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BERNARDINO DE SAHAGUN. ERNARDINO DE SAHAGUN, a Mexican historian, antiquarian, and a Franciscan friar, was born in Old Spain about the year 1500. In 1529 he was sent as a missionary to Mexico, where he was noted for purity of life and zeal in the cause of his religion. His greatest fame, however, will always rest on his researches into the customs and antiquities of the natives and the preservation of many important documents which throw light upon their history, mode of life, religious beliefs, and ceremonies.

sovereign Cuitlahua and the election of his successor Quauhtemotzin, or Guatemozin, as the Spaniards called him. Cuitlahua, the last but one of these Aztec monarchs, died after a short reign of four months, but that brief time witnessed the overthrow of the Spaniards and their expulsion from Mexico. The other selection, The Aztec Mother's Advice to her Daughter, is a remarkable paper, and most of the advice given is worthy of being followed even in our own advanced age. Sahagun died at the City of Mexico, in 1590, at a ripe old age.

The Universal History was first written by him in the Mexican tongue. The Provincial of his order, whose love of piety was greater than his love of learning, got pos- FROM THE AZTEC NAHUATLAC DIALECT, TRANSLATED

session of the manuscript of this important work, and scattered it amongst the religious institutions. Some thirty years after it was recovered by its author, when he was eighty years of age, through the influence of Don Juan de Ovando, President of the Council for the Indies. Regardless of the threat of clerical censure, he at once began to translate it into Castilian, and, notwithstanding his great age, lived to complete this work. The translation in two large folio volumes was sent to Madrid, where it once more disappeared for over two hundred years. Through the research of modern scholars this valuable and wonderful work was again brought to light. In 1829 it was first published in Mexico in three volumes octavo, edited by Bustamarte; and a year afterwards in England by Lord Kingsborough in six volumes. We give selections from two of the documents preserved by him.

The High Priest's Prayer was offered at Anahuac, Mexico, on the death of the Aztec

THE HIGH PRIEST'S PRAYER AT THE DEATH OF CUITLAHUA.

INTO CASTILIAN BY BENARDINO DE SAHAGUN.

"O Lord! Thou knowest that the days of our sovereign are at an end, for Thou hast placed him beneath Thy feet. He abides in the place of his retreat; he has trodden the path which we are all to tread; he has gone to the house whither we are all to follow,— the house of eternal darkness, where no light cometh. He is gathered to his rest, and no one henceforth shall disquiet him. . . . All these were the princes, his predecessors, who sat on the imperial throne, directing the affairs of Thy kingdom, for Thou art the universal Lord and Emperor, by whose will and movement the whole world is directed; Thou needest not the counsel of another. They laid down the intolerable burden of government, and left it to him, their successor. Yet he sojourned but a few days in his kingdom,-but a few days had we enjoyed his presence, when Thou summonedest him away to follow those who had ruled over the land before him. And great cause has he for thankfulness that Thou hast

relieved him from so grievous a load, and placed him in tranquillity and rest. . . . Who now shall order matters for the good of the people and the realm? Who shall appoint the judges to administer justice to Thy people? Who now shall bid the drum and the flute to sound, and gather together the veteran soldiers and the men mighty in battle? Our Lord and our Defence! wilt Thou, in Thy wisdom, elect one who shall be worthy to sit on the throne of Thy kingdom-one who shall bear the grievous burden of government, who shall comfort and cherish Thy poor people, even as the mother cherisheth her offspring? O Lord most merciful! pour forth Thy light and Thy splendor over this Thine empire! Order it so that Thou shalt be served in all, and through all." Trans. of W. H. PRESCOTT.

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AN AZTEC MOTHER TO HER DAUGHTER. TRANSLATED FROM THE AZTEC NAHUATLAC DIALECT

INTO CASTILIAN BY BERNARDINO DE SAHAGUN.

MY

Y beloved daughter, take care that your garments are such as are decent and proper; and observe that you do not adorn yourself with much finery, since this is a mark of vanity and of folly. As little becoming is it that your dress should be very mean, dirty, or ragged; since rags are a mark of the low and of those who are held in contempt. Let your clothes be becoming and neat, that you may neither appear fantastic nor mean. When you speak, do not hurry your words from uneasiness, but speak deliberately and calmly. Do not raise your voice very high, nor speak very low,, but in a moderate tone. Neither mince when you speak, nor when you salute, nor speak through your nose; but let your words be proper, of a good sound,

