HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



323 



ries, and its conformity to the folar courfe, both facls 

 being attefted unanimoufly by the Spanifli, Mexican, 

 Acolhuan, and Tlafcalan hiflorians ? Befides the depo- 

 fition of the Spaniards in this matter is of very great 

 weight, as they were, as M. de Paw fays, rather inclin- 

 ed to degrade the nations of America fo far as even to 

 doubt of their rationality. It is necefiary, therefore, to 

 believe what hiftorians fay of thofe wheels, and to con- 

 fefs that the Mexicans were not immerfed in that pro- 

 found ignorance which M. de Paw pretends. With 

 regard to what he fays of the fcarciry of words to ex- 

 prefs numbers in the Mexican language, we (hall, in 

 another place, demonftrate his error as well as his igno- 

 rance. 



It cannot be known, refumes M. de Paw, what was 

 contained in the Mexican paintings ; becaufe the Spa- 

 niards themfelves could not underftand them, until they 

 were explained by the Mexicans, and none of the latter 

 have known hitherto enough to be able to tranflate a 

 book ! In order that the Spaniards fhould have under- 

 ftood the Mexican paintings, it was not neceffary that 

 the Mexicans fliould know the Spanifli language, be- 

 caufe it was fufficient that the Spaniards comprehended 

 the Mexican ; nor is there fo much necelfary to explain 

 a pidhire as to tranflate a book. M. de Paw lays, that 

 on account of the roughnefs of the Mexican language, 

 no Spaniard has ever learned to pronounce it, and that, 

 from the incapacity of the Mexicans, none of them have 

 yet learned the Spanifli tongue : but both the one and 

 the other affertion are far from being true. Of the 

 Mexican language we {hall treat in its place. The Caf- 

 tilian has always been very common among the Mex- 

 icans, and there are many amongfl: them who can fpeak 



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