HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



177 



* and that which Plato told, or feigned, of his ifland 

 *' Atlantida, are both to be found in thofe lands, &c." 

 Other hiftorians fpeak the fame thing as Acofta of Ame- 

 rica, and particularly of Mexico and its furrounding 

 provinces, the inland countries of which, from the ifih- 

 mus of Panama unto the 40th degree of latitude ( for 

 thofe beyond that degree of latitude have not yet been 

 difcovered), enjoy a mild air, and a climate favourable 

 to life, excepting a few places, which, either by their 

 being low, are moid and hot, or by being very high, 

 are rather fevere in climate. But how many in the old 

 world are not fevere and noxious ? 



SECT. III. 



On the Qualities of the Land of Mexico. 



IT is certain, fays Mr. de Paw, that America in gene- 

 ral has been, and is at prefent, a very barren country ; 

 but it is rather more certain that this is in general a 

 grofs error ; and if M. de Paw wifties to allure himfelf 

 of it, he may obtain information from many Germans, 

 lately come from America, where fome of them have 

 been for many years, and are at prefent in Auftria, in 

 Bohemia, in the Palatinate of the Rhine, and even in 

 Pruflia ; or he may re-perufe that excellent work of 

 Acofta, and he will find there, in book ii. chap. 14. that 

 if there is any land in the world to which the name of 

 Paradife may be applied, it is that of America. This 

 is the cxpreflion of a learned, judicious, and impartial 

 European, born in Spain, one of the beft countries in 

 Europe ; and fpeaking, in book iii. of the countries of 

 the Mexican empire, he fays, that New Spain is the beft 

 country of all thofe which the fun furrounds. Certainly 



Vol. III. A a Acofta 



