M E X 
mer wa* worked with a chiflel made of flint; and, in fpite 
of the unfitnefs of the inftrument, fuch was the phleg¬ 
matic nature of the people, that they furmounted every 
difficulty arifing from the tedioufnefs of the work. In 
their ftatues they learned to exprefs all the attitudes and 
poftures of which the human body is capable. They ob- 
ferved the proportions exactly ; and could, when necefl’ary, 
execute the molt delicate ftrokes with the chiflel. They 
not only made entire ftatues, but cut out in wood and in 
ftonc figures in baflb relievo; of which kind are thofe of 
Montezuma II. and one of his fons, recorded with praifes 
by Acofta. They alfo made ftatues of clay and wood, 
employing for thefe a chiflel of copper. The number of 
their ftatues was in proportion to that of their idols ; but 
fo aftive were the Spaniih priefts in deftroying thefe, that 
there is now fcarcely any veftige of them remaining. The 
foundation of the firft Chriftian church in Mexico was 
laid with idols; on which occafion many thoufand ftatues 
of their gods were neceflarily broke in pieces. In calling 
of metals, however, the Mexicans greatly excelled their 
works either of painting or fculpture. “ The miracles 
they produced of this kind (fays Clavigero) would not 
be credible, if, befides the teftimony of thofe who faw 
them, a great number of curiofities of this kind had 
not been fent from Mexico to Europe. The works of 
gold and filver fent in prefents from the conqueror Cortes 
to Charles V. filled the goldfmiths of Europe with afto- 
nilliment; who, as leveral authors of that period atteft, 
declared that they were altogether inimitable. The Mexi¬ 
can founders made, both of gold and filver, the moll per¬ 
fect images of natural bodies. They made a fifli in this 
manner, which had its fcales alternately one of filver and 
the other of gold ; a parrot with a moveable head, tongue, 
and wings; and an ape with a moveable head and feet, 
having a fpindle in its hand in the attitude of fpinning. 
They fet gems in gold and filver, and made moll curious 
jewellery of great value. In ftiort, thefe fort of works 
were fo admirably finilhed, that even the Spanith foldiers, 
all ftung with the fame wretched thirft for gold, valued 
the workmanfhip above the materials. This wonderful 
art, formerly praftifed by the Toltecas, the invention of 
which they afcribed to one of their gods, has been en¬ 
tirely loft by the debafement of the Indians, and the 
negleCt of the Spaniards. We are doubtful if there are 
any remains of thofe curious works; at leaft we appre¬ 
hend that it would be more eafy to find them in fome of 
the cabinets of Europe than in ail New Spain. Covetouf- 
nefs to profit by the materials mull unqueftionably have 
conquered all defire to preferve them as curiofities.” 
But, of all the works executed by the ancient Mexi¬ 
cans, thofe of mofaic were the moll curious, as well as 
moll highly valued by themfelves. Thefe were made of 
the feathers of birds; and for procuring them they reared 
a great number of thofe birds of fine plumage with which 
the country abounded, not only in the royal palaces, but 
alfo in private houfes; and at certain feafons they carried 
otf the feathers for thefe purpofes, or to fell them at mar¬ 
ket. They valued particularly the feathers of the hum¬ 
ming birds, on account of their fmallnefs, finenefs, and 
various colours; and in thefe, as well as other birds of 
fine plumage, nature fupplied them not only with all the 
colours producible by art, but likewife with many which 
xirt cannot imitate. Their mofaic works, as well as in¬ 
deed all others of the Mexicans, required infinite pa¬ 
tience. At the undertaking of every work of this kind 
leveral artifts aflembled; and, having agreed upon a de- 
fign, and fixed their meafures and proportions, each 
artiil charged himfelf with the execution of a certain 
part of the image, and exerted himfelf lo diligently in 
it, that he frequently fpent a whole day in adjufting a 
.feather; firft trying one and then another, viewing it 
fometknes one way, then another, until he found one 
which gave his part that ideal perfection propofed to be 
attained. When the part which each artift undertook 
was done, they aflembled again tp form the entire image 
Yol. X'V. Np. 1044. 
