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in heaven: but since they chose to abide upon the carth, she desired them to go to Mictlanteuctli, god of hell, and ask of him one of the bones of the men that had died; to sprinkle this with their own blood, and from it they would have a man and a woman, who would afterwards multiply. At the same time she warned them to be upon their guard against Mictlanteuctli, who after giving the bone might suddenly repent. With these instructions from his mother, Xolotl, one of the heroes, went to hell, and after obtaining what he sought, began to run towards the upper surface of the earth, upon which Mictlanteuctli enraged, pursued him, and being unable to come up with him, returned to hell. Xolotl in his precipitate flight stumbled, and falling, broke the bone into unequal pieces. Gathering them up again, he continued his flight till he arrived at the place where his brothers awaited him; when they put the fragments into a vessel, and sprinkled them with their blood, which they drew from different parts of their bodies. Upon the fourth day they beheld a boy, and continuing to sprinkle with blood for three days more, a girl was likewise formed. They were both consigned to the care of Xolotl, to be brought up, who fed them with the milk of the thistle. In that way they believed the recovery of mankind was effected at that time. Thence took its rise, as they affirmed, the practice of drawing blood from different parts of the body so common among these nations, and they believed the differences in the stature of men to have been occasioned by the inequality of the pieces of the bone."

"TONATRICLI and MEZTLI, names of the sun and moon, both deified by these nations. They said, that after the recovery and multiplication of mankind, each of the abovementioned heroes or demigods had among the men his servants and adherents; and that there being no sun, the one that had been having come to an end, the heroes assembled in Teotihuacan, around a great fire, and said to the men, that the first of

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them that should throw themself into the fire would have the glory to become a sun. Forthwith one of the men, more intrepid than the rest, called Nanahuaztin, threw himself into the flames and descended to hell. In the interval, while they all remained expecting the event, the heroes made wagers with the quails, locusts, and other animals, about the place of the sky where the sun would first appear; and the animals being mistaken in their conjectures, were immediately sacrificed. At length the sun arose in that quarter which from that time forward was called the Levant; but he had scarcely risen above the horizon, when he stopped, which the heroes perceiving, sent to desire him to continue his course. The sun replied, that he would not, until he should see them all put to death. The heroes were no less enraged than terrified by that answer; upon which one of them named Citli, taking his bow and three arrows, shot one at the sun; but the sun saved himself by stooping. Citli aimed two other arrows, but in vain. The sun, enraged, turned back the last arrow, and fixed it in the forehead of Citli, who instantly expired. The rest, intimidated by the fate of their brother, and unable to cope with the sun, resolved to die by the hands of Xolotl; who, after killing all his brothers, put an end to his own life. The heroes before they died left their cloaths to their servants; and since the conquest of these countries by the Spaniards, certain ancient garments have been found, which were preserved by the Indians with extraordinary veneration, under a belief that they had them by inheritance from those ancient heroes. The men were affected with great melancholy upon losing their masters, but Tezcatlipoca commanded one of them to go to the house of the sun, and from thence to bring music to celebrate his festival; he told him that for his journey, which was to be by sea, he would prepare a bridge of whales and tortoises, and desired him to sing always as he went a song which he gave him. This, the Mexicans said, was the origin of the music and danc

ing with which they celebrated the festivals of their gods. They ascribed the daily sacrifice which they made of quails to the sun, to that which the heroes made of those birds; and the barbarous sacrifices of human victims, so common afterwards in these countries, they ascribed to the example of Xolotl with his brethren.

"They told a similar fable of the origin of the moon. Tezcociztecal, another of those who assembled in Teotihuacan, following the example of Nanahuatzin, threw himself into the fire; but the flames being somewhat less fierce, he turned out less bright, and was transformed into the moon."

