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none but to the Emperor. Confidering the value put upon gold and filver, the want of current coin would argue great dulnefs in that nation, if inftances did not daily occur of improvements, after being carried to a confiderable height, ftopping fhort at the very threshold of perfection. The want of current coin made fairs the more neceffary, which were carried on with the most perfect regularity: judges on the fpot decided mercantile differences; and inferior officers, making conftant circuits, preferved peace and order. The abundance and variety of the commodities brought to market, and the order preferved by fuch multitudes, amazed the Spaniards; a fpectacle deferving admiration, as a teftimony of the grandeur and good government of that extenfive empire.

The fine arts were not unknown in Mexico. Their goldfmiths were excellent workmen, particularly in moulding gold and filver into the form of animals. Their painters made landscapes and other imitations of nature, with feathers fo artfully mixed as to bestow both life and colouring; of which fort of work, there were instances no lefs extraordinary for patience than for fkill. Their drinking-cups were of the finest earth exquifitely made, differing from each other in colour, and even in fmell. Of the fame materials, they made great variety of veffels both for use and

ornament.

They were not ignorant either of mufic or of poetry; and one of their capital amusements was fongs fet to mufic, relating the atchievements of their kings and ancestors.

With fuch a progrefs both in the ufeful and fine arts, is it not furprising, that though they had measures they knew nothing of weights?

As to the aft of writing it was no farther advanced than the ufing figures compofed of paint

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ed feathers, by which they made a fhift to communicate fome fimple thoughts; and in that manner was Montezuma informed of the Spanish invafion.

There was great ingenuity fhewn in regulating the calendar: the Mexican year was divided into 365 days; and into 18 months, containing 20 days cach, which made 360; the remaining five intercalary days were added at the end of the year, for making it correfpond to the courfe of the fun. They religiously employed thefe five days upon diverfions, being of opinion that they were ap propriated to that end by their ancestors.

Murder, theft, and corruption in officers of state, were capital crimes. Adultery alfo was capital; for female chastity was in high eftimation. At the fame time, confent was deemed a fufficient cause of divorce, the law leaving it to the parties concerned, who ought to be the best judges. In case of a divorce, the father took care of the male children, leaving the female children with the mother. But to prevent rafh feparations, it was capital for them to unite again,

It may be gathered from what has been faid, that there was a diftinction of rank among the Mexicans. So ftrictly was it obferved, as to be displayed even in their buildings: the city of Mexico was divided into two parts, one appropriated to the Emperor and nobility, and one left to plebeians.

Education of children was an important article in the Mexican police. Public schools were allotted for plebeian children; and colleges well endowed for the fons of the nobility, where they continued till they were fit for business. The maf

ters were confidered as officers of ftate: not without reason, as their office was to qualify young men for ferving their king and country. Such of the young nobles as made choice of a military life, VOL. II.

H

were

were sent to the army, and made to fuffer great hardships before they could be inlifted. They had indeed a powerful motive for perfeverance, the moft honourable of all employments being that of a foldier. Young women of quality were educated with no lefs care, by proper matrons chofen with the utmost circumfpection.

As hereditary nobility and an extenfive empire, lead both of them to monarchy, the government of Mexico was monarchical; and as the progress of monarchy is from being elective to be hereditary, Mexico had advanced no farther than to be an elective monarchy, of which Montezuma was the eleventh king. And it was an example of an clective monarchy that approaches the nearest to hereditary; for the power of election, as well as the privilege of being elected, were confined to the princes of the blood-royal. As a talent for war was chiefly regarded in chufing a fucceffor to the throne, the Mexican kings always commanded their own armies. The Emperor-elect, before his coronation, was obliged to make fome conquft, or perform fome warlike exploit; a cuftom that supported the military fpirit, and enlarged the kingdom. From every king was expected a coronation-oath, to adhere to the religion of his ancestors, to maintain the laws and cuftoms of the empire, and to be a father to his people..

Matters of government were distributed among different boards with great propriety. The management of the royal patrimony was allotted to one board; appeals from inferior tribunals, to another; the levying of troops and the providing of magazines, to a third: affairs of fupreme importance were referved to a council of ftate, held commonly in the King's prefence. Thefe boards, all of them, were compofed of men experienced in the arts of war and of peace: the council of state

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ftate was compofed of those who elected the Em

peror.

Concerning the patrimony of the crown, mines of gold and filver belonged to the Emperor; and the duty on falt brought in a great revenue. But the capital duty was a third of the land-rents, the eftates of the nobles excepted; upon whom no tribute was impofed, but to ferve in the army with a number of their vaffals, and to guard the Emperor's perfon. Goods manufactured and fold were fubjected to a duty; which was not prejudicial to their manufactures, because there was no rival nation within reach.

Montezuma introduced a multitude of ceremonies into his court, tending to infpire veneration for his perfon; an excellent artifice in rude times, of however little fignificancy among nations enlightened and rational. Veneration and humility were fo much the tone of the court, that it was even thought indecent in the Mexican lords, to appear before the King in their richest habits. Veffels of gold and filver were appropriated to his table, and not permitted even to the princes of the blood. The table-cloths and napkins, made of the finest cotton, with the earthen ware, never made a second appearance at the Emperor's table, but were distributed among the fervants.

In war their offenfive weapons were bows and arrows; and as iron was not known in America, their arrows were headed with bones fharpened at the point. They used alfo darts and long wooden fwords, in which were fixed fharp flints; and men of more than ordinary strength fought with clubs. They befide had flingers, who threw ftones with great force and dexterity. Their defenfive arms, ufed only by commanders and perfons of diftinction, were a coat of quilted cotton, a fort of breaft-plate, and a fhield of wood or tortoisefhell, adorned with plates of fuch metal as they H 2 could

could procure. The private men fought naked; their faces and bodies being deformed with paint, in order to ftrike terror. They had warlike inftruments of mufic, fuch as fea-fhells, flutes made of large canes, and a fort of drum made of the trunk of a tree hollowed. Their battalions confifted of great numbers crouded together, without even the appearance of order. They attacked with terrible outcries in order to intimidate the enemy; a practice prompted by nature, and formerly used by many nations. It was not defpifed even by the Romans; for Cato the elder was wont to fay, that he had obtained more victories by the throats of his foldiers, than by their fwords; and Cæfar applauds his own foldiers, above thofe of Pompey, for their warlike fhouts. Eagernefs to engage is vented in loud cries: and the effects are excellent: they redouble the ardor of thofe who attack, and ftrike terror into the énemy.

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Their armies were formed with ease: the princes of the empire with the cacics or governors of provinces, were obliged to repair to the general rendezvous, each with his quota of men.

Their fortifications were trunks of large trees, fixed in the ground like palifadoes, leaving no intervals but what were barely fufficient for dif charging their arrows upon the enemy.

Military orders were inftituted, with peculiar habits as marks of diftinction and honour; and each cavalier bore the device of his order, painted upon his robe, or fixed to it. Montezuma founded a new order of knighthood, into which princes only were admitted, or nobles defcended from the royal ftock; and as a token of its fuperiority, he became one of its members. The knights of that order had part of their hair bound with a red ribbon, to which a taffel was fixed hanging down to the fhoulder. Every new exploit was honour

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