298 
MEXICO. 
men wrapped themfelves from the waift down to the mid¬ 
dle of the leg. They wore likewife a fmall under-veft or 
waiftcoat without fleeves, named huepilli. The drefs of 
the poorer fort was made of the thread of the mountain- 
palm, or of coarle cotton ; but thofe of better llation 
wore the fineft cotton embellilhed with various colours, and 
figures of animals or flowers ; or woven with feathers, or 
the fine hair of the rabbit, &c. The men wore two or 
three mantles, and the women three or four vefts, and as 
many gowns, putting the longeft undermoft, fo that a part 
of each of them might be feen. Their Ihoes were only 
foies of leather, or coarfe-cloth of the mountain-palm tied 
with firings ; but thofe of the great people were adorned 
with ribands of gold and jew'els. They all wore long 
hair, and thought themfelves difhonoured by being fliaved, 
or having their hair clipped, except the confecrated vir¬ 
gins in the temple. The women wore it loofe; but the 
men tied it up in different forms, and adorned their heads 
with fine feathers, both when they danced and went to 
war. With this fimplicity, however, they mixed no fmall 
quantity of extravagance. Befides feathers and jewels, 
with which they ufed to adorn their heads, they wore 
ear-rings; pendants at their upper lip, as well as many at 
their nofies ; necklaces, bracelets for their hands and arms, 
as well as certain rings like collars which they wore about 
their legs. The ear-rings of the poor were (hells, pieces 
of cryftal, amber. See. but the rich wore pearls, emeralds, 
amethyfts, or other gems let in gold. 
The Mexicans performed various fuperftitious rites 
upon the birth of children, at their marriages, and at their 
funerals. As loon as a child was born, the midwife 
bathed it, faying thefe vrords : “ Receive the water ; for 
the goddefs Ghalchiuhcueje is thy mother. May this 
bath cleanfe the lpots which thou beared from the womb 
of thy mother, purify thy heart, and give thee a good and 
perfedl life.” Then, addrefling her prayer to that goddefs, 
Ihe demanded in fimilar words the fame favour from her ; 
and, taking up the water again with her right hand, lhe 
blew r upon it, and wet the mouth, head, and breaft, of the 
child with it; and, after bathing the whole of its body, 
flie faid ; “May the invifible God defeend upon this wa- 
ter, and cleanfe thee of every (in and impurity, and free 
thee from evil fortune.” Then, turning to the child, (lie 
fpoke to it thus; “Lovely child, the gods OmeteuftJi 
and Omecihuatl have created thee in the higheft place of 
heaven, in order to fend thee into the world; but now, 
the life on which thou art entering is fad, painful, and 
full of uneafinefs and miferies; nor wilt thou be able 
to eat thy bread w'ithout labour ; may God aflift thee in 
the many adverfities that await thee.” This ceremony 
was concluded with congratulations to the parents and 
relations of the child. If it w’as the foil of the king, or 
of any great lord, the chief of his fubjefts came to con¬ 
gratulate the father, and to wifli the higheft profperity to 
the child. In fome provinces the births of male children 
were celebrated with much folemnity and fuperftition. 
As foon as the fon w r as born, a turkey was facrificed. 
The bathing was performed in fome fountain or river, 
when they made oblations of copal, and facrifices of par¬ 
rots. The navel-firing was cut upon an ear of maize, 
with a new knife, which w : as immediately caft into the 
river. 
Nothing, fays F. Acofta, has furprifed me more, or ap¬ 
peared more worthy of memory, than the care and method 
which the Mexicans obferved in the education of youth. 
It would be difficult, indeed, to find a nation that has be- 
ftowed more attention on a point fo important to every 
ftate. It is true, they mixed fuperftition with their pre¬ 
cepts ; but the zeal they manifefted for the education of 
their children, upbraids the negligence of our modem fa¬ 
thers of families. All the Mexican children were fuckled 
by their own mothers, even thole of the royal family, ex¬ 
cept prevented by illnefs. An abhorrence of vice, a mo- 
defty of behaviour, refpcct to tlxeir fiiperiors, and love 
of fatigue, were ftrongly inculcated. One of the precepts 
moft warmly inculcated to youth was truth ; and, when¬ 
ever a lie was dete&ed, the lip of the delinquent w\ts 
pricked with a thorn from the aloe. Their paintings 
were reprefented to enforce their precepts of induftry', 
and punilhment for offences. Their inftru6tions, and ex¬ 
hortations to youth, merit a place in any code of morality. 
