h support and corroborate it, but the
whole subject is still an open one in the opinion of scholars and
archaeologists.

The learned Abbe is now no more, but the record of his labors exists in
his published works, and in the impulse which he gave to archaeological
investigations. We receive the first notice of his death from Mr. Hubert
Howe Bancroft, who pays the following eloquent tribute to his memory:
"Brasseur de Bourbourg devoted his life to the study of American
primitive history. In actual knowledge pertaining to his chosen
subjects, no man ever equalled or approached him. Besides being an
indefatigable student, he was an elegant writer. In the last decade of
his life, he conceived a new and complicated theory respecting the
origin of the American people, or rather the origin of Europeans and
Asiatics from America, made known to the world in his '_Quatre
Lettres_.' His attempted translation of the manuscript _Troano_ was made
in support of this theory. By reason of the extraordinary nature of the
views expressed, and the author's well-known tendency to build
magnificent structures on a slight foundation, his later writings were
received, for the most part by critics utterly incompetent to understand
them, with a sneer, or what seems to have grieved the writer more, in
silence. Now that the great Americanist is dead, while it is not likely
that his theories will ever be received, his zeal in the cause of
antiquarian science, and the many valuable works from his pen will be
better appreciated. It will be long ere another shall undertake, with
equal devotion and ability, the well nigh hopeless task."[32-*]

Among the historical records relating to the aborigines of Spanish
America, there is none more valuable than the manuscript of Diego de
Landa--Second Bishop of Yucatan, in 1573,--which was discovered and
published by M. de Bourbourg. It contains an account of the manners and
customs of the Maya Indians, a description of some of their chief towns;
and more important than all besides, it furnishes an alphabet, which is
the most probable key that is known to us for reading the hieroglyphics
which are found upon many of the Yucatan ruins. The alphabet, though
imperfect in itself, may at some future time explain, not only the
inscriptions, but also the manuscripts of this ancient period. Although
an attempt of its discoverer, to make use of the alphabet for
interpreting the characters of the manuscript _Troano_, has