"TEZCATLIPOCA.-This was the greatest god adored in these countries, after the invisible God, or Supreme Being. His name means Shining Mirror, from one that was affixed to his image. He was the God of Providence, the soul of the world, the creator of heaven and earth, and master of all things. They represented him always young, to denote that no length of years ever diminished his power. They believed that he rewarded with various benefits the just, and punished the wicked with diseases and other afflictions. They placed stone seats in the corners of the streets, for that god to rest upon when he chose it, and upon which no person was ever allowed to sit down. Some said that he had descended from heaven by a rope made of spiders' webs, and had persecuted and driven from these countries the grand priest of Tula Quetzalcoatl. His principal image was of teotl, divine stone, which is a black shining stone, like black marble, and was richly dressed. It had golden ear-rings, and from the under lip hung a crystal tube, within which was a green feather, or a turquoise stone, which at first sight appeared to be a gem. His hair was tied with a golden string, from the end of which hung an ear of the same metal, with the appearance of ascending smoke painted on it, by which they intended to represent the prayers of the distressed. The whole breast was covered with

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massy gold. He had bracelets of gold upon both his arms, an emerald in the navel, and in his left hand a golden fan, set round with beautiful feathers, and polished like a mirror, in which they imagined he saw every thing that happened in the world. At other times, to denote his justice, they represented him sitting on a bench covered with a red cloth, upon which were drawn the figures of skulls and other bones of the dead: upon his left arm a shield with four arrows, and his right lifted in the attitude of throwing a spear; his body dyed black, and his head crowned with quail feathers."

"HUITZILOPOCHTLI, or Mexitli, was the God of War; the deity the most honoured by the Mexicans, and their chief protector. Of this god some said he was a pure spirit, others that he was born of a woman, but without the assistance of a man, and described his birth in the following manner. There lived, said they, in Coatepec, a place near to the ancient city of Tula, a woman called Coatlicue, mother of the Ceutzonhuiznahuis, who was extremely devoted to the worship of the gods. One day as she was employed, according to her usual custom, in walking in the temple, she beheld, descending in the air, a ball made of various feathers. She seized it, and kept it in her bosom, intending afterwards to employ the feathers in decoration of the altar; but when she wanted it after her walk was at an end, she could not find it, at which she was extremely surprised, and her wonder was very greatly increased when she began to perceive from that moment that she was pregnant. Her pregnancy advanced till it was discovered by her children, who, although they could not themselves suspect their mother's virtue, yet fearing the disgrace she would suffer upon her delivery, determined to prevent it by putting her to death. They could not take their resolution so secretly as to conceal it from their mother, who, while she was in deep affliction at the thoughts of dying by her own children, heard an unexpected voice issue

from her womb, saying, 'Be not afraid, mother, for I shall save you, with the greatest honour to yourself and glory to me.' Her hard-hearted sons, guided and encouraged by their sister Cojolxauhqui, who had been the most keenly bent upon the deed, were now just upon the point of executing their purpose, when Huitzilopochtli was born with a shield in his left hand, a spear in his right, and a crest of green feathers on his head; his left leg adorned with feathers, and his face, arms, and thighs streaked with blue lines. As soon as he came into the world, he displayed a twisted pine, and commanded one of his soldiers called Tochancalqui, to fell with it Cojolxauhqui, as the one who had been the most guilty; and he himself attacked the rest with so much fury, that, in spite of their efforts, their arms or their intreaties, he killed them all, plundered their houses, and presented the spoils to his mother. Mankind were so terrified by this event, that from that time they called him Tetzahuitl, terror, and Tetzauhteotl, terrible god.1

"His statue was of gigantic size, in the posture of a man seated on a blue coloured bench, from the four corners of which issued four huge snakes. His forehead was blue, but his face was covered with a golden mask, while another of the same kind covered the back of his head. Upon his head he carried a beautiful crest, shaped like the beak of a bird; upon his neck a collar, consisting of ten figures of the human heart; in his right hand a large blue twisted club; in his left a shield, on which appeared five balls of feathers, disposed in the form of a cross, and from the upper part of the shield rose a golden flag with four arrows, which the Mexicans pretended to have been sent to them from heaven to perform those glorious actions which we have seen in their history. His body was girt with a large golden snake, and adorned with various lesser figures of

2 "Mexitli, woman-born, who from the womb, Child of no mortal sire, leapt terrible, The armed avenger of his mother's fame."

