HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



229 



count of the fmallnefs, the finenefs, and the various co- 

 lours of them. In thefe and other beautiful birds, na- 

 ture fupplied them with all the colours which art can 

 produce, and alfo fome which art cannot imitate. At the 

 undertaking of every mofaic work feveral artifts af- 

 fembled; after having agreed upon a defign, and taken 

 their meafures and proportions, each artift charged himfelf 

 with the execution of a certain part of the image, and 

 exerted himfelf fo diligently in it with fuch patience and 

 application, that he frequently fpent a whole day in 

 adjufling a feather ; firft trying one, then another, 

 viewing it fometimes one way, then another, until he 

 found one which gave his part that ideal perfection pro- 

 pofed to be attained. When the part which each art- 

 ift undertook was done, they alTembled again to form 

 the entire image from them. If any part was accident- 

 ally the leafl: deranged, it was wrought again until it 

 was perfectly finifhed. They laid hold of the feathers 

 with fmall pincers, that they might not do them the leaft 

 injury, and parted thein on the cloth with Tzauhtli, or 

 fome other glutinous matter ; then they united all the 

 parts upon a little table, or a plate of copper, and flat- 

 tened them foftly until they left the furface of the 

 image fo equal and fmooth it appeared to be the work 

 of a pencil. 



Thefe were the images fo much celebrated by the 

 Spaniards and other European nations. Whoever be- 

 held them was at a lofs whether he ought to have praif- 

 ed moft the life and beauty of the natural colours, or 

 the dexterity of the artift, and the ingenious difpofition 

 of art. " Thefe images," fays Acofta, " are deferved- 

 " ly admired ; for it is wonderful how it was poffible, 

 " with the feathers of birds, to execute works fo fine 



" and 



