PREFACE. 



THE hiftory of Mexico, undertaken in order to avoid 

 the pain and reproach of idlenefs to which I found 

 my Ufe condemned, to ferve to the utmoil of my power 

 my native country, and to reflore to their full light truths 

 obfcured by an incredible number of modern writers on 

 America, has been a taflc equally laborious, difficult, and 

 expenfive. Exclufive of the great expenfes occafioned 

 by procuring from Cadiz, Madrid, and other cities of 

 Europe, the books which were neceffary to my purpofe, 

 I have read and examined every publication which has 

 appeared hitherto on the fubjedl : I have compared the 

 accounts of authors, and critically weighed their authori- 

 ty ; I have ftudied many hiftorical paintings of the Mexi- 

 cans ; I have profited from their manufcripts, which I 

 read formerly in Mexico ; and confulted with many per- 

 fons well acquainted with thefe countries. In addition 

 to fuch diligence I might add, to give credit to my la- 

 bours, that I refided thirty-fix years in that extenfive 

 kingdom ; acquired the Mexican language, and for feve- 

 ral years converfcd with the Mexicans, whofe hiftory I 

 write. I do not, however, flatter myfelf with having 

 been able to give a perfect work ; fince, befides finding 

 myfelf unpolTefTed of thofe endowments of genius, judg- 

 ment, and eloquence, which are the requifites of a good 

 hidorian, the lofs of the greatcft part of the Mexican 

 paintings, and the want of many valuable manufcripts 

 Vol. I. b which 



