200 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



The Mexican language 3 like the Hebrew and French, 

 wants the fuperlative term, and like the Hebrew, and 

 mod of the living languages of Europe, the compara- 

 tive term, which are fupplied by certain particles equi- 

 valent to thofe which are ufed in other fuch languages. 

 It abounds more than the Tufcan in diminutives and 

 augmentatives, and more than the Englifh or any other 

 language we know in verbal and abftracl: terms ; for 

 there is hardly a verb from which there are not many 

 verbals formed, and fcarcely a fubftantive or adjective 

 from which there are not fome abftra&s formed. It is 

 not lefs copious in verbs than in nouns ; as from every 

 fingle verb others are derived of different fignifications. 

 Chihua, is to do, Chichihua, to do with diligence, or often; 

 Chihuilia, to do to another ; Chihualtia, to caufe to be 

 done; Chihuatiuh, to go to do ; Chihuaco, to come to do ; 

 Chiuhtiuh, to be doing, &c. We could fay a great deal 

 more on the fubjecl, if it was permitted in the rules of 

 hiftory. 



Tihe ftyle of addrefs in Mexican varies according to 

 the rank of the perfons, with whom, or about whom, 

 converfation is held, adding to the nouns, verbs, pre- 

 pofitions, and adverbs, certain particles expreffive of re- 

 fpe& : Tatli, means father; Amota, your father ; Amo- 

 tatzin, your worthy father. Tkco, is to afcend ; if a per- 

 fon commands his fervant to afcend a certain place, he 

 fays fimply Xitleco ; but if he aiks fome refpeclable per- 

 fon to do fo, he will fay Ximotlicahui ; and if he wimes 

 to ufe ftill more ceremony and refpeft Maximotlicahuit- 

 zino. This variety, which gives fo much civilization to 

 the language, does not, however, make it difficult to be 

 fpoken ; becaufe it is fubje&ed to rules which are fixed 



and 



