New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-08-06
AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES.
. GOOD THOUGH EXPENSIVE JOKE.


The Vossiscke Zc.tpHg Of Berlin, Of the 25d oil
lure contains the following article:
Gsauarit Pilogropli7ue Amcrieaine, Preeeae
Ssp notice SUI Photographic des Feaa1--R0"ge' par
Ea. D0uenerb. Osc,age p,bi,t s0as les auspices az
A. z Minis.re Geiai de Ia AaISoA dc EE"Pf'e'''
s. ae tile of r,a.nifceutly gotten up volume, 1t,
sge 6yo. of 2l9 pages text and 22S Pa'es Pu ''1,u
last year by eide extensive publisher OF r'r's -
Che 81 eface tue edtor thus gives the us"'.y u '"'
manuscript ROW given 10 the world III 80 Oi''.'''' ."
e1jtion For century the ts5l'of1'q1e Ge arsenal
ma pcsses7ed manuscript inc osed IN paper Don aid
rated In the catalogues Of the LOrHiy as VIC
BOOK of the Indians Tnls book was undoubtedly
,r;..e, by tho savages in New-irnc-. IL WAS part
az he rich library Of The Marquis dc Paumy, who had
t,obably received The manuscript rs present from
acme trave CT. But it lot possible to trace os-
.pdy the origin Of tis Book Of the Indians. 1t con-
sss Chiefly Of collection figures and heroglyphlce,
alternating with rather rough and primitive lettering
made with coarse black an rcd lead pencil cOase,
tbici rarer. of Co adm manufacture II was the
vell-known prolific writer, Pau Lacroix, who first
directed the attention OF the editor tits precious relic
az Mex can antiquity and the Minister Of the Interior
appropriated the necessary iunds IN order to secure TO
France the honor Of having Published to the world this
remarkable monument. Toward tie eudof the preface
we are told;
90 We cannot pretend to give translation, which,
BY reason Of limited nnJN ledge Of the Photography
Of tue Redskins il iup, s.i'le but nevertheless we
b,Asve we have slcceeaed an explaining not only the
snbect of the manuscript, but also great number OF
lie accompanying hierOgi' pies.' THE learned work
having come VI d the observation OF a German, he
ssvs Of il: | lad seen many fac-rimes and photo
Crs,hs Of aboriginal American art, and was impatient
20 see this new Ihen0neuou. But cannot sufficiently
express MY onism III, wien on turning over plate
saer ,lae only saw tue weli-kuo~u figures. con-
ssng Of small circle and couple OF dots for head,
aarger oioe lOr the body and four straight lines for
Arns and legs, which children are in the habit Of
svibblmg everywhere. AT the fret glance, we see
hss we have before but the attempt OF child Of five
20 seven wears 70 draw surrounding objects best
hmay. Wuat is conic4l is that IL is readily ap-
ps-ent thatths Was work Of German colonst,
fou the many German words written ulder the figures
II German text aud Sometimes filing whole pages. OF
al this the learned editor dOes mt seem to have the
sihest suspicion. On plate AZ there is a female figure
rerresned by two CYCLES, under which is written in
bad schoolboy sty lie the word Anna" again plate
IL. under up OF rough s.Ia ches, which the editor
Of divine wrath we lind word Sausage; On plate
rs couple OF figure hid LOAF If bread in the shape
q tue wel-knowD Tsuiouic brelzel with the word
fst-day' written below. On plate 10 we find re-
Presentation OF boney combs, in the mot primitive
manner by circles and dots Under aud by the side OF
them the word "boney" is written three times. On
Plate l4S is group Eguies, extending their straight
line arms to heaven with the words God my wit.
usss." Ga mott Of tie plates we find among the men,
euns and churches and TIE like words from the Ro
msn cstechsm. Nothing can be more ludcrous than
tls II expectation which usrious savant gives 10
& esq words, hi.h be considers Agtec, and TO the
funny seboolboy figures, with all their naughty and
nisebieyOus variati1Ds The drawings and writing
are evidently by one and the LAND, and we can
not for moment believe that the words Lave been
gciJbly uio the book after the dn wings were already
there. TIE whole arrangement Of the blOter tho pro-
* sion Of tho ues and figures, the barbarous dashe,
rings, bus-eyes, bl,s, ana blus adjoining the book,
chow most L.msiakably hat this great work took
IL origin in the uursery of some backwoOds farm. IT,
during the PROCESS OF the publication, some German
En.er rad sccdently got gaLce at the plates, tue
Inevitable explosion OF his iilanty would probably
have saved the M,aistre de Ia maisOn de PemPereur
ton the scandal OF t'is publication.