182 



and by a similar representation ; the three chil- 

 dren called to celebrate the births, added to three 

 flowers, forming the character of the celebration 

 of the day of birth, which is represented also by 

 the rising of the Sun*. The whole of the details of 

 this picture, or of this table of the Mexican laws, 

 recalls to mind the baptism of the proselytes 

 from Judaism in the presence of three witnesses ; 

 and the ^pS^pLm of the Greeks, in which the 

 infant, on the fifth day from its birth, was devot- 

 ed to the gods, and obtained a name, after expia- 

 tory ceremonies. The law ordains moreover in 

 this first division, that parents should present the 

 child in the cradle before the high priest, and the 

 master that taught the use of weapons, and 

 should consider its future destination : his educa- 

 tion is prescribed by the paintings on the follow- 

 ing tables, which exhibit the verbal instruction, 

 and indicate the allowance of the half cake and 

 whole cake, by the hermetic mark of seven 

 which parents are allowed to give their children 

 from three to four years old. The numbers of 

 years are marked by circles, as in the hierogly- 

 phics, and in the language of the Romans. At 

 five years of age the boy carries loads, and the 

 girl attends her mother spinning. At six, the 

 girl spins herself, and is allowed like the boy a 



* Analyse de I'Insc. de Rosette, p. 145. 

 + PI. 59, Fig. 2. 



