189 



ered the paper with alarming rapidity. We feel 

 a sentiment of indignation on seeing the ex- 

 treme negligence, with which these valuable 

 remains were abandoned, which had cost so 

 much care and labor, and which the unfortu- 

 nate Boturini, fired with that enthusiasm, which 

 is peculiar to enterprising men, calls in his His- 

 torical Essay, " the only property which he 

 possessed in the Indies, and which he would 

 not change against all the gold and silver of 

 the New World." I shall not here undertake 

 to give a detail of the paintings preserved in the 

 palace of the viceroyalty ; but shall only observe, 

 that there are some, which are six metres 

 long and two broad, and which represent the 

 migrations of the Aztecks from the Rio Gila 

 to the valley of Tenochtitlan, the foundation of 

 several cities, and wars with the neighbouring 

 nations. 



The library of the University of Mexico 

 is no longer in possession of any original 

 hieroglyphic paintings. I found only a few 

 copies in outline without colours, and executed 

 with little care. The richest and finest col- 

 lection of this capital is that of P. Jose Antonio 

 Pichardo, member of the congregation of San 

 Felipe Neri. The house of this enlightened 

 and studious person was to me what the house 

 of Siguenza was to the traveller Gemelli. Pi- 

 chardo has sacrificed his little fortune in collect- 



