HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



297 



Condamine, remained there a longer time, and got more 

 knowledge of the cuftoms of the Indians, fpeaks of them 

 in a manner quite contrary to that French mathemati- 

 cian. 



Drunkennefs is the prevailing vice of thofe nations. 

 We confefs it fmcerely in the firft book of this hiftory, 

 explain its effects, and point out the caufe of it ; but we 

 add alfo, that it did not prevail in the country of Ana- 

 buac before the Spaniards came there, on account of the 

 great feverity with which that vice was puniihed, though 

 in the greater part of the countries of the old continent 

 it is {till incorrected, and ferves as an excufe for more 

 heinous crimes. It is certain, from the inquiries made 

 by authors into the civil government of the Mexicans, 

 that there were feveral laws againft drunkennefs in Mex- 

 ico as well as Tezcuco, in Tlafcala, and other Hates, 

 which we have feen reprefented in their ancient paint- 

 ings. The fixty-third painting of the collection made by 

 Mendoza reprefents two youths of both fexes condemn- 

 ed to death for having intoxicated themfelves, and at 

 the fame time an old man of feventy, whom the laws 

 permit, on account of his age, to drink as much as he 

 pleafes. There are few dates in the world whofe fo- 

 vereigns have ihewn greater zeal to prevent exceffes of 

 this kind. 



In the above mentioned book alfo we have reported 

 the common error refpecting the gratitude of the Indi- 

 ans : but as what was laid there will not be fufEcient to 

 convince thofe who are prepolTdTed again ft them, we 

 {ball here relate an inftance of gratitude which will of it- 

 felf be enough to diffipate this prejudice. In the year 

 1556 died, in Uruapa, a confidcrable place of the king- 

 dom of Michuacan, on a vifit to his diocefs at the age of 



Vol. HI. Qjq ninety- 



