58 
to throw some light on the history, the manners, 
and the civilization of those nations of America, 
that were ignorant of the admirable art of ana- 
lyzing sounds, and painting them by * separate 
or combined characters. A comparison of the 
documents which each other not only renders 
their explanation easy, but affords also certain 
data respecting the confidence, which the Azteck 
traditions recorded in the writings of the first 
Spanish missionaries deserve. I think, that such 
powerful motives will be a sufficient justification 
of the choice we have made of a few articles col- 
lected from works already printed, and adding 
them to the many inedited documents published 
in this collection. 
The hieroglyphic sketch given in the 32d 
plate has been hitherto so much the more ne- 
glected, as it is found in a book, which, in con- 
sequence of the most extraordinary scepticism, 
has been considered as a mass of falsehood and 
imposture. J durst not speak of Gemelli Car- 
reri, says the illustrious author of the History 
of America, because it seems to be now a 
received opinion, that this traveller was never 
out of Italy .; and that his famous Giro del Mon- 
do is an account of a fictitious voyage.” It is true, 
that Robertson does not seem to adopt the opinion 
he advances : for he judiciously adds, that this im- 
putation of fraud does not appear to him founded 
