206 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



to our recolle&ion the firft fcenes among the Greeks, 

 and we doubt not, that if the Mexican empire had en- 

 dured a century or two longer, their theatre would have 

 been reduced to a better form, as the Grecian theatre 

 improved itfelf but flowly and by degrees. 



The firft religious miffionaries who announced the gol- 

 pel to thofe nations, obferving their attachment to mu- 

 fic and poetry, and the fuperftitious notions which cha- 

 ra&erifed all their native compofitions as pagans, com- 

 pofed many fongs and odes in the Mexican language in 

 praife of the true God. The laborious Francifcan, Ber- 

 nardino Sahagun, compofed in pure and elegant Mexi- 

 can, and printed at Mexico, three hundred and fixty- 

 five hymns, one for each day of the year ( g ), and the 

 Indians themfelves compofed many others in praife of the 

 true God. 



Boturini makes mention of the compofitions of D. 

 Francifco Placido, governor of Azcapozalco, fung by 

 him at the facred dances, which he, along with other 

 Mexican nobles, made before the famous image of the 

 Virgin of Guadaloupe. Thofe zealous Francifcans wrote 

 alfo feveral dramatic pieces in Mexican, relative to the 

 myfteries of the Chriftian religion. Amongft others was 

 celebrated that of the univerfal judgment, compofed by 

 the indefatigable miiTionary Andrea d' Olmos, which was 

 reprefented in the church of Tlatelolco, in the prefence 

 of the firft governor, and the firft archbifliop of Mexico, 

 and a great affembly of the Mexican nobility and.people. 



Their 



(g) Sahagun's work was printed, according to the beft of our knowledge, in 

 1540. Dr. Eguiara complains in his Biblioteca Mefflcana, that he was never 

 able to find one copy of it. We faw one in a library of the college of St. Fran- 

 sefco Saverio of the Jefuits of Angelopoii. 