We have given a fpecimen of a Mexican’s inftruftion to 
his fon under the article America, vol. i. p. 422. The 
admonitions of the Mexican mothers to their daughters 
are no lefs worthy of obfervance. “ My daughter, born 
of my lubftance, brought forth with my pains, and nou- 
rifired with my milk; I have endeavoured to bring thee 
up with the greateft poflible care; and thy father has 
wrought and polilhed thee like an emerald, that thou 
mayeft appear in the eyes of men as a jewel of virtue. 
Strive always to be good; for otherwife who will have 
thee for a wife. Be orderly, and take pains to manage 
the economy of thy houfe. Employ thyfelf diligently in 
fpinning and weaving, in fewing and embroidering ; for 
by thefe arts thou wilt obtain the necelfaries of food and 
clothing. Deceive no perfon ; for the gods fee all thy ac¬ 
tions. Live in peace with every body. If thou wouldft 
avoid the difplealure of others, let none meet with it from 
thee. Remember that vice, like a poifonous herb, brings 
death to thofe that tafte it. When thou art married, re- 
lpedt thy hufband ; obey him, and diligently do what he 
commands thee. Dilhonour him not before others. If 
thy hulhand is foolifh, be thou difereet. If he fails in the 
management of wealth, admonilh him of his failings ; if 
he is incapable of taking care of his property, take that 
charge upon thyfelf; attend carefully to his pofteflions, 
and never omit to pay the workmen punftually. Em¬ 
brace, my daughter, the counfel which I give ; I am al¬ 
ready advanced in life, and have had experience in the 
world. I amthy mother. Fix my precepts in thy heart, 
for then thou wilt be happy. If, by not liltening to me, 
or by neglefting- my inltrudtions, any misfortunes befal 
thee, the fault will be thine, and the evil alfo. Enough, 
niy child ; may the gods profper thee.” The Mexicans 
had lchools for the education of the youth of both fexes. 
They were kept apart; priefts educated the boys, and 
matrons took care of the girls. There were diftinft fe- 
minaries for the nobles and plebeians. The females flept 
in large halls, in the light of the matrons, who attended 
moft zealouily to the modefty and decency of their beha¬ 
viour. 
Marriage between perfons in the firft degree of confan- 
guinity was forbidden. The parents fettled the marriages, 
and none were ever executed without their confent. The 
male was thought fit to form the marriage-contraft at the 
age of twenty to twenty-two, and the female from lixteen 
to eighteen years; and, before the union was concluded, 
the diviners were conlulted, who decided on the happi- 
nel’s or infelicity of the propoled match. If their len- 
tence was unpropitious, the young female was aban¬ 
doned, and another fought. It the fentence was fa¬ 
vourable, the young woman was demanded of her pa¬ 
rents by certain women who were held in refpedt and 
efteem. Thefe women went at midnight to the houfe 
of the parents with a prelent, and demanded the dam- 
fel in an humble and refpedfful ftyle. After a few 
days, thefe women repeated their vilit, dating the rank 
and. fortune of the youth, and gaining information what 
was her fortune. The parents then founded the incli¬ 
nations of their daughter ; and in due time a decifive an- 
fwer was returned. On the day appointed for the nup¬ 
tials, the parents, after exhorting their daughter to a fuit- 
able conduct, led her, with a numerous company and mu- 
iic, to the houle of her father-in-law ; if noble, (he w'as 
carried on a litter. The bridegroom,*and her parents, 
received her at the gates of the houle, with four torches 
borne by four women. At meeting, the bride and bride¬ 
groom offered incenfe to each other ; and the bride was 
x led 
