XXViii ACCOUNT OF THE WRITERS OF THE 



Lorenzo Boturini Benaducci, of Milan. This curious 

 and learned gentleman arrived in Mexico in 1736 ; and, 

 defirous of writing the hiftory of that kingdom, he made, 

 during eight years he remained there the mod diligent 

 refearches into its antiquity ; acquired a confiderable 

 maftery of the Mexican language, entered into friendftiip 

 with the Indians to obtain their ancient pictures from 

 them, and procured copies of many valuable manufcripts 

 which were in the libraries of the monafteries. The 

 mufeum which he formed of paintings and ancient ma- 

 nufcripts, was the moft numerous and fele<9: ever feen in 

 that kingdom, excepting that of the celebrated Siguenza ; 

 but before he put a hand to his work, the excelTive jeal- 

 oufy of the Spanifli government llripped him of all his 

 literary eftate, and fent him into Spain, where, being en- 

 tirely cleared from every fufpicion againft his loyalty and 

 honour, but without recovering his manufcripts, he pub- 

 liflied in Madrid, in 1746, in one volume in quarto, a 

 iketch of the great hiftory he was meditating. It was 

 found to contain much important knowledge, never be- 

 fore publiflied ; but there were alfo fome errors in it. 

 The hiftorical fyftem which he had formed to himfelf, was 

 too magnificent for execution, and therefore fantaftical. 



Befides thefe and other Spanifh and Indian writers, 

 there are fome anonymous writers whofe works are 

 worthy of being recorded on account of the importance 

 of their fubje^ ; fuchas, i. Certain Annals of the Tolte- 

 can nation, painted on paper, and written in the Mexican 

 language, in which there is an account given of the pil- 

 grimage and wars of the Toltecas, of their king, of the 

 founding of Tollan, their metropolis, and other occurren- 

 ces until they year 1547 of the vulgar asra. 2. Certain 

 Hiftorical Commentaries in the Mexican Language on 



the 



