University of Virginia Library

Mexico and Peru.

The books published in both English and Spanish
America, till within the last century, were, principally,
on religious subjects. Perhaps those produced in the
British colonies, anterior to our revolution, exceed in
number those published in Mexico and Peru; but, from
the best information I have been able to obtain, it appears
they were inferior, in point of magnitude, to the many
large and voluminous labors of the monks, on subjects of
devotion and scholastic theology, that have been printed
in the Spanish part of the continent. Besides books on

religious and devotional concerns, many large historical
works, a variety of dictionaries, grammars, etc., were produced
by the presses of Spanish America.

Notwithstanding the press in Spanish America was under
severe restrictions, yet the books allowed to be printed,
together with the works necessary for the purposes of
government, afforded it much employment; and, from
the best information I can procure, it appears that the
typographical performances, both in Mexico and Peru,
were not badly executed.

Gazettes have, for many years, been published in that
country; some say they were printed before the end of
the seventeenth century; that they were so, in the cities
of Mexico and Lima, is not improbable. An excellent
literary journal was for some time published in Lima,
entitled Mercurio Peruano.[8] Dr. Robertson, in his History
of America, mentions his being furnished with the Gazette
of Mexico for the years 1728, 1729, and 1730, printed in
quarto. Having examined the contents, he observes,
" The Gazette of Mexico is filled almost entirely with
accounts of religious functions, with descriptions of processions,
consecrations of churches, beatifications of saints,
festivals, autos da fé, &c. Civil or commercial affairs,
and even the transactions of Europe, occupy but a small
corner of this monthly magazine of intelligence." He
mentions, also, that the titles of new books were regularly
inserted in the Gazette; whence it appeared that
two-thirds of them were treatises on religion.[9]

A literary journal, entitled Gazeta de Literatura was for
a long time published in Mexico, and was continued in

1760, by M. Alzate, an astronomer; and in the government
of Guatemala, the Gazeta de Guatemala was continued
in 1800.

The press being under the absolute control of government,
we might expect to find the catalogue of Spanish
American publications confined within narrow limits; but
the fact is, that the works which treat of religion, history,
morals, and classical books, which in that country have
been printed, are numerous. Even the dictionaries and
grammars, for the use of the various nations of aborigines
in the Mexican provinces only, excite our surprise. Of
these the Abbé Clavigero,[10] the historian, mentions five
Mexican dictionaries and twenty Mexican grammars;
three Otomi dictionaries and four grammars; two Tarascan
dictionaries and three grammars; one Zapotecan
dictionary and one grammar; one Miztecan grammar;
three Maya dictionaries and three grammars; two Totonacan
dictionaries and two grammars; one Popolucan
dictionary and one grammar; one Matlazincan dictionary
and one grammar; two Huaxteean dictionaries, and
two grammars; one Mixe dictionary, and one grammar;
one Cakciquel dictionary, and one grammar; one Taramaran
dictionary, and two grammars; one Tepehuanan
dictionary, and three grammars.

Clavigero also mentions eighty-six authors held in high
estimation by the learned; thirty-three of whom were
Creoles," who have written on the doctrines of Christianity,
and on morality, in the languages of New Spain; "and he
remarks, "the books published in Mexico on religion are
so numerous, that of them alone might be formed a large
library." Their works, and the dictionaries and grammars
before mentioned, were, unquestionably, printed in the

provinces of Mexico; and it is not improbable that many
books, of the like kind, have been published in the extensive
provinces of Peru, in South America.[11]

Dr. Robertson prefixed to the seventh edition of his
history, a list of Spanish books and manuscripts, which he
consulted for that work.[12]

It evidently appears, that the most voluminous and
expensive works were published by the Spaniards; and
this is not altogether strange, as they possessed by far the
richest part of the country; and the settlement of the
southern part of the continent, and of Mexico, commenced
a century before that of the British colonies.