a general statement of its contents, but not a literal and complete translation.[1]
When, in 1855, the Abbé Brasseur (de Bourbourg) visited Guatemala, Senor Gavarrete showed him this MS., and the Abbé borrowed it for the purpose of making a full version, doubtless availing himself of the partial translations previously furnished. His version completed, he left a copy of it with Senor Gavarrete, and brought the original with him to Europe.[2] It remained in his possession until his death at Nice, when, along with the rest of the Abbé's library, it passed into the hands of M. Alphonse Pinart. This eminent ethnologist learning my desire to include it in the present series of publications, was obliging enough to offer me the opportunity of studying it.
Previous to its discovery in Guatemala, in 1844, we have no record of it whatsoever, and must turn to the document itself for information.
The title given it by Brasseur, and adopted by Gavarrete, Memorial de Tecpan Atitlan, was purely factitious, and, moreover, is misleading. It was, indeed, written at the town of Tzolola or Atitlan, on the lake of that name, the chief city of
- ↑ Gavarrete's words are, "Pasó por manos de muchos personas versadas en los idiomas indigenes sin que pudiese obtenerse una traduccion integra y exacta de su testo, habiendo sido bastante, sin embargo, lo que de su sentido pudo percibirse, para venir en conocimiento de su grande importancia historica." — Boletin de la Sociedad Economica.
- ↑ The Abbé says that Gavarrete gave him the original (Bibliothèque Mexico-Guatemalienne, p. 14). But that gentleman does not take to himself credit for such liberality. He writes "El testo original quedó sin embargo en su poder," etc. Ubi supra.
