University of Virginia Library

INTRODUCTORY.

FERNANDO DE ALVA,[1] a noble Tezcucan, flourished,
we are told, in the beginning of the sixteenth
century. He was a man of great learning,
familiar with the Mexican and Spanish languages,
and the hieroglyphics of Anahuac. Ambitious to
rescue his race from oblivion, and inspired by love
of learning, he collected a library, availed himself of
his knowledge 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 of Mr. Prescott, who, with such incomparable
genius, has given the world a history of the
Conquest of Mexico. From him we have a criticism
upon the labors of the learned Fernando, from which
the following paragraph is extracted.

“Iztlilzochitl's writings have many of the defects
belonging to his age. He often crowds the page with
incidents of a trivial and sometimes improbable character.
The improbability increases with the distance

of the period; for distance, which diminishes objects
to the natural eye, exaggerates them to the mental.
His chronology, as I have more than once noticed, is
inextricably entangled. He has often lent a too willing
ear to traditions and reports which would startle
the more sceptical criticism of the present time. Yet
there is an appearance of good faith and simplicity
in his writings, which may convince the reader that,
when he errs, it is from no worse cause than the
national partiality. And surely such partiality is excusable
in the descendant of a proud line, shorn of
its ancient splendors, which it was soothing to his
own feelings to revive again — though with something
more than their legitimate lustre — on the canvas
of history. It should also be considered that, if
his narrative is sometimes startling, his researches
penetrate into the mysterious depths of antiquity,
where light and darkness meet and melt into each
other; and where everything is still further liable to
distortion, as seen through the misty medium of hieroglyphics.”

Besides his Relaciones and Historia Chichemeca, De
Alva composed works of a lighter nature, though
equally based upon history. Some were lost; others
fell into the hands of persons ignorant of their value;
a few only were rescued and given to the press. For
a considerable period he served as interpreter to the
Spanish Viceroy. His duties as such were trifling;

he had ample time for literary pursuits; his enthusiasm
as a scholar permitted him no relaxation or idleness.
Thus favored, it is believed he composed the
books now for the first time given to the world.

The MSS. were found among a heap of old despatches
from the Viceroy Mendoza to the Emperor.
It is quite probable that they became mixed with
the State papers through accident; if, however, they
were purposely addressed to His Majesty, it must
have been to give him a completer idea of the Aztecan
people and their civilization, or to lighten the
burthens of royalty by an amusement to which, it
is known, Charles V. was not averse. Besides, Mendoza,
in his difficulty with the Marquess of the Valley
(Cortes), failed not to avail himself of every means
likely to propitiate his cause with the court, and
especially with the Royal Council of the Indies. It
is not altogether improbable, therefore, that the MSS.
were forwarded for the entertainment of the members
of the Council and the lordly personages of the Court,
who not only devoured with avidity, but, as the wily
Mendoza well knew, were vastly obliged for, everything
relative to the New World, and particularly the
dazzling conquest of Mexico.

In the translation, certain liberties have been taken,
for which, if wrong has been done, pardon is besought
both from the public and the shade of the author.
Thus, The Books in the original are unbroken narratives;

but, with infinite care and trouble, they have
all been brought out of the confusion, and arranged
into chapters. So, there were names, some of which
have been altogether changed; while others, for the
sake of euphony, have been abbreviated, though without
sacrificing the identity of the heroes who wore
them so proudly.

And thus beginneth the First Book.