he aggregate sum thus sent by him
to Spain, as given in the records of the period, was so large as to
provoke our incredulity. Were specimens of those golden ornaments, the
product of Toltec and Aztec art, now extant, they would be worth fifty
times their weight in gold, and form tangible links of history
connecting the present with the far past. This native art has been
handed down from generation to generation; and there is nothing of the
sort made in the world superior to Mexican silver filigree work, which
recalls the lace-like texture of similar ornaments manufactured at
Genoa. Again, illustrative of this natural instinct for art in the
aborigines, let us not forget to speak of the colored straw pictures
produced by the Indian women, representing natural scenery and prominent
buildings, done with wonderful fidelity, even in the matter of
perspective. Statuettes or wax figures are also made by them,
representing the native laboring classes and street scenes to the very
life. This is a sort of specialty in Naples; but we have never seen one
of these small Italian figures superior to those which one can buy in
the stores on San Francisco Street in Mexico, all of which are the work
of untaught native Indians. While we are writing these lines, there
stands upon our library table a specimen of Mexican pottery which we
brought from Guadalajara. It is of an antique pattern, made by hand in
an Indian mud cabin, beautifully decorated and glazed, combining colors
which mingle in perfect harmony. This is not an organized industry here.
Each family produces its own ware for sale; and no two pieces can be
exactly similar. No people, unless possessed of a high degree of
artistic instinct and appreciation, could produce pottery, either in
shape or finish, such as the traveler sees at Guadalajara.

We are told that the ancient Aztecs excelled in one branch of art above
all others; namely, in the production of scenes and various
ornamentations in feather work, the effect of which is similar to
Florentine mosaic. The gorgeous plumage of the humming-bird and of
parrots was especially devoted to this object. The feathers, glued upon
a cotton web, were made into dresses for the wealthy to wear on festal
occasions. The gradations and brilliancy of these feather pictures are
said to have been marvelous. There is preserved in the museum at the
national capital a vestment of this character, said to have been worn by
Montezuma II. Antonio de