NOTES . 



nians, and the Turks. However the circumstance of 

 eighteen months of twenty days, instead of twelve 

 months of thirty days, makes a very great difference. 

 The Mexicans are the only people, who have divided 

 the year in this manner. 



" A second analogy, which I have remarked between 

 Mexico and Egypt, is, that the number of weeks, or 

 half lunations of thirteen days, comprehended in a 

 Mexican cycle, is the same as that of the years of the 

 sothic period; this number is 1461. You consider 

 such a relation as accidental and fortuitous ; but per- 

 haps it might have the same origin as the notion of 

 the length of the year. If in reality the year was not 



of the length of 365 days 6 hours, that is 1461 days, 



, 4 



the cycle of fifty-two years would not contain 



52X14 61, or t hi rteen times 146l days; which makes 



1461 periods of thirteen days. We must however ad- 

 mit, that these weeks of thirteen days, these tlalpilli of 

 thirteen years, this intercalation of thirteen days at the 

 end of the cycle, finally these cycles of four times 

 thirteen years, repose on a first number, which is abso- 

 lutely foreign to the Egyptian system. 



" You have pointed out a fact of more importance, 

 inasmuch as it appertains to the manners of nations, 

 which is the festival of the wmter solstice, celebrated 

 equally by the Egyptians and the Aztecks. The for- 

 mer, if we may believe Achilles Tatius, put on mourn- 

 ing, on seeing the Sun descending toward Capricorn, 

 and the decrease of the day ; but when the Sun re^ 

 turned toward the Crab, they clothed themselves in 

 white, and decorated themselves with crowns. The 

 custom of the Mexicans, as you have described it, is 

 no doubt analogous with the Egyptian festival. This 



