descendants of the present day, prove conclusively that they were a kindly people. They were far from being cannibals, and yet we have seen that they eat portions of the bodies of victims of the sacrifice. The barbarities of their rites are fully explained by their religious zeal, and the influence exercised over them by the priests. The history of the Inquisition, and later of witchcraft, show what astounding and. atrocious cruelty can be practiced in the name of religion.

We have seen that there was a multiplicity of gods, and as each god had a large retinue of priests, there was in consequence a multitude of priests. They were not only the spiritual advisers of the people, they were academicians, historians, teachers, and also temporal counsellors of the sovereign. They were held in the highest esteem, and their influence was im

mense.

The office was eagerly aspired to both by men and women, and children of both sexes were consecrated to it at birth, and carefully reared and educated for the duties they would have to perform. It followed inevitably that the word of the priest was law, and his com

mand, no matter how revolting, must be obeyed. What was cruelty to the individual judgment lost, at once, the character of cruelty when sanctioned by the priest. Blood shedding was an essential adjunct of religious observance, for many of the gods could not be appeased in any other way. The priests pricked themselves with thorns to shed their own blood as an act of personal devotion, and the people followed their example so faithfully that every nuptial couch was hung with two acacia thorns, to be used by the bride and groom in that manner.

But while the priests were honored and venerated in the highest degree, they were held to the strictest conformity with their vows. No backsliding was tolerated, while any grave breach of rectitude, like unchastity, was promptly punished with torture and death. Consequently they were an austere and virtuous class. Even the Spanish missionaries could find nothing to say against their personal habits. Marriage was permissible to them and not uncommon, and they were also at liberty to resign the office and retire to secular life and pur

suits, after the expiration of a fixed term. Having earned the honors attached to the priesthood, many graduates annually availed themselves of this privilege.

A remarkable ceremonial, known as the extinguishing and rekindling of the fire, was held at the end of the cycle, once in every fifty-two years. Reference has already been made to the superstitious dread entertained that the world might be destroyed during the transition from one cycle to another. The critical period was during the added thirteen days at the end of the expiring cycle. Each head of a family put his affairs in order for a final settlement; every household was prepared for the great catastrophe; everything was put in readiness as if the family was about to start on a protracted journey, and then the fire was extinguished in every palace and hovel in the land. Meanwhile the priests were busy in their sanctuaries, doing everything in their power to appease the wrath of the gods, and blood flowed in torrents upon the teocalli. Fasting, praying, blood-letting, and the practice of other austerities, were kept up until the last hour of the last