INTRODUCTORY.
Fernando De Alva,[1] a noble Tezcucan, flourished, we are told, in thebeginning of the sixteenth century. He was a man of great learning,familiar with the Mexican and Spanish languages, and the hieroglyphicsof Anahuac. Ambitious to rescue his race from oblivion, and inspired bylove of learning, he collected a library, availed himself of hisknowledge of picture-writing, became master of the songs and traditions,and, in the Castilian language, composed books of merit.
It was scarcely possible that his labors should escape the researches ofMr. Prescott, who, with such incomparable genius, has given the world ahistory of the Conquest of Mexico. From him we have a criticism upon thelabors of the learned Fernando, from which the following paragraph isextracted.
"Iztlilzochitl's writings have many of the defects belonging to his age.He often crowds the page with incidents of a trivial and sometimesimprobable character. The improbability increases with the distance ofthe period; for distance, which diminishes objects to the natural eye,exaggerates them to the mental. His chronology, as I have more than oncenoticed, is inextricably entangled. He has often lent a too willing earto traditions and reports which would startle the more scepticalcriticism of the present time. Yet there is an appearance of good faithand simplicity in his writings, which may convince the reader that, whenhe errs, it is from no worse cause than the national partiality. Andsurely such partiality is excusable in the descendant of a proud line,shorn of its ancient splendors, which it was soothing to his ownfeelings to revive again--though with something more than theirlegitimate lustre--on the canvas of history. It should also beconsidered that, if his narrative is sometimes startling, his researchespenetrate into the mysterious depths of antiquity, where light anddarkness meet and melt into each other; and where everything is stillfurther liable to distortion, as seen through the misty medium ofhieroglyphics."
Besides his _Relaciones_ and _Historia Chichemeca_, De Alva composedworks of a lighter nature, though equally based upon history. Some werelost; others fell into the hands of persons ignorant of their value; afew only were rescued and given to the press. For a considerable periodhe served as interpreter to the Spanish Viceroy. His duties as such weretrifling; he had ample time for literary pursuits; his enthusiasm as ascholar permitted him no relaxation or idleness. Thus favored, it isbelieved he composed the books now for the first time given to theworld.
The MSS. were found among a heap of old despatches from the ViceroyMendoza to the Emperor. It is quite probable that they became mixed withthe State papers through accident; if, however, they were purposelyaddressed to His Majesty, it must have been to give him a completer ideaof the Aztecan people and their civilization, or to lighten the burthensof royalty by an amusement to which, it is known, Charles V. was notaverse. Besides, Mendoza, in his difficulty with the Marquess of theValley (Cortes), failed not to avail himself of every means likely topropitiate his cause with the court, and especially with the RoyalCouncil of the Indies. It is not altogether improbable, therefore, thatthe MSS. were forwarded for the entertainment of the members of theCouncil and the lordly personages of the Court, who not only devouredwith avidity, but, as the wily Mendoza well knew, were vastly obligedfor, everything relative to the New World, and particularly the dazzlingconquest of Mexico.
In the translation, certain liberties have been taken, for which, ifwrong has been done, pardon is besought both from the public and theshade of the author. Thus, The Books in the original are unbrokennarratives; but, with infinite care and trouble, they have all beenbrought out of the confusion, and arranged into chapters. So, there werenames, some of which have been altogether changed; while others, for thesake of euphony, have been abbreviated, though without sacrificing theidentity of the heroes who wore them so proudly.
And thus beginneth the FIRST BOOK.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Fernando De Alva Iztlilzochitl.
THE FAIR GOD.
BOOK ONE.