.6 



HISTORY OP MEXICO. 



Among all the deities worfliipped by the Mexicans, 

 and which were very numerous, although not near fo 

 much fo as thofe of the Romans, there were thirteen 

 principal and greater gods, in honour of whom they con- 

 fecrated that number. We mail give an account of 

 what we have found in the Mexican mythology with 

 refpect to thefe and the other gods, without regard to 

 the pompous conj e&ures and abfurd fyftem of Cav. Bo- 

 turini. 



Tezcatlipoca. This was the greatell: god adored in 

 thefe countries, after the invifible God, or fupreme Be- 

 ing, whom we have already mentioned. His name 

 means Shining Mirror, from one that was affixed to his 

 image. He was the god of providence, the foul of the 

 world, the creator of heaven and earth, and matter of all 

 things. They reprefented him always young, to denote 

 that no length of years ever diminifhed his power ; they 

 believed that he rewarded with various benefits the juft, 

 and punifhed the wicked with difeafes and. other afflic- 

 tions. They placed done feats in the corners of the 

 ftreets, for that god to reft upon when he chofe it, and 

 upon which no perfon was ever allowed to fit down. 

 Some faid, that he had defcended from heaven by a rope 

 made of fpiders webs, and had perfecuted and driven 

 from thefe countries, the grand prieft of Tula Quetzal- 

 coatl, who was afterwards confecrated as a god. 



His principal image was of teotetl (divine (tone) which 

 is a black mining (tone like black marble, and was richly 

 dreffed. It had golden ear-rings, and from the under 

 lip hung a cryftal tube, within which was a green fea- 

 ther, or a turquoife ftone, which at firft fight appeared 

 to be a gem. His hair was tied with a golden firing, 

 from the end of which hung an ear of the fame metal, 



with 



