I 
210 
LETTER 
From Mr. Visconti., 31 ember of the National 
Institute of France, to M. de Humboldt, 
on certain monuments of the American 
nations. 
In perusing tliat part of your work, which con- 
cerns the monuments of the nations of America, 
and in which you have had the kindness to give 
me so valuable a testimony of your friendship, 
I have observed, among tiie great number of 
facts hitherto unknown, and observations alto- 
gether new, contained in these volumes, a few ar- 
ticles, in which my opinion differs from yours. 
This difference, it is true, relates only to some 
peculiarities of little importance, and my remarks 
may perhap^s appear minute ; but as it concerns 
an entirely new branch of archeeology, if I may 
make use of this term, to denote researches on 
the monuments of the new world, I have deemed 
it right to transmit to you a few observations on 
the subject : if they are just, they may contribute 
to the understanding and explanation of some 
