55S 



fc&ed people ; and as the laft are not to be found in 

 America, we muft feek for them elfewhere, in Afia, or 

 in Egypt. This fuppofition is confirmed by your affir^ 

 mation j that the Mexicans had their Calendar from the 

 Toltecas (originating from Afia), whofe year, accord- 

 ing to Boturini, was exa£lly adjufted by the courfe of 

 the fun, more than a hundred years before the Chriftian 

 era ; and alfo from obferving that other nations, namely, 

 the Chiapanefe, made ufe of the fame Calendar with 

 the Mexicans, without any difference but that of their 

 fymbols. 



The Mexican year began upon the 26th of February, 

 a day celebrated in the era of NabonafTar, which was 

 fixed by the Egyptians 747 years before the Chriftian 

 era ; for the beginning of their month Toth^ correfpond- 

 cd with the meridian of the fame day. If thofe priefts 

 fixed alfo upon this day as an epoch, becaufe it was ce- 

 lebrated in Egypt (a)^ we -have there the Mexican Ca- 

 lendar agreeing with the Egyptian* But independent 

 of this, it is certain, tliat the Mexican Calendar con- 

 formed greatly with the Egyptian. 



On this fubje£i: Herodotus fays (^), that the year was 

 firft regulated by the Egyptians, who gave to it twelve 

 months, of thirty days, and added five days to every 

 year, that the circle of the year might revolve regular- 

 ly : that the principal gods of the Egyptians were twelve 

 in number, and that each month was under the tutelage 

 and protection of one of thefe gods. The Mexicans alfo 

 added to every year, five days, which they called Ne- 



montemi^ 



{a) On the a6th day of February, of the above mentioned year, the year 

 according to the meridian of Alexandria, which was built three centuries after> 

 jiroperly began. Curt. lib. iv. c. ai. See La Lande Afkonomie, n. Ii97» 



{i) Herod. liJj. ii. cap. i. and 6. 



