiring persons who may be able to add to them. 
With every hook that is examined and described with accuracy there disappears 
at least one probability of error. This decision w^as all the more necessary as the 
larger portion of these works have been taken from our country to enrich the 
libraries of Europe and the United States, whence we must at some time expect the 
favor of getting the description of some of them. Herein lies the reason for con- 
verting these notes into book form, though they were intended to figure only as a 
manuscript to be sent to a friend. 
"Still they have preserved their original character. The 60 copies, which I have 
printed with my own hands, are nothing more than so many copies of the manu- 
script. Rough drafts should not be exposed for sale, and these will be distributed 
to those who can improve the work by adding to it. 
