356 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



tion from the mouths of the Indians who were the bed 

 inflru&ed, and they fludied their ancient paintings. Be- 

 iides the firfl miflionaries, who laboured fuccefsfully in 

 this undertaking, D. A. Zurita one of the principal 

 judges of Mexico, learned on the fubje£r, of the law, and 

 acquainted with thofe countries, made diligent enquiry, 

 by order of the catholic king, into their government and 

 compofed that very ufeful work, which we have mention- 

 ed in our catalogue of writers of the ancient hiftory of 

 Mexico. Thus the laws of the Mexicans came to be 

 known although they were never written. 



But what fort of laws ? " Many of them worthy," 

 fays Acofta, " of our admiration, and^ according to 

 " which thofe nations mould (till be governed in their 

 " Chriftianity." The conftitution of their ftate, with 

 refpect to the fucceffion to the crown, could not have 

 been better framed, as by means of it they not only 

 avoided the inconveniences of hereditary fucceiTion, but 

 thofe of election alfo. An individual of the royal fami- 

 ly was always chofen king, both to preferve the dignity 

 and fplendour of the crown, and to hinder the throne 

 from ever being occupied by a man of low birth. As a 

 fon did not fucceed but a brother, there was no danger 

 of fo high and important a charge being expofed to the 

 indifcretion of a youth, or the ftratagems of an ambitious 

 regent. 



If the brothers had fucceeded according to the order 

 of their birth, the crown would necelTarily have fome- 

 times fallen to a perfon unfit to govern ; and it could 

 have happened befides, that the prefumptive heir might 

 plot againft the life of the fovereign. Both thofe inccn- 

 veniencies were obviated by the election. The electors 

 chofe firft among the brothers of the deceafed kings ; 



and 



