HISTORY OF MEXICO. 205 



Quetzalcoatl) is much more worthy of credit, and more 

 confiftent with the character of thofe nations : " There 

 " was," he fays, " in the area of the temple of this 

 <c god a fmall theatre, thirty feet fquare, curioufly 

 ** whitened, which they adorned with boughs, and 

 " fitted up with the utmoft: neatnefs, furrounding it 

 cc with arches made of flowers and feathers, from which 

 " were fufpended many birds, rabbits, and other pleaf- 

 " ing objects ; where, after having dined, the whole of 

 " the people affembled, the actors appeared, and ex- 

 " hibited burlefque characters, feigning themfelves deaf, 

 " fick with colds, lame, blind, crippled, and addrefling 

 66 the idol for a return of health : the deaf people an- 

 " fwering at crofs purpofes, thofe who had colds, cough- 

 " ing, and fpitting, and the lame halting ; all recited 

 " their complaints and misfortunes, which produced in- 

 " finite mirth among the audience. Others appeared 

 " under the names of different little animals, fome in 

 " the difguife of beetles, fome like toads, fome like li- 

 " zards, and upon encountering each other, reciprocal- 

 <c ly explained their employments, which was highly 

 <c fatisfactory to the people, as they performed their 

 u parts with infinite ingenuity. Several little boys alfo 

 <c belonging to the temple, appeared in the difguife of 

 " butterflies, and birds of various colours, and mount- 

 " ing upon the trees which were fixed there on pur- 

 " pofe ; the priefts threw little balls of earth at them 

 <c with flings, occafioning incidents of much humour and 

 " entertainment to the fpe&ators. All the fpeclators 

 " then made a grand dance which terminated the fefti- 

 cc val. This took place at their principal feftivals only 

 " The defcription which Acofta here gives, calls 



to 



{/) Acofta Stor. Nat. a Mor. delle Indie, lib. v. cap. 39. 