and your voice gentle. In walking, my daughter, see that you behave becomingly, neither going with haste, nor too slowly; since it is an evidence of being puffed up to walk too slowly, and walking hastily causes a vicious habit of restlessness and instability. Therefore neither walk very fast, nor very slow; yet, when it shall be necessary to go with haste, do so. Another thing that you must attend to, my daughter, is, that, when you are in the street, you do not go looking hither and thither, nor turning your head to look at this and that; walk neither looking at the skies, nor on the ground. Do not look upon those whom you meet with the eyes of an offended person, nor have the appearance of being uneasy; but of one who looks upon all with a serene countenance; doing this, you will give no one an occasion of being offended with you. Show a becoming countenance; that you may neither appear morose, nor, on the other hand, too complaisant. See, likewise, my daughter, that you never paint your face, or stain it or your lips with colors, in order to appear well; since this is a mark of vile and unchaste women. But, that your husband may not dislike you, adorn yourself, wash yourself, and cleanse your clothes. My daughter, this is the course you are to take; since in this manner the ancestors from whom you spring brought us up.

Those noble and venerable dames, your grandmothers, told us not so many things as I have told you, they said but few words, and spoke thus: "Listen, my daughters; in this world, it is necessary to live with much prudence and circumspection. Hear this allegory, which I shall now tell you, and preserve it, and take from it a

warning and example for living aright. | glory, by the filthiness and impurity of your sin. You will, likewise, lose your reputation, your nobility, and honor of birth; your name will be forgotten and abhorred. Of you will it be said, that you were buried in the dust of your sins. And remember, my daughter, that, though no man shall see you, nor your husband ever know what happens, God, who is in every place, sees you, and will be angry with you, My dear daughter, whom I tenderly love, see that you live in the world in peace, tranquillity, and contentment all the days that you shall live. See that you disgrace not yourself, that you stain not your honor, nor pollute the lustre and fame of your ancestors. See that you honor me and your father, and reflect glory on us by your good life. May God prosper you, my first-born, and may you come to God, who is in every place!

Here, in this world, we travel by a very narrow, steep, and dangerous road, which is as a lofty mountain-ridge, on whose top passes a narrow path; on either side is a great gulf without bottom, and, if you deviate from the path, you will fall into it. There is need, therefore, of much discretion in pursuing the road." My tenderly loved daughter, my little dove, keep this illustration in your heart, and see that you do not forget it it will be to you as a lamp and a beacon, so long as you shall live in this world.—Only one thing remains to be said, and I have done. If God shall give you life, you shall continue some years upon the earth, see that you guard yourself carefully, that no stain come upon you. When it shall When it shall please God that you receive a husband, and you are placed under his authority, be free from arrogance see that you do not neglect him, nor allow your heart to be in opposition to him.

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MONTEZUMA'S WELCOME TO CORTES.

Be not disrespectful to him. Be-"YOU have been told, perhaps, that I

ware, that in no time or place, you commit treason against him. See that you give no favor to another; since this, my dear and much-loved daughter, is to fall into a pit without bottom, from which there will be no escape. According to the custom of the world, if it shall be known, for this crime they will kill you, they will throw you into the street, for an example to all the people, where your head will be crushed and dragged

upon the ground. Of these says a proverb: "You will be stoned and dragged upon the earth, and others will take warning at your death." From this will arise a stain and dishonor upon our ancestors, the nobles and senators from whom we are descended. You will tarnish their illustrious fame, and their

am a god, and dwell in palaces of gold and silver. But you see it is false. My houses, though large, are of stone and wood, like those of others; and as to my body," he said, baring his tawny arm, "you see it is flesh and bone like yours. It is true, I have a great empire inherited from my ancestors-lands, and gold, and silver. But your sovereign beyond the waters is, I know, the rightful lord of all. I rule in his name. You, Malinche, are his ambassador; you and your brethren shall share these things with me. Rest now from your labors. You are here in your own dwellings, and everything shall be ṛrovided for your subsistence. I will see that your wishes shall be obeyed in the same way as my own." Trans. of PRESCOTT.

NEZAHUALCOYOTL, LORD OF

THIS

TEZCUCO.

the monarch himself. Many of his odes descended to a late generation. We give a selection from them, translated from this dialect into the Castilian about the beginning of the sixteenth century, by the historian Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl, who was a native of Tezcuco and a direct descendant of the sov

