158 
In the environs of Mitla are the remains of a 
great pyramid^ and some other buildings very 
much resembling those which we have just de- 
scribed. More to the south, near Guatimala, in 
a plain called El Palenque, the ruins of a whole 
town are evidences of the taste of the Tolteck 
and Azteck race for the ornaments of architec- 
ture. We are absolutely ignorant of the anti- 
quity of these edifices, but it is scarcely pro- 
bable, that it goes back farther than the thir- 
teenth or fourteenth century of our era. 
The Greek ornaments of the palace of Mitla 
offer, no doubt, a striking analogy with those of 
the vases of lower Italy, and with others which 
we find spi’ead over the surface of almost the 
whole of the old continent : but I have already 
observed in another place, that analogies of this 
kind are very limited proofs of the ancient 
communications of nations ; and that, under 
every zone, men are pleased with a rythmic 
repetition of the same forms, a repetition which 
constitutes the principal character of what we 
vaguely call grecques^ meanders, and arabes- 
ques. Still more, the perfection of these or- 
naments is no indication of any great progress 
in civilization among the people where they 
are in use. Mr. Krusenstern gives a de- 
* Krusenstern, iieise um die Welt, Petersburg, 1810, 
tom, i, page 168, Atlas, 1’afei 8, 10, and 16, 
