280 



HISTORY OF- MEXICO. 



cellent work. This judicious, impartial, and very learn- 

 ed Spaniard, who faw and obferved with his own eyes 

 the Americans in Peru as well as Mexico, employs the 

 whole fixth book of this excellent work in demonftrating 

 the good fenfe of the Americans by an explanation of 

 their ancient government, their laws, their hiftories in 

 paintings and knots, calendars, &c. to be informed of 

 his opinion on this fubjec"t, it will be fufficient to read the 

 firfl chapter of that book. We requeft M. de Paw, as 

 well as our readers, to read it attentively, as there are 

 matters in it worthy of being known. M. de Paw will 

 difcover there the origin of the error into which he, and 

 many Europeans, have fallen, and will perceive the 

 great difference there is between viewing things while 

 the fight is dimmed by paffion and prejudices, and ex- 

 amining them with impartiality and cool judgment. M. 

 de Paw thinks the Americans are beftial ; 'Acofta, on 

 the other hand, reputes thofe perfons weak and pre- 

 fumptuous who think them fo. M. de Paw fays, that 

 the mofl acute Americans were inferior in induftry and 

 fagacity to the rudeft nations of the old continent. Acof- 

 ta extols the civil government of the Mexicans above ma- 

 ny Republics of Europe. M. de Paw, finds in the mo- 

 ral and political conduct of the Americans, nothing but 

 barbarity, extravagance, and brutality ; and Acofta finds 

 there, laws that are admirable and worthy of being pre- 

 ferved for ever. To which of thefe two authors our 

 greateft faith is due, the impartial reader will decide. 



We cannot here avoid the infertion of a pafTage of the 

 Philofophical Refearches, in which the author difcovers 

 his turn for defamation as well as enmity to truth. " At 

 " firfl:, he fays, the Americans were not believed to be 

 " men, but rather fatyrs, or large apes, which might be 



" murdered 



