1-29 



many ages ? A Mexican sculptor might have 

 faithfully copied the image of an Apostle no 

 doubt ; but in a country where, as in Hindostan 

 and China, the natives adhered with the greatest 

 perseverance to the manners, habits, and arts, of 

 their ancestors, would he have dared to repre- 

 sent a hero, or a Mexican divinity, under a new 

 and foreign form ? Besides, the historical pic- 

 tures of the Mexican painters after the arrival 

 of the Spaniards, several of which are found in 

 the remains of the collection of Eoturini at 

 Mexico, evidently prove, that this influence of 

 the European arts on the taste of the American 

 nations, and on the correctness of their drawings, 

 was extremely slow. 



I thought it indispensable to state the doubts, 

 that might be suggested respecting the origin of 

 the relief of Oaxaca, which I have had engraved 

 at Rome after the sketch that was communi- 

 cated to me ; but I am far from giving any 

 decided opinion on so extraordinary a monu- 

 ment, which I had no opportunity of examining 

 myself. The architecture of the palace of 

 Mitla, the elegance of the Grecques and laby- 

 rinths, which decorate the walls, are proofs, 

 that the civilization of the Zapoteck nations was 

 superior to that of the inhabitants of the valley 

 of Mexico. We may therefore be less sur- 

 prised, that the relief in question should have 

 been found at Oaxaca, the ancient Huaxyacac, 



VOL. XIII. K 



