294 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



themfelves until they were furioufly affaulted in the laft 

 hold which was left them (p). 



" It is certain/' fays M. de Paw, " by the depofitions 

 " of all hiftorians, that the Spaniards entered the firft 

 * € time into Mexico without making a fmgle difcharge of 

 " their artillery." If this argument is peculiar to the 

 logic of M. de Paw ; if the Mexicans were cowards be- 

 caufe the Spaniards entered into Mexico without a fingle 

 difcharge of their artillery, it might as well be faid that 

 the Pruffians are cowards becaufe the ambafladors of 

 feveral courts of Europe enter into Berlin without dif- 

 charging even a fufil. Who does not know that the 

 Spaniards were admitted into that city as the ambafTadors 

 of the monarch of the Eaft ? Hiftorians all recount this 

 as well as Cortes himfelf, who feigned himfelf the am- 

 balfador of the Catholic king. If the Mexicans had been 

 willing to oppofe him then as they did the fecond time, 

 how would the Spaniards have been able to enter with 

 only fix thoufand men, when their fecond entry was fo 

 difficult with two hundred thoufand (q) ? 



With refpecl: to what M. de Paw adds againft Cortes, 

 we do not mean to make the apology of this conqueror, 

 neither can we endure the panegyric which Solis has writ- 

 ten in place of a hiftory ; but as an impartial perfon, well 

 informed of all his military actions, we rauft confefs, that 

 in courage, conftancy, and military prudence, he rivals 



the 



(&) All that we have here faid refpedting the fiege and conqueft of Mexico 

 is taken from the letter of the conqueror Cortes to Charles V. 



(q) " It is not lefs certain," fays Acofta, " that it' was -the aid ofthe Hafca- 

 " lans which obtained to Cortes his victories, and the conqueft of Mexico ; and 

 " without them it would have been impoffible to have made himfelf mafter of 

 " that place, or to have continued longer there. Thofe who make little of the 

 " Indians, and think the Spaniards could have conquered any country or nation 

 " by the fuperiority of their arms, valour, and horfes, are grofsly deceived." 