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HIS greatest of the Indian monarchs of the Western World was born about the year 1403, in what is now Mexico. When only fifteen years of age he saw his father killed in a battle with a neighboring nation, the Tepanecs, and he himself was taken pris-ereigns of that kingdom. oner and cast into a dungeon by the victors. He, however, succeeded by the aid of friends in making his escape. For years, pursued by his enemies, he led a romantic wandering life, seeking shelter in deep thickets and caverns, his only solace being the love of his faithful people, who could not be bribed to betray him, and frequently saved him from capture by his pursuers. At length, with an army raised by his supporters, he fought his Tepanec enemies and totally routed them, and amidst the rejoicing of his subjects he was enthroned in the halls of his fathers. His first act was to grant an amnesty to those who had aided his foes. He said, "A monarch punish, but revenge is unworthy of him." His code of laws was written in blood; his government was divided into departments, such as a council of war, a council of finance, a council of justice, the members of which were nobles and citizens. A cabinet, or council of state, was composed of fourteen members from the highest order of chiefs. The most remarkable, however, of the departments in this Athens of the Western World was the council of music, which was devoted to the encouragement of literature, science, and art. All important works were required to be submitted to its judgment before they should be made public. In the historical department the wilful perversion of truth was a capital offence. Among the most illustrious of the poets was

Nezahualcoyotl was on one occasion persuaded by the priests to offer on the altar of the gods in sacrifice the captives taken in war; but this offering did not produce the result promised, and the king indignantly exclaimed, These idols of wood and stone can neither hear nor feel; much less could they make the heaven and the earth, and man the lord of it. This must be the work of the all-powerful, unknown God, Creator of the universe, on whom alone I must rely for consolation and support." After this he labored to raise his people above superstition and to substitute a purer spiritual conception of the Deity.

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In his riches, the grandeur of his palaces, and in his great wisdom he almost equalled King Solomon. He built a gorgeous temple in the form of a pyramid, and dedicated it to "the unknown God, the Cause of causes." "No image was allowed in the edifice, as unsuited to the invisible God. The people were expressly prohibited from profaning the altars with blood or any other sacrifice than that of the perfumes of flowers and sweet-scented gums." Yet on the name of this great and wise monarch there rests a dark stain which has clouded his fame: he is accused of committing the same sin as David, the poet-king and sweet singer of Israel. Of this Indian poet-king it is said that he ordered that his vassal, the old lord of Tepechpan, be placed in the front of the battle, that the monarch

might take to himself the old lord's young and beautiful betrothed. It was probably because of this crime that in his dying hour he thought himself unworthy to have known the Creator. To his son he said that he was unworthy to know God, but intimated that the time would come when He should be known and worshipped throughout the land. When seventy-two years of age he breathed his last -about 1475, or seventeen years before Christopher Columbus sailed on his great voyage of discovery for the Western World.

BANISH CARE.

INDIAN THANATOPSIS.

"All things on earth have their term, and, in the most joyous career of their vanity and splendor, their strength fails, and they sink into the dust. All the round world is but a sepulchre; and there is nothing, which lives on its surface that shall not be hidden and entombed beneath it. Rivers, torrents, and streams move onward to their destination. Not one flows back to its pleasant source. They rush onward, hastening to bury themselves in the deep bosom of the ocean. The things of yesterday are no more to-day; and the things of to-day shall cease, perhaps, on the morrow. The cemetery is full of the loathsome dust of bodies once quickened by living souls, who occupied thrones, presided over assemblies, marshalled armies, subdued provall-inces, arrogated to themselves worship, were puffed up with vainglorious pomp, and power, and empire.

Song from the Tezcucan Nahuatlac dialect of the Indian

monarch, Nezahualcoyotl. Translated into the Castilian

by Fernando de Alva Ixtlilxochitl.

"BANISH care; if there are bounds to pleasure, the saddest life must have an end. Then weave the chaplet of flowers, and sing thy songs in praise of the powerful God; for the glory of this world soon fadeth away. Rejoice in the green freshness of thy spring; for the day will come when thou shalt sigh for these joys in vain; when the sceptre shall pass from thy hands, thy servants shall wander desolate in thy courts, thy sons and the sons of thy nobles shall drink the dregs of distress, and all the pomp of thy victories and triumphs shall live only in their recollection. Yet the remembrance of the just shall not pass away from the nations, and the good thou hast done shall ever be held in honor. The goods of this life, its glories and its riches, are but lent to us; its substance is but an illusory shadow, and the things of to-day shall change on the coming of the morrow. Then gather the fairest flowers from thy gardens to bind round thy brow, and seize the joys of the present ere they perish."

"But these glories have all passed away, like the fearful smoke that issues from the throat of Popocatepetl, with no other memorial of their existence than the record on the page of the chronicler.

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The great, the wise, the valiant, the beautiful,-alas! where are they now? They are all mingled with the clod; and that which has befallen them shall happen to us and to those that come after us. Yet let us take courage, illustrious nobles and chieftains, true friends and loyal subjects,―let us aspire to that heaven where all is eternal, and corruption cannot come. The horrors of the tomb are but the cradle of the Sun, and the dark shadows of death are brilliant lights for the stars."

Translated into English by WM. H. PRESCOTT.

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