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evening. These circumstances are naturally the 

 same for every part of the Earth, where we may 

 suppose the Mexican calendar to have been 

 formed ; and if we go back to the first sacrifices 

 celebrated at Tlalixco in 1091, or to the migra- 

 tions of the Toltecks in the sixth century of our 

 era, we find, that, toward the winter solstice, 

 from the effect of the precession of the equinoxes, 

 the culmination of the Pleiades draws nearer sun- 

 set. It is probable, that the expression, " at the 

 moment of midnight," and " mid-sky," ought 

 not to be taken in the literal sense. Torquemada 

 speaks generally in so confused a manner of the 

 system of the chronology of the Mexicans, that 

 it may be supposed he had misconceived all that 

 the Indians told him respecting their astronomi- 

 cal phenomena. After having formally stated, 

 that the cycle, and consequently the year, finish- 

 ed in the month of December, he admits, that 

 the first day of the year is the 1st of February ; 

 and he adds, that at the winter solstice the Sun 

 attains at Mexico the most elevated point of its 

 course. Torquemada has collected with the 

 most scrupulous exactness, names, traditions, and 

 isolated facts ; but, utterly devoid of judgment, 

 he contradicts himself whenever he endeavours 

 to combine facts, or judge of their mutual rela- 

 tions. As the Mexicans were not acquainted 

 with the use of clepsydras, which are of very 



