HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



331 



SECT. V. 



On the Arts of the Mexicans. 



MR. de Paw, after having given a contemptuous de- 

 fcription of Peru, and the barbarity of its inhabitants, 

 fpeaks of Mexico, of which ftate, he fays, there are as 

 many falfities and miracles related as of Peru ; but it is 

 certain, he adds, that thofe two nations were upon an 

 equality ; whether we confider their government, their 

 arts, or their inftruments. Agriculture was abandoned 

 by them, and their architecture mod wretched : their 

 paintings were coarfe, and their arts very imperfect ; 

 their fortifications, their palaces, and their temples, are 

 mere fictions of the Spaniards. If the Mexicans, he 

 fays, had had fortifications, they would have fheltered 

 themfelves from the mu/ketry, and thofe fix poor pieces 

 of cannon, which Cortes carried with him, would not 

 have overthrown in a moment fo many baftions and in- 

 trenchments. The walls of their buildings were only 

 great ftones, laid loofely, one upon another^ The boaft- 

 ed palace, where the kings of Mexico refided, was a 

 mere hut ; on which account, F. Cortes, finding no fuit- 

 able habitation in all the capital of that ftate, was oblig- 

 ed to erect a palace for himfelf in hafte, which ftill ex- 

 ifts. It is not eafy to enumerate the abfurdities thrown 

 out by M. de Paw on this fubject : omitting, however, 

 what belongs to Peru, we (hall examine what he has 

 written againft the arts of the Mexicans. 



Of their agriculture we have fpoken in other places, 

 where we have {hewn, that the Mexicans not only culti- 

 vated mod diligently all the lands of their empire, but 



likewife 



