ORIGIN



OF THE



They dress their hair i]



a



various



differenit kinds of paints, to make
friends, aid terrible to their foes.
tribes cover themselves differently
lived in cities when the Spaniards
seem all to have worn particul!ar]
been exactly described by the P
habits of the emperor, antd his prii
sented as having been very super
that fancy has sormetimIes added ti
  The Mstlexicans, as is well kno,



the in



.



a
[I

11
IS



fashions, and
I amiable to



use
th eir



Many of the Mexican
  Those of thern who
irrived in that country,
abits ; but this has not
pan ish writers. The
cipal chiefs are repre-
; but it is probable,



t
WI1



who first visited them, had, undoubi
tonishing degree of excellence in se,
considerable proficients in painting;
painting they sometimes made use
times they used co'oured feathers ;
a kind of mosaic work, and display



he rnao'nifi
i to those ]
;e(Ily, attair
veral arts.
and archite
of pencils
di(sposino,



cence.
Europeans
ied an as-
rhey were
zture. In
, at other
them into



ing in this work an



inerenuity and patience, which has never been surpassed
by European artists. They cut and polished mairble,
jewels and precious stones. rThey constructed different
kinds of armour ; they wrought mines of gold, silver,
wood, and stones; they cut from the quarry stones of
prodioious size. and removed them to great distances, to
be employed in their bnildinis; and all this without
having the knowledge of any metal harder than iron or
copper.
  Their public edifices are described as having been of
stone at-d well built. The royal palace opened by thirty
gates, into as many streets. The principal front, it is
said, was of jasper of different colours, and highly pol-
ished. The passaae to the royal apartment was through
three courts, of the same materials. and equally well
finished as the principal court. The floors of those
apartments were covered with mats, and they were hung,
some of them with cotton cloths and some with hangings
made of feathers, disposed into a variety of living figures.
The roofs were so artificially constructed, that, atlhough
without nails, the planks supported each other.



292