HISTORY OF MEXICO. 227 



any of them remaining. The conduct of thofe miiiion- 

 aries was no doubt laudable both in caufe and effecT, but 

 they fhould have diftinguiflied between the innocent 

 flatues of thofe people, and their fuperftitious images, 

 that fome of the former might have been kept entire in 

 fome place where no evil confequence would have attend- 

 ed their prefervation. 



The works which they executed by calling of metals 

 were in more efleem with the Mexicans than the works 

 of fculpture, both on account of the greater value of the 

 materials, and the excellence of the art itfelf. The mira- 

 cles they produced of this kind would not be credible, if 

 befides the tefiimony of thofe who faw them, curiofities in 

 numbers of this nature had not been fent from Mexico 

 to Europe. The works of gold and filver fent in pre- 

 fents from the conqueror Cortes to Charles V. filled the 

 goldfmiths of Europe with aftonifhment ; who, as fe- 

 veral authors of that period atteft, declared (q) that they 

 were altogether inimitable. The Mexican founders 

 made both of gold and filver the mod perfect images of 

 natural bodies. They made a fifh in this manner, which 

 had its fcales alternately one of filver and the other of 

 gold ; a parrot with a moveable head, tongue, and 

 wings; and an ape with a moveable head and feet, hav- 

 ing a fpindle in its hand in the attitude of fpinning. 

 They fet gems in gold and filver, and made moft curious 

 jewellery of great value. In fhort, thefe forts of works 

 works were fo admirably finiftied, that even the Spanifh 

 foldiers, all flung with the fame wretched thirfl for gold, 

 valued the workmanfhip above the materials. This 



wonderful 



(y) See in particular what is faid of thofe works by the hiftorian Gomara, 

 who had them in his hands, and heard what the goldfmiths of Seville faid upon 

 feeing them. 



