116 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



" My fen," faid the Mexican father, " who art come 

 " into the light from the womb of thy mother like the 

 " chicken from the egg, and like it art preparing to fly 

 " through the world, we know not how long heaven 

 " will grant to us the enjoyment of that precious gem 

 " which we poffefs in thee ; but, however fhort the pe- 

 " riod, endeavour to live exactly, praying God continu- 

 " ally to affift thee. He created thee ; thou art his pro- 

 " perty. He is thy Father, and loves thee (till more 

 " than I do ; repofe in him thy thoughts, and day and 

 <c night direct, thy fighs to him. Reverence and falure 

 " thy elders, and hold no one in contempt. To the 

 cc poor and the diftreffed be not dumb, but rather ufe 

 u words of comfort. Honour all perfons, particularly 

 " thy parents, to whom thou oweft obedience, refpcct, 

 " and fervice. Guard againft imitating the example of 

 M thofe wicked fons, who, like brutes that are deprived 

 " of reafon, neither reverence their parents, liilen to 

 " their inftruclion, nor fubmit to their corre&ion ; be- 

 " caufe, whoever follows their Heps will have an un- 

 66 happy end, will die in a defperate or fudden manner, 

 <c or will be killed and devoured by wild hearts. 



" Mock not, my fon, the aged or the imperfecl:. 

 " Scorn not him whom you fee fall into fome folly or 

 " tranfgreffion, nor make him reproaches ; but reflrain 

 " thyfelf, and beware left thou fall into the fame error 

 " which offends thee in another. Go not where thou 

 " art not called, nor interfere in that which does not 

 66 concern thee. Endeavour to manifeft thy good breed- 

 fiC ing in all thy words and actions. In converfation do 

 " not lay thy hands upon another, nor fpeak too much, 

 " nor interrupt or diflurb another's difcourfe. If thou 

 " heareft any one talking foolifhly, and it is not thy bu- 



" finefs 



