Star.
London, England, 1824-11-06 00:00:00

.4ACIENT UNPUBLISHED HISTORY OF
MEXICO.

We have read in a recent number of the Spanish Ma-
gazine, entitled, Ocios de Espartoles Emigrados, pub-
lished in London, an analysis of a very curious and
interesting account of Mexico, written less than half a
century after its conquest by Cortes and his followers.
The work was composed in Mexico by a Spanish monk
of the order of Fratres Minorca, and two copies of it
were sent to Spain, one of which was deposited in the
Franciscan convent of Sahagun. This capy, after being
long neglected, was some time ago discovered, and con.
suited by a Spanish author of the name of Muno4, when
writing a history of the New World. It afterwards
passed, along with the manuscripts of this author, to
the hands of the Secretary of State for the Indies, and
by him was deposited in the library of the Academy of
History at Madrid. One of the writers of the 4ilcios—
a very learned man, and Member of the late Cortes
—who was employed to make a literary survey of the
convents and religious houses of Spain, has given us
this analysis, and assures us that the copy of the work
from which he has taken it agrees exactly with the ma-
nuscript transmitted from Mexico two centuries and a
half ago. The work was originally written in the
Mexican language, about the year 1545, and tianidated
into the Spanish language in 1575. The author states
the difficulty he had in composing it in a language
which had till then neither letters nor writings. Hi; ob-
ject was to facilitate to the Ministers of the Catholic
religion the discharge of their duties, by instructing
them in the customs, arts, literature, language, religion,
genius, virtues, and vices of the native Mexicans, among
whom they preached. Never was a juster estimate
formed of the atrocities inflicted on these poor creatures
by his countrymen, and never was a sense of them more
forcibly expressed than in the language which he quotes
and uses. " 1, Friar Bernardino de Sahagun, says he,
have written these twelve books of the divine things,
or rather of the idolatrous, human, and natural history
of Mexicn. This work will be of great service in
making known the character of the Mexican race—a
race which has not excited sufficient attention, because
there fell upon them the curse which Jeremiah the Pro.'
phet denounced against Jerusalem
! I will bring a nation upon you from afar; it is a mighty
nation; it is an ancient nation—a nation whose language thou
knnwest not, neither understandest what they say. Their quiver
is an open sepulchre; they are all mighty men. And they shall eat
up thy harvest: they shall destroy thy sons and thy daughters, thy
people, and thy dwellings.'
—This has literally happened to the Indians by the Spa-
niards.
.They were so trampled down and destroyed
themselves, and everything belonging to them, that
they now retain no trace of what they once were. We
know, by the accounts transmitted from former times,
that they were skilled in the mechanical arts: we now
see that they have an aptitude in learning the liberal
arts, and for acquiring the science of theology. How
able they are to endure hunger, thirst, cold, and toil;
and what progress they had made in the arts of war, we
know by experience." Friar Bernardino, in a preface
of which the above-cited passage is a specimen, describes
the ancient population of Mexico, and traces it back
500 years before the Christian era, to the famous city
of Tulla, which would appear to have had the tame
fate and to be connected with the same fabulous history
as the city of Troy. But whence did Friar Bernardino
derive this history, real or fictitious, as. the people of
whom be writes possessed neither books, nor the know-
ledge of letters ? The Monk does not conceal his sources
of information, He began his work, he tells us, in the
Mexican language, in the town of Tepepule, having se.
lecteds by the consent of the Governor, twelve of the

oldest Indians, possessing the greatest reputation for
probity. To this learned junta he daily propounded
questions for the space of two years, and the replies
which they gave in words were ratified by picture
writing, which was interpreted in three languages,
Mexican, Latin, and Spanish, by persons in whom 'he
had entire confidence. These persons wrote their inter-
pretation at the foot of the picture ; and "1 (says the
Friar) still possess the originals." This labour of histo-
rical acquisition he continued in other places, and thus
'collected the mass of facts, tin?, or fabulous, with which
he fills the twelve books of his work. We are sorry
that we have not room to enumerate, after the learned
writer in the Magazine, -all.the contents of these books,
but the following n ill satisfy our Readers that they may
find in the article much amusement and instruction.—
The fist book treats of the divinities worshipped by
the Mencius, and is divided into as many chapters as
there are Mexican gods—the whole number beingll2.
These gods are made to correspond in general attributes
with the fabulous beings who peopled Olympus. The
Mexican worshippers must have found it easier than ut
to pronounce such it Imes as the following: Vitzilobeechi&
(Hercules); Xulthecutie (Vulcan), and Chachiuhtlyaoc
(Juno) ; or they must have become like Horace:
" Paton Deorunt either et infrequens."
Even the enticing name of Venus, Ilexateatl, must
sound repulsive through any but a Mexican windpipe.
The second book contains '2B chapters, and treats of
the calendar, feasts, ceremonies, and solemnities of the
ancient Mexicsins. Their month consi_ted of 20 days,
divided into four weeks of five days each ; their months
were 18, composed of 360 days. Tire third boot, con-
sisting of 14 chapters, treats of the origin of the gods.
The fourth book emhraces the subject of judicial astro-
logy. The sixth book treats of the rhetoric, moral phi-
losophy, and theology of the Mexican nation, in
which there are many curious things respecting the
origin of their language and the state of their moral
virtues. This part of the work is stated to be very in-
teresting. The author gives some curious specimens of
Mexican hafaugues: but We must now refer our
Readers to the article itself for a further account of
this curious work.