Madoc in Aztlan, ix. p. 378.-J. W. W.

animals, made of gold and precious stones, which ornaments and insignia had each their peculiar meaning. They never deliberated upon making war without imploring the protection of this god with prayers and sacrifices, and offered up a greater number of human victims to him than to any other of the gods."

The Thirteen Rarities of Britain. "DYRNWYN, i. e. white handle, the sword of Ryzerc the generous, which, when drawn out of the sheath, would become a flame from the handle to its point.

"Len Arthur, Arthur's veil, in Cornwall, whoever wore it would see every body, and nobody see him.

"The coat of Padarn, which would fit a noble, but one of mean birth it would not.

"The mantle of Tegau would not fit an unchaste woman, nor cover her; but it would cover a chaste one to the ground.

"The knife of Lawvrodez, which would serve twenty-four persons round the different tables.

"The dish of Ryzerc the scholar, whatever might be desired upon it would be found ready dressed.

"The chessboard of Gwenzolan, the tables of silver, and the men of gold, and they would play of themselves when the dice were thrown.

"The whetstone of Tudeno, which would sharpen the weapon of the brave, and blunt the coward's.

"The horn of Brân, the liquor desired would be found in it.

"The halter of Cludno, the horse that should be desired would be found in it.

"The cauldron of Dyrnoc, in which the meat of a coward would never be done enough, but that of the hero would be ready instantly.

"The car of Morgan Mwynvawr, whoever went in it would be instantly in whatever place he desired.

"The Barged (what is that ?) of Gwyzno. If the provision of one person was put in it,

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the provision of an hundred men would be | most profound wisdom, which he displayed found therein when opened.

Given me by William Owen.

The Deaf Serpent.

"A SERPENT, whiche that aspidis
Is cleped, of his kinde hath this,
That he the stone noblest of all
The whiche that men carbuncle call,
Bereth in his heed above on high,
For whiche whan that a man by slight,
The stone to wynne, and him to dante,
With his carecte him wolde enchante.
Anone as he perceiveth that,
He leyth downe his one ear all plat
Unto the ground, and halt it fast;
And eke that other eare als faste
He 'shoppeth with his taille so sore,
That he the wordes, lasse or more,
Of his enchantement ne hereth.
And in this wise himselfe he skiereth,
So that he hath the wordes wayved,
And thus his eare is nought deceived."
Gower.

DOES not "the deaf adder, that heareth not the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely," allude to some snake that cannot be enticed by music, as they catch them in Egypt and hence this ingenious mode of stopping his ears.-R. S.

"QUETZALCOATL. This was among the Mexicans, and all the other nations of Anahuac, the god of the air. He was said to have been once high priest of Tula. They figured him tall, big, and of a fair complexion, with an open forehead, large eyes, long black hair, and a thick beard. From a love of decency, he wore always a long robe; he was so rich that he had palaces of silver and precious stones; he was thought to possess the greatest industry, and to have invented the art of melting metals and cutting gems. He was supposed to have had the

Qy. stoppeth? [Quoted to Thalaba, ixth Book, p. 286.-J. W. W.]

