HISTORY OF MEXICO. 255 



befides to the knowledge of plants and animals; but 

 finding he could not keep the natives of other climes 

 alive at his court, he caufed paintings to be made from 

 the life, of all the plants and animals of the country of 

 Anahuac ; to which paintings the celebrated Hernandez 

 bears teftimony, who faw and made ufe of them : paint- 

 ings more ufeful and more worthy of a royal palace than 

 thofe which reprefent the dark mythology of the Greci- 

 ans. He was a curious enquirer into the caufes of the 

 effects by which nature excited his admiration, and fre- 

 quent obfervation in that way, led him to difcover the 

 weaknefs of idolatry. To his fons, he faid privately, 

 that although in conformity with the people they paid * 

 external adoration to the idols, they ftiould, yet, in 

 their hearts detefl the worfliip which was fo deferving 

 of mockery, as it was direfted to lifelefs forms ; that he 

 acknowledged no other God than the Creator of Hea- 

 ven, and he did not forbid idolatry in his kingdom, 

 though inclined to do fo, that he might not be blamed 

 for contradicting the do£lrines of his anceflors. He 

 prohibited the facrifice of human victims ; but perceiving 

 afterwards how difficult it was to make a nation change 

 its ancient and long-rooted ideas in matters of religion, 

 he again permitted them, but commanded, under fevere 

 penalties, that thefe fhould be none but prifoners of 

 war. He ereCled in honour of the Creator of Heaven, 

 a high tower, confifling of nine floors. The laft floor 

 was dark and vaulted, painted within of a blue colour, 

 and ornamented with cornices of gold. In this tower 

 refided conftantly fome men whofe ofiice was to flrike, 

 at certain hours of the day, plates of the fineft metal, 

 at which fignal the king kneeled down to pray to the . 

 Creator of Heaven. In honour likewife of this God, 



at 



