In Waldeck's beautiful illustrations of these ruins, some feet below this winged death's-head, are the cross-bones distinct, and below these, is a human figure (male) in full maturity, and naked, except the shoulders and head, standing with his arms crossed "in sorrow's knot." These Sculptures appear upon, what Waldeck calls the Pyramid of Kingsborough,—so named, as before stated, in compliment to Lord Kingsborough, for his costly work upon the Paintings of Mexico. [7 vols. folio.] Well may Stephens say, there are no "Idols" here as at Copan. Heathen language is not seen in the Sculpture of Uxmal; the Christian language alone can translate the above emblems of the Resurrection! The translation of the above Sculpture seems as easy, as if a Daniel had already read the handwriting on the wall! as thus—The human figure, in full life and maturity, together with the sex, presents mortality; over the figure the cross-bones are placed, portraying the figure's earthly death; while the skull supported by expanding wings, (and this Sculpture being placed above those of life and death,) presents the immortal Soul ascending on the wings of Time, above all earthly life, or the corruption of the grave! "On tombstones with us" a better design could not have been formed by Art to enforce the belief in the Resurrection. The beauty of this subject has led us into digression, for it belongs to the third volume. Campbell will apologize for us—
"Coming events cast their shadow before."
Mr. Stephens continues:—
"The reader will be able to form some idea of the time, skill, and labour, required for making them [the edifices]; and more than this, to conceive the immense time, skill, and labour required for carving [sculpturing] such a surface of stone; and the wealth, power, and cultivation of the people who could command such skill and labour for the mere decoration of the edifices. Probably all these ornaments have a symbolical meaning; [they certainly have] each stone is part of an allegory or fable (?) hidden from us, inscrutable under the light of the feeble torch we may burn before it, but which, if ever revealed, will shew that the History of the World yet remains to be written."
With all humility we have attempted to "reveal" one portion of the Sculpture, (others will follow)—but the emblems of Christianity and the Resurrection, can form no part "of an allegory or fable;" and truly has the History of the World yet to be written, when historians in ignorance of the Ruins, have traced the Aborigines, who built the gorgeous edifices of Palenque and Uxmal, to have lived and perished in a savage life! From the character of the Sculpture, and its devices, Uxmal is placed by us as the last built of all the Ancient Cities as yet discovered on the Western Continent.
Having made sufficient extracts from Mr. Stephens's work on "Central America," in illustration of Copan, Palenque, and Uxmal, the principal Cities of Ruins; the Traveller's reflections upon his explorations will now be given, and his conclusions met and refuted. We desire, before we commence the following Chapter of refutation, to impress the reader's mind with the importance of a complete removal of the conclusions, arrived at by Mr. Stephens in regard to these Ruins;—for if he is right, we are stopped at the very threshold of our History. We confess this with all honesty, and desire thereby to arouse the minute attention of the reader to the several points of refutation,—to analyze them critically, and to yield nothing,—but from conviction of foregone errors and false conclusions.
In conformity with the rule of argument with which this volume was commenced, we presume that the preceding Chapter completely establishes in the mind of the reader, that Ancient Cities and Ruins have been discovered in Mexican America; in this belief, the History will be continued, and the Builders and Architecture identified.