in the laws which he left to mankind; and above all, to have had the most rigid and exemplary manners. Whenever he intended to promulgate a law in his kingdom, he ordered a crier to the top of the mountain Izatzitepec (the hill of shouting), near the city of Tula, whose voice was heard at the distance of three hundred miles. In his time, the corn grew so strong that a single ear was a load for a man; gourds were as long as a man's body: it was unnecessary to die cotton, for it grew naturally of all 2 colours, and all other fruits and seeds were in the same abundance, and of extraordinary size. Then, too, there was an incredible number of beautiful and sweet-singing birds. All his subjects were rich, and to sum up all in one word, the Mexicans imagined as much happiness under the priesthood of Quetzalcoatl, as the Greeks did under the reign of Saturn, whom this Mexican god likewise resembled in the exile which he suffered. Amidst all this prosperity, Tezcatlipoca, I know not for what reason, wishing to drive him from that country, appeared to him in the form of an old man, and told him that it was the will of the gods that he should be taken to the kingdom of Tlapalla. At the same time, he offered him a beverage, which Quetzalcoatl readily accepted, in hopes of obtaining that immortality after which he aspired. He had no sooner drank it, than he felt himself so strongly inclined to go to Tlapalla, that he set out immediately, accompanied by many of his subjects, who on the way entertained him with music. Near the city of Quauhtillan, he felled a tree with stones, which remained fixed in the trunk; and near Tlalnepantla, he laid his hand upon a stone, and left an impression, which the Mexicans shewed the Spaniards after the conquest. Upon his arrival at Cholula, the citizens detained him, and made him take upon him the government of their city. Besides the decency

2 Claudian in Ruf. p. 29. [This reference is to lib. i. v. 209, &c.-J. W. W.]

and sweetness of his manners, the aversion | luca, whither they often went to implore his he shewed to all kinds of cruelty, insomuch that he could not bear to hear the very mention of war, added much to the affection entertained for him by the inhabitants of Cholula. To him they said they owed their knowledge of melting metals, their laws by which they were ever afterwards governed, the rites and ceremonies of their religion, and even, as some affirmed, the arrangement of their seasons and calendar.

"After being twenty years in Cholula, he resolved to pursue his journey to the imaginary kingdom of Tlapalla, carrying along with him four noble and virtuous youths. In the maritime province of Coatzacoalco, he dismissed them, and desired them to assure the Cholulans that he would return to comfort and direct them. The Cholulans, out of respect to their beloved Quetzalcoatl, put the reins of government into the hands of those young men. Some people said that he suddenly disappeared, others that he died upon that coast; but however it might be, Quetzalcoatl was consecrated as a god. Barren women offered up their prayers to him, in order to become fruitful.-Quetzalcoatl, they said, cleared the way for the god of water, because in these countries rain is generally preceded by wind."

When Cortes came "the shippes they held opinion was the god of the ayre called Quezalcoualt, whiche came with the temples on his backe, for they dayly looked for him." -Cong. of the Weast India.

protection. The ancients also believed that in all the high mountains there resided other gods, subaltern to Tlaloc. They all went under the same name, and were revered not only as gods of water, but also as the gods of mountains. The image of Tlaloc was painted blue and green, to express the different colours that are observed in water. He held in his hand a rod of gold, of an undulated and pointed form, by which they intended to denote the lightning.

"In the inner part of the greater temple of Mexico, there was a particular place where they supposed that on a certain day of the year all the children which had been sacrificed to Tlaloc, came, and invisibly assisted at the ceremony."

Aiauh.

"AIAUH is one of the names of the water goddess, the companion of Tlaloc. The Tlascalans called her Matlalcueje, that is, clothed in a green robe; and they gave the same name to the highest mountain of Tlascala, on whose summit are formed those stormy clouds which generally burst over the city of Angelopoli. To that summit the Tlascalans ascended to perform their sacrifices, and offer up their prayers."

Tlaloc.1

"TLALOC, otherwise Tlalocateuctli, master of paradise, was the god of water. They called him fertilizer of the earth, and protector of their temporal goods. They believed he resided upon the highest mountains, where the clouds are generally formed, such as those of Tlaloc, Tlascala, and To

1 For Tlaloc and Aiauh, see the xiith section of Madoc in Aztlan, p. 385.-J. W. W.

St. John.

"If it were worth while to unravel the fable of the caldron of oil, perhaps it might appear to be an African tale that rose out of a confusion of the names of the island. The Phoenicians, Syrians, and Jews used to call the island Batmos, which signified turpentine, gum exuding from pines and other trees, for which this and the other islands of the Cyclades were famous. The resinous juices called turpentines are obtained from some trees by incision, and received into bats or vats, in trenches, and afterwards freed from their impurities by

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