20. 



ration and description suggest, it may be allowed to point out the close 

 and striking resemblance which exists between the Antiquities of 

 Mexico and of Egypt. The mighty Pyramid, the hieroglyphic 

 writing, the sculptured stone, are almost alike; and their kindred 

 origin can hardly be doubted. Here examination and comparison 

 will probably illustrate the most ancient records of the world. Again, 

 the worship of the Mexicans appears to have been more monstrous and 

 bloody than the Egyptian ; and more resembled that of the Budhist 

 and Hindoo. The Temple and Cavern and Holy Mountain of the 

 New World differ in little from the Dome of Jagghernaut, the Cave of 

 Elephanta or Ellora, and the High Place of oriental sacredness; while 

 the enormous Serpent- God devouring human victims, and other un- 

 couth Shapes to which adorations were paid, carry the resemblance 

 even into minute details, and strengthen the hypothesis of a similar 

 origin. Of these Emblems many are preserved in the present col- 

 lection, and such objects as were irremovable, from their nature or 

 magnitude, have, by permission of the Government, been cast or 

 modelled from the originals upon the spot. 



From the whole it is hoped a sufficient idea will be given of the 

 State of Ancient Mexico, when the unfortunate Montezuma, in all his 

 C( Barbaric Pomp and Gold," yielded to the cruel Spaniard his riches, 

 his kingdom, and his life : mild but firm, torture could not wring 

 from him the abjuration of the faith of his ancestors ; and death, the 

 greatest of blessings, released him from a world in which he had 

 experienced the highest fortune, and the most ruthless persecutions 

 and piteous fall. 



Stained with such crimes, and guilty of such horrid oppressions, it 

 is not surprising that the conquerors should have laboured so effect- 

 ually to throw a veil over the scene of their atrocities : they had made 

 but a slight change from the preceding era, when the murderous 

 idolatry of Mexico floated its temples with the blood of human sa- 

 crifices, and the flesh of fellow-creatures was devoured in honour of the 

 Gods ! But as it has been mentioned, even the diligence of the Spa- 

 niards could not utterly destroy the vestiges of the past. Some were 

 mutilated, some concealed, some escaped ; and it is from these sources, 

 opened to the exertions of the Proprietor by the existing Government, 

 (which is anxious to diffuse a knowledge of Spanish America and to 

 cultivate an intercourse with Europe), that he has been enabled to 

 form the Exhibition now offered to the public view. 



With the details of his voyage and proceedings in Mexico he does 

 not think it necessary to enlarge ; and will only say, that he seized the 

 first moment for such an enterprise with avidity, and prosecuted it with 



