the end of the last century, a more classic and sedate tone appears, notably in the writings of the Jesuits Alegre, Clavigero, and Cavo, and Mariano Veytia.[1]
A few remarks on the historians of the present century will not be out of place here. The revolutionary condition of Mexico prompted the issue of political pamphlets more or less imbued with partisanship, ridicule being a weapon commonly used with telling effect. But higher aims animated other men, resulting in efforts at history writing. Several comparatively less important productions appeared at first,[2] and from time to time more ambitious efforts began to see the public light, the first one worthy of notice being that of Mier y Guerra, which exhibits research and erudition, but is unfortunately marred by lack of discrimination and by strong bias. He was followed by Mora, Zerecero, Zavala, Alaman, Bustamante, Suarez y Navarro, Portilla, Payno, Tornel, Filisola, Iglesias, Cuevas, Arrangoiz, Alvarez, Rivera, Ancona, Martinez, Zamacois, and others.[3] A number of them have given us narratives of events at certain periods, others have attempted a general history, and still others confined themselves to biography. All of them are entitled to more or less credit, and yet leave a vacuum, either for lack of comprehensiveness, arrangement, or impartiality. Every one seems to have been biassed by religious, political, social, or personal considerations. Prescott's work on Aztec culture and the conquest roused many distinguished Mexicans, Ramirez, Icazbalceta, and Larrainzar, and others, to the study of those subjects. Notes, documents, and essays began to appear. Orozco y Berra went fur-
- ↑ All creoles and the foremost historians of the period. Clavigero eclipsed every previous attempt. Cavo is concise and orderly, though too strictly chronological; Alegre's style is less pure and rounded, yet not redundant. His pages show research. Veytia arranged and published the material of Boturini, adding much research of his own.
- ↑ Those of Cancelada, who was more of a journalist, Aleocer, Villa Urrutia, and others.
- ↑ Bibliographical notices of most of their works have been given in different volumes of my work, and need not be repeated here.
