37 



tion ; are all connected with the philosophical 

 study of history. By the same connection, the 

 feeble remains of the skill, or rather industry, of 

 the nations of the New Continent become worthy 

 of our attention. Influenced by this persuasion, 

 I have, in the course of my travels, brought to- 

 gether whatever objects I have been able, by un- 

 wearied research, to discover in the countries, 

 where intolerance in those ages of barbarism left 

 scarcely any vestige of t he manners and religious 

 rites of their ancient inhabitants ; when edifices 

 and temples were demolished for the stones with 

 which they were erected, or the hidden treasures 

 they were supposed to contain. 



The comparative view which I shall take of 

 the works of art belonging to Peru and Mexico, 

 and those of the ancient world, will give some 

 interest to my researches, as well as to the Pic- 

 turesque Atlas, which will contain the result of 

 my investigations. Biassed by no system, I 

 shall point out those analogies that naturally pre- 

 sent themselves, distinguishing such as seem to 

 prove an indentity of race, from such as perhaps 

 depend only on internal causes, on the resem- 

 blance of all nations in the display of their intel- 

 lectual faculties. I shall here confine myself to a 

 succinct description of the objects represented in 

 the engravings. The consequences which seem 

 to result from the comparative view of these mo- 



