118 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



" labours ; for then thy food will be fweeter. I, my 

 " fon, have fupported thee hitherto with my fweat, and 

 " have omitted no duty of a father ; I have provided 

 " thee with every thing necelfary, without taking it 

 " from others. Do thou fo likewife. 



u Never tell a falfehood ; becaufe a lie is a heinous 

 " fm. When it is neceifary to communicate to another 

 cc what has been imparted to thee, tell the fimple truth 

 " without any addition. Speak ill of nobody. Do not 

 " take notice of the failings which thou obferveft in 

 " others, if thou art not called upon to correct them. 

 " Be not a news-carrier, nor a fower of difcord. When 

 " thou beareft any embaffy, and he to whom it is borne 

 " is enraged, and fpeaks contemptuoufly of thofe who 

 " fent thee, do not report fuch an anfwer, but endea- 

 " vour to foften him, and diflemble as much as poflible 

 " that which thou heardft, that thou mayeft not raife 

 " difcord and fpread calumny of which thou may eft af- 

 " terwards repent. 



" Stay no longer than is neceifary in the market- 

 " place ; for in fuch places there is the greateft danger 

 " of contracting vices. 



" When thou art offered an employment, imagine 

 " that the propofal is made to try thee ; then accept it 

 '« not haftily, although thou knoweft thyfelf more fit 

 " than others to exercife it ; but excufe thyfelf until 

 " thou art obliged to accept it ; thus thou wilt be more 

 46 efteemed. 



" Be not diffolute ; becaufe thou wilt thereby incenfe 

 " the gods, and they will cover thee with infamy. Re- 

 " ftrain thyfelf, my fon, as thou art yet young, and wait 

 " until the girl, whom the gods deftine for thy wife, ar- 

 " rive at a fuitable age : leave that to their care, as they 



" know 



