ANCIENT HISTORY OF MEXICO. XXXill 



who do not underftand the charafters and figures of the 

 Mexicans, nor know the method they ufed to reprefent 

 things. Our writings are of doubtful fignification to 

 thofe who have not learned to read them. At the time 

 the miflionaries made that unfortunate burning of the pic- 

 tures, many Acolhuan, Mexican, Tepanecan, Tlafcalan, 

 and other hiftorians were living, and employed themfelves 

 to repair the lofs of thefe monuments. This they in 

 part accompliflied by painting new pidures, or making 

 ufe of our characters which they had learned, and in- 

 fl:ru6ling, by word of mouth, their preachers in their an- 

 tiquity, that it might be preferved in their writings, 

 which Motolinia, Olmos, and Sahagun have done. It is 

 therefore abfolutely falfe, that every knowledge of the 

 moft remote events has been totally lofl. It is falfe, be- 

 fides, that there is not a linglc trace remaining of the 

 political government, and ancient revolutions of the em- 

 pire, excepting what is derived from tradition, &c. In 

 this hiftory, and chiefly in the diflertations, we fliall de- 

 te£i: fome of the many mifreprefentations which occur in 

 the hiftory of the above mentioned author, and in the 

 works of other foreign writers, which we might fwell into 

 large volumes. Some authors not contented with intro- 

 ducing errors, trifles, and lies, into the hiftory of Mexico, 

 have confounded it with falfe images and figures, fuch as 

 thofe of the famous Theodore Bry. In Gage's work, 

 in the general hiftory of the travels of Prevoft, and 

 others, is reprefented a beautiful road made over the 

 Mexican lake, from Mexico to Tezcuco, which is cer- 

 tainly the greateft abfurdity imaginable. The great 

 work, entitled. La Galerie agreahk du Mond^ fays that 

 ambafladors were fent in former times to the court of 

 Mexico, mounted on elephants. Such fi6lions belong 

 to romance not hiftory. 

 Vol. I. e OF 