I <S Q. 001 
from them. If any part happened to be in the leaft 
deranged, it was wrought again until it was perfectly 
finilhed. They laid hold of the feathers with fmall pin¬ 
cers, that they might not do them the leaft injury, and 
palled them on the cloth with fome glutinous matter; 
then they united all the parts upon a little table or a 
plate of copper, and flattened them foftly until they left 
the furface of the image fo equal and fmooth, that it ap¬ 
peared to be the work of a pencil. Thefe works were 
prodigioufly admired by the Spaniards. 
The Mexicans.were expert jewellers, and underftood 
the art of cutting and polilhing the Hones, as well as of 
fetting them. The gems moll common in their country 
were the emerald, amethyft, cornelian, turquoile, and 
fome others. Emeralds were fo common, that no lord 
or noble wanted them; and none of them died without 
having one fixed to his lip, that it might ferve him, as 
they imagined, in the other world, inftead of a heart. 
When Cortes returned the firft time to Spain, he brought 
with him five emeralds, valued, by the jewellers there, at 
100,000 ducats. The firft was in the form of a rofe ; the 
l’econd of an horn; the third of a little fi(h with eyes of 
gold ; the fourth in the form of a bell, with a fine pearl 
for a clapper. The fifth was a fmall cap with a foot of 
gold, and four little golden chains which united in a 
pearl in the form of a button. For this alone the Genoefe 
merchants offered 40,000 ducats, in order to fell it again 
to the grand fignior. Befides thefe, he had two emerald 
vafes valued at 300,000 ducats; but thefe laft were loft 
by fhipwreck in the unfortunate expedition of Charles V. 
againft Algiers. There are no fuch gems wrought at pre- 
fent, nor is it even known where the emerald-mines are 
fituated; though it is laid there are Hill fome large pieces 
of this precious ftone in fome of the churches. 
In other more common manufactures the Mexicans 
were by no means deficient. The earthen-ware of Cho- 
lula was much praifed by the Spaniards; and they had 
the art of ornamenting this kind of ware with various 
colours, though they did not underftand the making of 
glafs. Their carpenters wrought with inftruments of 
copper; and there are Hill remains of their labours which 
dilplay a tolerable Ikill. Almoll every one was acquainted 
with the method of making cloth. Being deftitute of wool, 
common filk, lint, or hemp, they were obliged to fupply 
the deficiency by other materials. For wool they fubiti- 
tuted cotton, for filk they ufed feathers, the wool of the 
hare or rabbit; and, inftead of lint and hemp, they ufed 
the fibrous part of the leaves of the aloe. From thefe 
laft they obtained a thread as fine as from lint; and from 
fome fpecies they had a coarfer fo t refembling hemp. 
To obtain this thread, they l'oaked their leaves in water, 
cleaned them, expol'ed them to the fun, and then beat 
them until they were fit to be fpun. Sometimes they in¬ 
terwove with their cotton the fineft down on the belly 
of the rabbits or hares, after having fpun it into thread ; 
and of thefe they made moll beautiful cloths, which were 
particularly ufed for winter-waillcoats for the lords. 
Their cotton-manufactures were equal to any produced 
in Europe; they wove them with different figures and 
colours, reprefenting different animals and flowers. Of 
feathers interwoven with cotton they made mantles and 
bed-curtains, carpets, gowns, &c. Thefe were exceedingly 
beautiful; but this kind of manufacture is now loft. 
The Mexicans were Ikilled in architecture, even before 
they left their native country; and many edifices Hill re¬ 
main which were conitruCted by them during their fre¬ 
quent journeys from one place to another. At their firft 
arrival on the lake, they had no other materials to build 
their houfes with but reeds and mud, until the fuccefs of 
their commerce allowed them to purchafe better mate¬ 
rials. When the city came to its perfection, the houfes 
of the principal people were conitruCted of llone: they 
confifted of two floors, having halls, large court-yards, 
and chambers fitly difpofed : the roofs were flat and ter¬ 
raced ; the walls fo well whitened, polilhed, and filming, 
4 H that 
