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 for this act. He states that it was done at the instance of Sigüenza's father. Though his fame was now daily increasing and honors began to be showered upon him, nothing could induce him to leave his retirement. Cárlos II. appointed him royal cosmographer, and confirmed his appointment to the chair of mathematics in the University of Mexico. His fame even reached the court of Louis the Great, who vainly offered him appointments and pensions. When not engaged in attending to his duties at the hospital, or in acts of charity, his time was devoted to study.

Associated with the celebrated writer on ancient Mexican history, Ixtlilxochitl, Sigüenza perfected his knowledge of the language and history of the Aztecs. Ixtlilxochitl, at his death, left all his papers to Sigüenza, as the person best fitted to write the history of his ancestors, and of whom he spoke as his 'friend in the sciences and teacher in virtue.' In 1693 he was commissioned by Viceroy Galve to assist in the exploration of the gulf coast. He examined the coast as far as Mobile Bay, which he explored, as also that of Pensacola, and the mouth of the Mississippi River. ''Vetancurt, Trat. Mex., 2 p. x; Granados, Tardes Amer., 414; Museo Mex''., ii. 471-3. His report of this expedition was written upon his return, under the title of Descripcion de la Bahía de Santa María de Galve, de la Mobila y rio de la Palizada ó Mississípi, en la costa septentrional del Seno Mexicano. A manuscript signed by Sigüenza, entitled Reconocimiento de la Bahia de Panzacola en Florida, probably the same as the foregoing, has been preserved in the collection of the late Don José Fernando Ramirez. His first published work was the Primavera Indiana, a sacred poem describing the apparition of our Lady of Guadalupe of Mexico. Beristain states that it appeared in 1662, and subsequently in 1668 and 1683, but Vetancurt, Teatro Mex., p. x, mentions the edition of 1668 only. Between 1667 and 1682, two more poems of a sacred character were published, and in 1681 his celebrated Manifiesto flosofico contra los cometas appeared. His theory was immediately attacked by three prominent scholars, among whom was the subsequently famous Jesuit missionary, Father Eusebio Kino, recently arrived in Mexico. To this latter Sigüenza successfully replied with a pamphlet entitled Libra Astronómica, published in 1690. To another, Martin de la Torre, a Flemish gentleman, he replied with his El Belorofonte Matemático, contra la quimera astrológica de D. Martin de la Torre, which according to Beristain was never issued. In 1684 the Parayso Occidental, was published. From 1690 to 1693, several works were printed treating of special historical subjects, and in 1693, the Mercurio Volante appeared, which was extended to four volumes, and was probably the first newspaper published in New Spain. His last work was El Oriental Planeta Evangelico, which appeared in 1700, shortly after his death. The most valuable as well as the most numerous of his writings, however, were those he left in manuscript. Besides the papers of Ixtlilxochitl, he possessed those of Chimalpain Pomar, Gutierrez de Santa Clara, and Zurita, all writers on antiquities excepting the last named. With the aid of these he pursued his researches in the language, origin, and history of the Aztecs, and the results of his labors were embodied in several volumes, among which were the Año Mexicano, Imperio Chichimeco, Fenix del Occidente, and Genealogia de los Emperadores Mexicanos. Nicolás Antonio, Bib.-Hisp.-Nova, i.