HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



123 



were mftru&ed for three years in religion and good 

 cuftoms. Befides this, almoft all the inhabitants, par- 

 ticularly the nobles, took care to have their children 

 brought up in the feminaries belonging to the temples, 

 of which there were many in the cities of the Mexican 

 empire, for boys, youths, and young women. Thofe 

 of the boys and young men were governed by priefts, 

 who were folely devoted to their education ; thofe for 

 young women were under the direction of matrons 

 equally refpe&able for their age and for their manners. 

 No communication between the youth of both fexes was 

 permitted ; on the contrary, any tranfgreflion of that 

 nature was feverely punifhed. There were diftincT: fe- 

 minaries for the nobles and plebeians. The young no- 

 bles were employed in offices which were rather inter* 

 nal, and more immediately about the fanctuary, as in 

 fweeping the upper area of the temple, and in ftirring 

 up and attending to the fires of the ftoves which were 

 before the fan&uary. The others were employed m 

 carrying the wood which was required for the ftoves, 

 and the ftone and lime ufed in repairing of facred edi- 

 fices, and in other fimilar tafks : both were under the di- 

 rection of fuperiors and matters, who inftrueled them m 

 religion, hiftory, painting, mufic, and other arts, agree- 

 ably to their rank and circumftances. 



The girls fwept the lower area of the temple, rofe 

 three times in the night to burn copal in the ftoves, pre- 

 pared the meats which were daily offered to the idols, 

 and wove different kinds of cloth. They were taught 

 every female duty ; by which, befides baniftiing idle- 

 nefs from them which is fo dangerous to the age of 

 youth, they were habituated to domeftic labours. They 

 flept in large halls in the fight of the matrons, who go- 

 verned 



