o, centuries before the discovery of the western world by
Columbus, possessed the arts of civilization, and had reached a point of
intellectual and moral culture in many respects surpassing that of the
most renowned nations of the other world. We are surprised to find the
high degree of refinement which they had reached. The sciences, especially
of mathematics and astronomy, were understood to a degree of nicety
scarcely attained by the Romans in their palmiest days. Their political
organization was of a wonderfully perfect character; and their laws, and
especially the organization of the judiciary, the department by which they
were to be interpreted and administered, were stamped by a clear insight
into the nature of moral obligation, and the mutual duties and rights of
the members of society, which strike us with the utmost astonishment.
Their mythology, with the single exception of the sanction it gives to
human sacrifices, indicates a much nearer approach to a knowledge of the
true God than the popular faith of the Greeks or Romans; and sentiments
are recorded as having been uttered by a prince of the Tezcucan tribe,
guided solely by the light of his own indwelling reason, which were worthy
of Plato or of any sage that has ever lived, unenlightened by the hopes of
revelation on which Christians build their faith. The history of such a
people, dwelling centuries ago upon our own continent, shrouded as it has
heretofore been in darkness and vague uncertainty, under the lucid and
brilliant pen of Mr. PRESCOTT becomes more attractive than any offspring
of the fancy or imaginative fiction could possibly be. This preliminary
sketch occupies nearly half of the first volume; and we have never read
any similar effort of the same extent with equal gratification.

We can of course give no outline of the main portion of the work, the
history of the train of events by which the whole Mexican empire fell into
the hands of the conquering Spaniard. It is one of the most romantic
narratives which ever bore the seal of truth. Its prominent actors are men
of eminent genius, who performed exploits worthy the greatest captains of
Europe or Asia; and the history of their lives abounds with interest and
instruction. Mr. PRESCOTT has a most happy historical style, glowing with
all the warmth and shining with a far more substantial brilliancy than
that of BANCROFT; and blending the strict truth of accurate narrative with
the free flow of a fi