( 399 ) 



DISSERTATION VIII. 



On the Religion of the Mexicans. 



E have nothing to fay in this Differtation as we 

 had in the others to M. de Paw, as he ingenu- 

 oufly acknowledges the refemblance there is between the 

 delirium of the Americans, and that of other nations of 

 the old continent in matters of religion. " As," he fays, 

 " the religious fuperftitions of the people of America (7) 

 " have had a fenfible refemblance to thofe which other 

 C: nations of the old continent have entertained, he has 

 <c not fpoken of thofe abfurdities, but to make a com- 

 <c parifon of them, and in order to obferve that, notwith- 

 " (landing the diverfity of climes, the weaknefs of the 

 " human fpirit has been conftant and unvariable." If 

 he had delivered himfelf with the fame judgment in other 

 refpe&s, he would have faved much contention, and pre- 

 ferred his work from thofe heavy cenfures which have 

 been made on it by many wife men of Europe. We di- 

 recl: this Differtation, therefore, to thofe who, from ig- 

 norance of what has palfed and palfes at prefent in the 

 world, or from want of reflection, have made much won- 

 der in reading in ihe hiftory of Mexico at the cruelty 

 and fuperftition of thofe people, as if fuch things had 

 been never heard of among mortals. We fhall make 

 their error confpicuous, and fhew that the religion of 

 the Mexicans was lefs fuperftitious, lefs indecent, lefs 

 childifh, and lefs unreafonable than that of the moft cul- 

 tivated nations of ancient Europe ; and that there have 



been 



(?) In the preface to Recherches Philofophiques. 



