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HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



honours which they had ufed to render to the deceafed. 

 At midnight, four priefts carried the corpfe to be buried 

 in a wood, or in fome cavern, particularly in that one 

 where they believed the gate of paradife was, and at their 

 return they facrificed the flave, and laid him, with all the 

 ornaments of his tranfitory dignity in a ditch ; but with- 

 out covering him with earth. 



Every year they held a feftival in honour of their laft 

 lord, on which they celebrated his birth, not his death, 

 for of it they never fpoke. 



The Zapotecas, their neighbours embalmed the body 

 of the principal lord of their nation. Even from the 

 time of the firft Chechemecan kings aromatic prepara- 

 tions were in ufe among thofe nations to preferve dead 

 bodies from fpeedy corruption j but we do not know 

 that thefe were very frequent. 



We have now communicated all that we know con- 

 cerning the religion of the Mexicans. The weaknefs of 

 their worfhip, the fuperftition of their rites, the cruelty 

 of their facrifices, and the rigour of their aufterities, will 

 the more forcibly manifefl; to their defcendants, the ad- 

 vantages which are derived from a mild, chafte, and pure 

 religion, and will difpofe them to thank eternally the 

 Providence which has enlightened them, while their an- 

 ceftors were left to perifli in darknefs and error. 



BOOK 



