Page:Mexico as it was and as it is.djvu/151

110 notion of an aristocracy was carried by them even to the other world; and while the nobles animated gorgeous birds and dazzling clouds, and floated in the purest air, the souls of the common people were doomed to crawl in weasels, beetles, and the meaner animals.

The spirits of those who were drowned, or struck by lightning; of those who died with dropsy, tumors, wounds, or similar diseases; went, with the souls of children who had either been drowned or sacrificed in honor of Tlaloc, "the god of the Water," to a delicious place named Tlalocan, where that god resided, surrounded by everything that could contribute to pleasure and happiness.

The third place of departed spirits was Mictlan or Hell. This was a kingdom of utter darkness ruled by a god and goddess, and the gloomy blackness of the realm was the only punishment, Clavigero thinks that the Mexicans placed this hell in the centre of the earth—and it may have been but a type of utter annihilation.

They had some imperfect ideas of a Supreme God, whom they feared and adored, yet represented by no external form, because they believed him to be invisible. He was generally spoken of as —but was known, also, by the name of "He by whom we live;" and  "He who has all in himself." They had also an Evil spirit, inimical to mankind, called Tlaleatecolototl, "the Rational Owl." This spirit was said to appear frequently to men, to terrify or injure them; but there is no distinct history of this wicked power, or of their religious system as applied to it. After Teotl—the Supreme invisible Being—there were thirteen others worshipped in Mexico as principal gods.

T, the "Shining Mirror;" "the God of providence; the Soul of the world; the Creator of heaven and earth; the Master of all things."

O and O, a god and goddess, who granted mortals their wishes. These divinities appear to have presided over new-born children, and reigned in the "celestial paradise."

C, or "Woman Serpent;" also called Q or T: "woman of our flesh;" was held to be the mother of the human race, and was venerated next to Ometeuctli and Omecihuatl.

T and M, the sun and moon deified; of whom I shall have occasion to say something in describing the pyramids of St. Juan Teotihuacan.

Q, concerning whom I have already written in my letter on Cholula.

T, "the god of Water;" the fertilizer of the soil, the protector of temporal goods. His image was painted blue and green, to represent the hues of water, and in his hand he held an undulating and pointed rod to signify his control over storms and lightning.

X, "master of the year and grass;" the god of Fire. An oblation of the first morsel and the first draught at dinner, was always