CHAPTER VI.
A REVIEW OF THE REFLECTIONS OF MR. STEPHENS UPON THE RUINS OF MEXICAN AMERICA—HIS CONCLUSIONS FOUNDED UPON FALSE PREMISES—HIS ERRORS DETECTED BY HIS OWN CONTRADICTIONS—RESTORATION OF THE TEMPLE OF UXMAL—HIS CHIEF MOTIVE APPARENT—HIS ARGUMENTS AND CONCLUSIONS REFUTED—AND THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE RUINS IDENTIFIED AND ESTABLISHED—REMARKS UPON ROBERTSON'S HISTORY OF AMERICA.
The interesting Traveller in his last chapter but one of his Second Volume on "Central America," says—
"I have finished the explorations of ruins,—and here I would be willing to part, and to leave the reader to wander alone, and at will through the labyrinth of mystery which hangs over these ruined cities; but it would be craven to do so without turning for a moment to the important question. Who were the people that built these cities? I shall narrow down this question to a ground even yet sufficiently broad,—viz., a comparison of these remains with those of the Architecture and Sculpture of other ages and people."
It is upon this "ground" of his own choosing that we propose to attack his manœuvring,—it is the only field of argument where the necessary truth can be elicited; and he cannot object if his apparently fortified positions should be attacked, and if not sufficiently defended, he will not wonder that they should be demolished or overthrown; and if we cannot succeed in so doing, we are willing to admit, that his "Conclusions" will be to this work what the heir-apparent of the Scottish throne was to Macbeth; and the same words (except one) will speak our frank confession—viz.
"The Prince of Travellers! That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o'er-leap,
For in my way it lies."
He writes: