350 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



philofophers fhould adopt the words of the Latin, or the 

 Greek. The ancient Mexicans, becaufe they had no con- 

 cern with the ftudy of metaphyfics, are very excufable 

 for not having invented words to exprefs thofe ideas ; 

 their language, however, is not wanting in terms fig- 

 nifying metaphyseal and moral things, as Condamine 

 affirms thofe of South America to be ; we, on the con- 

 trary, affirm, that it is not eafy to find a language more 

 fit to treat on metaphyfical fubjecls than the Mexican ; 

 as it would be difficult to find another which abounds 

 fo much as it in abftracl: terms ; for there are few verbs 

 in it from which are not formed verbals correfponding 

 with thofe in io of the Romans ; and but few fubftan- 

 tive or adje&ive nouns from which are not formed ab- 

 ftra&s expreffing the being, or, as they fay in the 

 fchools, the quiddity of things : equivalents to which 

 we cannot find in the Hebrew, in the Greek, in the 

 Latin, in the French, in the Italian, in the Englifli, in 

 the Spanifh, or Portuguefe ; of which languages, we 

 prefume, at lead, to have fufficient knowledge, to make 

 a comparifon. In order to give fome fpecimen of this 

 language to the curious among our readers, we fubjoin 

 fome words fignifying metaphyfical and moral ideas, 

 which are underflood by the rudeft Indians (#). 



The 



(x) Specimen of words in the Mexican language, fignifying moral and meta- 

 phyfical conceptions. 



Tlamantli King Jeitiliztli Trinity, &c. 



Jeliztli EfTence Teotl God 



Qualloti Goodnefs Teojotl Divinity 



Neltiliztli Truth Tloque 7 ' wno nas ev ery 



Nejolnonotzaliztli Reflexion Nahuaque $ thing within himfelf. 



Tlachtopaittaliztli Forefight Ipalnemoani Him by whom we live 



Nejeltzotzonaliztli Doubt Amacicacaconi Incompreheufible 



Tlalnamiquiliztli Remembrance Cemicacjeni Eternal 



Cetiliztli Unity Cenmancanjelitzli Eternity 



Ometiliztli Binity Cahuitl Time 



Cenjocojarii 



