tion ; are all connected with the philosophical 
study of history. By the same connection ^ the 
feeble remains of the skill, or rather industry, of 
the nations of the New Continent become worthy 
of our attention. Influenced by this persuasion, 
I have, in the course of my travels, brought to- 
gether whatever objects I have been able, by un- 
wearied research, to discover in the countries, 
where intolerance in those ages of barbarism left 
scarcely any vestige of the manners and religious 
rites of their ancient inhabitants ; when edifices 
and temples were demolished for the stones with 
which they were erected, or the hidden treasures 
they were supposed to contain. 
The comparative view which I shall take of 
the works of art belonging to Peru and Mexico, 
and those of the ancient world, will give some 
interest to my researches, as well as to the Pic- 
turesque Atlas, which will contain the result of 
my investigations. Biassed by no system, I 
shall point out those analogies that naturally pre- 
sent themselves, distinguishing such as seem to 
prove an indentity of race, from such as perhaps 
depend only on .internal causes, on the resem- 
blance of all nations in the display of their intel- 
lectual faculties. I shall here confine myself to a 
succinct description of the objects represented in 
the engravings. The consequences which seem 
to result from the* comparative view of these mo- 
