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Show ) DISSERTATION VIII. , r, . . .. On the Rdigion of the Mexicam. WE have nothing to f.ly in this Di!fertatiofl ~~ we h~d ·in the others to ryi. de Paw, as lie ingen\wuily aoknowledges the refem-J blance the e is between the dclir'inin df the Americans, and that (!)i othet natrcn•s of the old cantinent in matters of religion. u As,' he fayrs, " the rcl~gious fuperftitions of· the people df America (I) have· f:~ had a fenfib1e re.limb'lance to thbfewhich other nations of the old 'c n' " tinent have entertained, he has not fpoken of thofe abfurdities, bu'! " to make a comparifon of them, and in order to obferve that, not" withfi:anding the diverfity of climes, the weaknefs of the humaa "fpirit has been confi:ant and unvariable." If he had delivered himfelf with the fitme judgment in other refpetl:s, he would have faved muc.la contention, and preferved his work from thofe heavy cenfures which have been made on it by many wife men of Europe. We di .. rea this Diifertation, therefore, to thofe who, from ignorance of what has paifed and paffes at prefent in the world, or from want of refleCtion, have made much wonder in reading in the hifi:ory of Mexico at the cruelty and fuperfi:ition of thofe people, as if fuch things had been never heard of among mortals. We iball make their error confpicuous, and !hew that the religion of the Mexicans was lefs fupcrfl:itious, lefs indecent, lefs childilh, and lefs unreafonable than that of the moll cultivated nations of ancient Europe·; and that there have been examples of cruelty, perhaps more cn.1el, amongfi: all other nations of the world. ~he. fyftem of natural religion depends principally on that idea Which IS formed of the Divinity. If the fupreme Being is conceived to be a Father full of goodncfs, whole pro~idcncc watches over h~s <;reatur~, )pvc and refpeCl: will appear i? the exercife of fuch religion. ( i ) In .the preface to RecheL·ches Philofo,phiq ucs, Jt~ .. HISTORY 0 F ME X I C 0. 437 If, on the contrary, he is imagined to be an inexorable tyrant, his DJSSERT. worfhip will be bloody. If he is conceived to be omnipotent, vener- ~ ation will be paid to one alone; but if his power is conceived to be confined, the objeCts of worihip will be multiplied. If the fanctity :rnd perfeCl:ion of his being is acknowledged, hii proteCl:ion will be implored in a pure and h~ly fervice; but if he is fuppofed fubjeCl: to imperfections, and the vices of men, religion itfelf will fanCl:ify . cnmes. Let us compare the idea, therefore, which the Mexicans had of their gods with that which the Greeks~ Romans, and other nations from whom they learned t~eir relig ion, had of their deities, and we ihall difcover the fuperiority of the Mexicans, in this matter, over all thofe ancient nations. It is true, that the Mexicans divided power among various deities, imagining the jurifdietion of each to be refi:riCled, " I qo not doubt," Montezurna ufed· to fay to. Cortes, in their conferences on religion, " I do not doubt of the goodnefs of the God f:( whom you adore, but if he is good for Spain our Gods are equally u fo for Mexico. ", Our God Cttmaxtle," the Thfcabns ufed to fay to C?rtes,. '" grants us v iCl:ory over our enemies ; our goddefs Matlalcueje fends " the ncccffiu·y rain to our fields, and defends us from the inunda" tion of Zahuapnn. To each of our gods we arc indebted for a part 0 of the happinefs of our life." But they never believed their gods fo itn patent as the Greeks and Roman~ believed theirs. The Mexicans liad more than one deity under the name of CJ!nteotl who took care ' of the country and the fields, and although they were fo fond of_ their hildrcn they had b~tt one god f~r their proteCtion. The Romans, befides tl1c goddefs Ceres, had a crowd of deities for the care of the fields :l1onc (m), and for the guard and educatiou of their children upwards of ~wenty, bdides a number which were employed in the gcncratioo and (~rt·) Stja wa! ch:u·gcd with the grniu which was newly fown, Pt·oftrpitta with thegraiDwhiclt w~jufi: fprun g, NotlntuJ with the knots on the !lcm, f/'o lati11a with .the eyes on bu~ls,. Patelu114' with th lfnvcs whi h were fprcad, Florrt with the flow ers, Stgt)/a With the ne1~ gr:uns~ L~,"la~~ tia With the gtaLll yet milky, ~flt/1/la with the ripe grain, ri~tflllltS Ot T'11ti/i11a Wlth th~ gnllll 10: apo grM\~ry; tb nil wh0m we ought to add the god Stm·ulius who :mended the ~~munt'l-~ of the field~, Pt·iapus who dcftmdcd the grain from. the bi~·~s, !?~tbt'go who de(e~d It from J,nfeet•,, o.nd the ny10phs Napi~ who h~1u the caxe of IGS IHiti'IUve JlU ea. · J • } I |