ifferent points of view, groups
of bright figures whirling in the mazy evolutions of a wild Indian
dance. The harmony of their movements, and the picturesque effect of
their frequent changes of position, was truly wonderful. It seemed more
like magic than any thing belonging to the ordinary denizens of earth.
By continually passing and re-passing each other, approaching and
receding, raising and depressing their torches, the bearers were enabled
to describe a great variety of fantastic figures. So well did they
perform their parts, that, to the crowd of spectators from the palace,
it was a perfect pantomime of light.

At length the dance ended, and the figures of the various groups in
light, gathering around a high altar, all of fire, seemed waiting for
some sacred rite to be performed. Presently a tall princely figure was
seen, approaching with slow and solemn pace, leading a lovely female to
the altar. The high priest joined their hands in the indissoluble bond,
and waved his wand of fire over their heads, in token of the divine
blessing; upon which the dance of the torches was instantly renewed,
accompanied with strains of the most joyous music, each group breathing
out its peculiar airs and melodies, while the whole were beautifully
blended and harmonized by the master spirit of the fete. It seemed like
the bridal of two angels of light, witnessed and celebrated by all the
stars and constellations of the celestial spheres.

The sudden extinguishment of these pantomimic stars, revealed to the
surprised revellers the presence of the dawn, before whose coming the
stars of every sphere go out, and revelry gives place to the sober
realities of life.

[D] If this incident be deemed apocryphal, by the rigid
historian, the fable is fully justified by the known state of
public sentiment among the Aztecs at this time. Sagahun,
according to a note in Prescott, states, that polygamy, though
allowed, was by no means generally practised among them; and
that the prevailing sentiment of the nation was opposed to it.
One of the very few relics of their ancient literature, which
were preserved in the general devastation of the conquest, is a
letter of advice from a father to his child, on the eve of her
marriage, in which he declares that it was the purpose of God,
in his grand design of replenishing the earth, to make the
sexes equal, and to allow only one wife to each man; and any
deviatio