SPAIN.

PRIVATE CORRESPONDENCE.
FROM THZ CONSTITUTIONNEL.

MADRID, OCTOBER 21.
•gg The latest letters from Lisbon mention that the
Certes are soon to be convoked, and it is added that in
consequence of this the Portuguse Agent in this capital
will be recalled. Allan has been submitted to his Majesty
for a Decree for levying 37,000 men. No doubt, it will
be approved of, and have the same effect as the first
Decree on the same subject, v:hich produced abont the
fifth pan of the soldiers expected. A Decree also has
been published to prevent emigration, it being the in-
tention of Government to hinder capitalists and land-
lords from carrying their capital to, and drawing their
revenue in another• country. As you see, we return to
the infancy of society, and go further than those who
desire to prevent the emigration of workmen, impri-
soning them in that country where they have begun
their labours. The Intendant of Police of Murcia, who
has been deposed, has been to the Ercutial, and been
received by his Majesty in a private audience. He stated
that the province of Murcia was a prey to the most de•
plorable anarchy; that the Royalist Volunteers, under
the pretext of serving his Majesty, commit all sorts of
crimes : that the Clergy abuse, the pulpit so much,tlrit
one of them preached from the text—' The odour of
corpse is like the breath of life to the righteous of our time.'
"The Trappist and Merino have both been presented
to the King at the Escurial, and the latter has obtained
a pension of 60,000 reale, with permission to consume
it where he pleases. The recompense intended for thg
former is not yet known. The Intendant-General of
the Police has sent circulars to the Intendants of Police
lin the Provinces, demanding lists of the persons known
Ito profess liberal opinions in their departments, of those
who have belonged to Secret Societies, of those who
have been veakers in National Societies, and of those
who have purchased national land. The same circular
says, that in reserving to the Nobles the privilege of
carrying arms, those only are meant who have adhered
to the cause of the Altar and the Throne. Thus, while
they cry al.md for ancient privileges, they deprive the
Nobles of their most ancient ones.

"Ocr.22.—The Infanta Donna Maria Francisca has
given birth to a son ; the King has been godfather, and
the child has been named Ferdinand. Neither of these
events, which in ordinary circumstances would be a
signal for pardon and favour, has brought the lead
amelioration to the condition of the persecuted. it
seems, on the contrary, that every new solemnity it
regarded as an occasion for increasing the measures of
terror. The follo•ving decree is a specimen of the man-
ner of calling for fresh rigour in the Judges :-
1 Letter from the Minister of Justice, 4 f August 91,
to the Governor of the Council and' the Presidents of
the Chancellories and Audiences of the Kingdom, oq
prompt execution in criminal cases.
4 MOST EXCELLENT SlR—The King has been in-
, formed of the slowness of the different tribunals in
trying the numberless criminal cases brought before
them, and of the pretext urged in support of this, that
they dare not depart from the road marked out by the
laws. From this slowness and pretext, the serious in-
convenience results, that the punishments are neither
prompt nor exemplary enough to impose on some,
and correct others, and prevent all the citizens
from committing crimes. Ilk Majesty does nut wish
that the tribunals which•disttibuie justice in his name
should depart from the road laid down by the laws ;
but he reminds them that there are means r.f •hortenin,g
processes, either by hastening the reception of the proofs,
or in omitting useless and merely formal citation, or by
preventing the delays interposed by the promo-ears, who
frequently demand a postponement when there is ques-
tion of an action of revolt or crime of this description.
His Majesty desires, in consequence, that this Audience,
and all the Judges within its jurisdiction, should pro-
ceed without delay in examining causes, transmitting
each week a detailed account of the situation in which
they find their business, and consecrating beside* the
customary three bouts a day, three boors mote, if

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