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Show li I S 'T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. DISSERT. . tl'ng them into facred orders. But it is necelfary to obferve, that V4 the decrees of each council comprehend equally, and under the fame '-""'v--J conditions, both the Indiaus and Mulattoes that are there, who are born or defcended of a European father and an African mother, or on the contrary; and nobody, we believe, doubts of the talents and capacity of the Mulattoes to learn all the fciences. Torquemada, who wrote his hHl:ory in the firfi years of the la£1: century, fays, that they did not ufe to admit the Indians into religious orders, nor to ordain them priefis, on account of thair violent inclination to drinking; but he himfelf atteils (d) that in his time Indian priefis were extremely fober and examplary: fo that it is at leafl: a hundred and feventy years ago fince the Indians began to be made priefis. From that unto the prefent time the American priefis have been fo numerous in New Spain, that they might be counted by hundreds : among thofe there have been many hundreds of rectors, feveral canons and doctors, and as report goes, even a very learned bi{hop. At prefent there are many priefrs, ·and not a few rectors, among whom have ~een three or four our own pupils. If in a point of this nature fuch grofs errors have been committed by Dr. Robertfon) w.hat may we not apprehend from him in others which cannot fo eafily be cleared up and certified to au author, who writes at fo great a difiance from thofe countries without ever liaving feen them? We have had intimate commerce with the Americans, have lived for fomc years in a feminary defiined for their infirucrion, f.1w the erection and progrefs of the royal college of Guadaloupe, founded in Mexico, by a Mexican Jefuit, for the education of Indian children, had afterwards fome Indians among£1: our pupils, had particular knowledge of many American rectors, many nobles, and numerous artill:s; attentively obferved their ,charaCter, their genius, their difpofition, and manner of thinking; and have (fxamined befides with the utmoft diligence their ancient hifi:ory, their religion, their government, their ·laws, and their cufroms. After fuch long experience and ftudy of them, from which we imagine ourfdves enabled to decide without danger of erring, we declare to M. de Paw, and to all Europe, that the mental qualities of the A:mericans are not:t}1e leafi: inferior to thofe (tl) Torqucmad:t, lib. xvii, cap. 13. 4>f H I S T 0 R Y 0 F M E X I C 0. of the Europeans, that they are capable of all, even the moft abftract fciences, and that if equal care was taken of their education, if they were brought up from childhood in feminaries under good mafiers, were protected and fiimulated by rewards, we ihould fee rife among the Americans, philofophers, mathematicians, and divines who would rival the firfi in Europe. But it is a little difficult, not to fay impoffible, to make great progrefs in the fciences, in the midfi of a life of mifery, fervitude, and oppreffion. Whoever contemplates the prefent frate of Greece will not be apt to believe that thofe great men ~ourifhed there whom hifiory records, were we not convinced of it by their immortal works, and the voice of all ages. But the obftacles which the people of Greece have to furmount before they can become learned are not comparable to thofe which the Americans always had, and frill have to overcome. Neverthelefs, we wifh M. de Paw, and fome other perfons who think as he does, could be prefent without being obferved in thofe a1femblies or councils which are held by the Americans on certain days to deliberate on public affairs, that they might hear how thofe fatyrs of the new world difcourfe and harangue. Lafl:ly, The whole ancient hifiory of the Mexicans and Peruvians evinces to us, that they knew how to think and order their ideas, that they are fufceptiblc of all the paffions and impreffions of humanity, and that the Europeans have had no other advantage over them. than that of having been better infrruCl:ed. The civil government of the ancient Americans, their laws, and their arts evidently demonfrrate they futfered no want of genius. Their wars {hew us that their fouls are not infehfible to the excit!"ments of love, as count de Butfun and M. de Paw think j i]nce they fomctimes took up arms in his caufe. In regard to their courage, we have explained, when we fpoke of their charaCl:er, what we have obferved in the prefent, and what we . judge of the ancient Americans on this head. But as M r. de Paw alledges the conquefi of Mexico as a convi ncing proof of their cowardic e, it mny be proper to enlighten his ignorance, or ra ther to 1hcng th en his little fitith. " ortes," he fe1ys, " conquered the empire of Mexico with " fonr hundred and fifty vagabonds and fifteen horfcs, badly ann<!d; .Yot . II. Z z his 353 DISSERT. v. '-v-.J |