( 85 ) 



INTRODUCTION. 



• 



THE Diflertations which we enter upon are both ufe- 

 ful and neceffary, to illuftrate the ancient hiftory 

 of Mexico, and confirm the truth of many points main- 

 tained in it. The firft Differtation is requifite, to fupply 

 the defective knowledge we have refpe&ing the firft po- 

 pulation of that new world. The fecond, though tedi- 

 ous and lefs calculated to intereft, ought not to be omit- 

 ted, in order that we may know the foundations of our 

 chronology j and will prove ufeful to whoever may here- 

 after write the hiftory of Mexico. All the others are 

 equally important, to guard incautious readers from the 

 miftakes and deceptions they would otherwife be led 

 into, by the crowd of modern authors, who, without 

 pofTefling fufficient knowledge, have not been afhamed 

 to write on the land, the animals, and inhabitants of 

 America. 



Any perfon who reads the work of M. de P. muft en- 

 tertain a thoufand ideas contrary to the fincerity of our 

 hiftory. He is a philofopher of the prefent fafhion, and 

 learned ; particularly on certain fubje&s, where it is his 

 misfortune to be wife ; and ignorance would have been 

 his blifs. He mingles infult and bufFoonry in his dif- 

 courfes ; enters without refpeel: into the houfe of God, 

 and flieds malevolence and inve&ive from his pen with- 

 out reverence for truth or feelings for innocence. He 

 decides rafhly, and in a magifterial tone ; incelTantly cites 

 the writers of America, and declares his work to be the 



fruit 



