342 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



to form a juft idea of things, perhaps, becaufe the cold 

 of their climes has checked the heat of their imagina- 

 tions. " It is not from thofe defcriptions, ,, adds Robert- 

 fon, H but from confidering fuch fpecimens of this art 

 " are ftill preferved, that we muft decide concerning 

 " their degree of merit. . . . Many of their ornaments in 

 " gold and filver, as well as various utenfils employed in 

 " common life, are depofited in the magnificent cabinet 

 " of natural and artificial productions, lately opened, and 

 " I am informed, by perfons on whofe judgment and 

 " tafte I can rely, that thefe boafted efforts of their art 

 " are uncouth reprefen tat ions of common objects, or ve- 

 " ry coarfe images of the human and fome other forms, 

 " cteftitute of grace and propriety." And in a note he 

 fays, " in the armory of the royal palace of Madrid 

 " are {hewn fuits of armour, which are called Montezu- 

 " ma's. They are compofed of thin lackered copper- 

 " plates. In the opinion of very intelligent judges they 

 " are evidently eaftern. The forms of the filver orna- 

 " ments upon them may be confidered as a confirmation 

 " of this. They are infinitely fuperior in point of work- 

 * c manfhip to any effort of American art. The only un- 

 " queftionable fpecimen of Mexican art that I know of 

 " in Great Britain, is a cup of very fine gold, which is 

 tc faid to have belonged to Montezuma. A man's head 

 * c is reprefented on this cup. On one fide the full face, 

 6£ on another the profile, and on a third the back parts 

 * c of the head. The features are rude, but very tolera- 

 " ble, and certainly too rude for Spanifti workmanfhip. 

 " This cup was purchafed by Edward Earl of Oxford, 

 " while he lay in the harbour of Cadiz." Thus far 

 Robertfon, to whom weanfwer, firft, That there is no 

 reafon to believe that thofe rude works are really Mexi- 

 can ; 



