hes and other despicable things, sweep and
cleanse their houses, squares, and the whole town of their filth, which
with all the remaining grain and other old provisions they cast together
into one common heap, and consume it with fire. After having taken
medicine, and fasted for three days, all the fire in the town is
extinguished. During this fast they abstain from the gratification of
every appetite and passion whatever. A general amnesty is proclaimed;
all malefactors may return to their town."

"On the fourth morning, the high priest, by rubbing dry wood together,
produces new fire in the public square, from whence every habitation in
the town is supplied with the new and pure flame."

They then feast on the new corn and fruits, and dance and sing for three
days, "and the four following days they receive visits and rejoice with
their friends from neighboring towns who have in like manner purified
and prepared themselves."

The Mexicans also practised a similar purification at the end of every
fifty-two years, in the belief that it was time for the world to come to
an end.

I have scarcely heard of a truer sacrament, that is, as the dictionary
defines it, "outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace,"
than this, and I have no doubt that they were originally inspired
directly from Heaven to do thus, though they have no Biblical record of
the revelation.

For more than five years I maintained myself thus solely by the labor
of my hands, and I found that, by working about six weeks in a year, I
could meet all the expenses of living. The whole of my winters, as well
as most of my summers, I had free and clear for study. I have thoroughly
tried school-keeping, and found that my expenses were in proportion, or
rather out of proportion, to my income, for I was obliged to dress and
train, not to say think and believe, accordingly, and I lost my time
into the bargain. As I did not teach for the good of my fellow-men, but
simply for a livelihood, this was a failure. I have tried trade but I
found that it would take ten years to get under way in that, and that
then I should probably be on my way to the devil. I was actually afraid
that I might by that time be doing what is called a good business. When
formerly I was looking about to see what I could do for a living, some
sad experience in conforming to the wishes of friends being fresh in
my mind to tax my ingenuity, I thought often and seriously of picking