290 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



Violent inclination to drinking ; but he himfelf attefts (£) 

 that in his time Indian priefts were extremely fober and 

 examplary : fo that it is at leaft a hundred and feventy 

 years ago lince the Indians began to be made priefts. 

 From that unto the prefent time the American priefts 

 have been fo numerous in New Spain, that they might 

 be counted by hundreds : among thofe there have been 

 many hundreds of re&ors, feveral canons and do&ors, 

 and as report goes, even a very learned bifhop. At 

 prefent there are many priefts, and not a few re&ors, 

 among whom have been three or four our own pupils. 

 If in a point of this nature fuch grofs errors have been 

 committed by Dr. Robertfon, what may we not appre- 

 hend from him in others which cannot fo eafily be cleared 

 up and certified to an author, who writes at fo great 

 a diftance from thofe countries without ever having feen 

 them ? 



We have had intimate commerce with the Americans, 

 have lived for fome years in a feminary deftined for their 

 inftruction, faw the ere&ion and progrefs of the royal 

 college of Guadaloupe, founded in Mexico, by a Mexi- 

 can Jefuit, for the education of Indian children, had af- 

 terwards fome Indians amongft our pupils, had particular 

 knowledge of many American re&ors, many nobles, and 

 numerous artifts ; attentively obferved their character, 

 their genius, their difpolition, and manner of thinking ; 

 and have examined befides with the utmoft diligence 

 their ancient hiftory, their religion, their government, 

 their laws, and their cuftoms. After fuch long experi- 

 ence and ftudy of than, from which we imagine our- 

 felves enabled to decide without danger of erring, we 



declare 



(b) Torquemada, lib. xvii. cap. 13. 



