HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



203 



only made ufe of by what appears to adjuft the meafure; 

 but this practice was, probably, only a vice of their bad 

 poets. The language of their poetry was brilliant, 

 pure, and agreeable, figurative, and embelliflied with 

 frequent comparifons to the moft pleafing objects in na- 

 ture, fuch as flowers, trees, rivers, &c. It was in po- 

 etry chiefly where they made ufe of words in compofi- 

 tion, which became often fo very long, that a fmgle one 

 made a verfe of the longed meafure. 



The fubjecl: of their poetical compofitions was various. 

 They compofed hymns in praife of their gods, to obtain 

 from them thofe favours they flood in need of, which 

 were fung in the temples and at their facred dances. 

 Some were hiftorical poems, reciting the events of the 

 nation and the glorious anions of their heroes, which 

 were fung at profane dances. Some were odes, con- 

 taining fome moral or leflbn ufeful in the conduct of life. 

 Laftly, fome were poems on love, or fome other pleafing 

 fubjecl:, fuch as the chace, which were fung at the public 

 rejoicings of the feventh month. The priefls were the 

 chief compofers of thofe pieces, and taught them to 

 young boys, that they might fmg them when they were 

 grown up. We have already mentioned the celebrated 

 compofitions of king Nezahualcojot]. The efleem in 

 which poetry was held by that king, excited his fubjecls 

 to cultivate that art, and multiplied the number of poets 

 of his court. It is related of one of thofe poets, that 

 having been condemned to die for fome crime, he made 

 a compofition in prifon, in which he took leave of the 

 world in fo tender and pathetic manner, that the mufl- 

 cians of the palace, who were his friends, advifed him 

 to fmg it to the king ; the king heard it, and was fo 

 much affected, that he granted the culprit a pardon. 



This 



