PoLIT«WJt.
1MFQB.T--
Itfanners and
Cnftoms.
open to the induftry and enterprize, of fpreigners,, they might -recover
from,their enfeebled ftate^apdoppofe.a bold front to any inyaders. In-the
prefent fituation. of affairs gprhaps found policy would <even dilate»their
emancipation, on condition ofrpaying an annual tribute, which j^gight
*ven be more confiderable than the prefent revering .from the fuppreffion
of nfeleft offices and emoluments, and’-.fbe extortion of powerful individuals,
which yields nothing to the revenu^-ofsSpajn. Dr. R,obertfon
has obferved that the Mexican gazettes are filled with deicjiptipns of
religious proceffions, and edifying, accounts of the cunfecration&|of
churches, feftivals and beatifications of faints^, and other fug^rffitious
baubles, while civil and,commercial affairs occupy little attention.; . The
advertifements of new boohs Ihew that two thirds are treatifes of fcho-
laftie theology and monkilh devotion. Even this ftatg of affairs ifetter
than the fangninary idolatry pf the natives :'.„but few ^^Qp^'p^ility
ex induftry can be expected from filch fanatics ;, and .it. may;, eafily be
prediSed that a continuance^of this Spirit would render, the^pepple as
unfit for war as for pacific enterprizes; and that if Spain.do ppl^paend
her colonial fyftem, her rich poffcffions wUtjj at the. firft onfet^. become a
prey to their northern neighbours»
CHAPTER m
C i v i l . G e o g r a p h y .
Manners and Cujloms. —Language. —^Education.—Cities and Towns*—'Edifices.—
Manufattwes and Commerce. ,
THE manners, and cuftoms of the Spaniards in their North American
fettlements have not been particularly illuftrated j hut if they differ
from thofe of the parent country it is chiefly in an increafe of religious
fanptirifm. Thofe of the ancient. Mexicans have been defcribed by
" many
many authors, but a few fiagularit-ieS may be.here mentioned. A peculiar
feature ó f the Mexican language was,. that a termination indicating
refpê£t might be added to5 every Vordiru-THo^in fpeaking-’to am equal,
the vvvordffather*wasA2#/,'buUit(*aSuperiorThey had alfo reverential
Verbs, ,,as,iappears;vfrQm 'Aldama’s. Mexican grammar. Thus-, as
cowards Are always cruel, thef/moft ferc^efous ‘people in the world were
at defame time, alfo the moft fervile and-qbfequkms. Their Wars were
conftant, and fanguinary j. and-their manners in general correfponded
(With .this-barbarous difj^fefitibn: the principal warriors, covering them-
felvgs with thé’ fkins ol^fe$|ci;fficed yiÖims, anè.damqing, through the
ftrggts.^ iThe’ year. yi^'divided into eighteen’months, each of twenty
d n dffr ye - days were -added, '-which were dedicated'*, feftivity*
They cultivated maize and fojpe rootsy but-their agrieuftiite was rude,
and they were ftrangersAto theufe qfi.money. On the,death of a chief
a great-,number of his attendants Were -facrificed.
Of the Mexican language grammars and didionaries have beenpub-
lbhedin the nouiHy; and from the few fpecimgn^ contained, in- European
publications h appears to differ radically from the Peruvian. The
wordsj frequently end in tl; and are befides of a furprifing and unpro*
noupee^ble length, refembliog in this refpebt the'language of the favages
in T^d|th America, and fome of the African, dialedts j but ftrongly con-
trafted with thofe of Afia, in which the moft polilhed,, As ;fhe Ghinefc^
am mqnofyllahic.- : According to Clavigero the Mexican tongue wants
the confonants by a|i r, and s ; in which refpedt only, though upob-
foved by that author, it ftri&ly coincides-with the Peruvian j except that
the latter,, inftead of the. s, is faid to want the z, a meje difference of
enunciation. But the Peruvian is-a-far fuperior and more pleafing lan-r
guage, though fome modifications of. the verbs be of éxtreme length.
The wik} enthufiafm of Clavigero compares the.Mexican with the Latin
and Greek j though as like, as he to Herodotus. Some of the words are
°f fixteen fyllables. Their poetry confided Óf hymns, and of heroie and
amatory Ballads. They had alfo a kind of dramas j but from the fpecimen
The drefs was a Ioofe cloak, and.a.fafh girt round the naked, waiff. From the ancient paint—
U’ES 11 appears that the under Up was pierced to receive, an ornament ,of gold. This cuftom La
reroufe and others have obferved on the N. W. coaft of.Araerica.
Markers
'C ustoms.
Language.
produced