In the Country, now called _New Spain_, the old Inhabitants would neither eat nor drink, till they had cast towards the Sun, some part of their Food; nor would they smell a Flower, without throwing up in the Air some Leaves of it, thereby acknowledging the Gods to be their great Benefactors: Tho’ this be ridiculous, yet having an Air of religious Gratitude, it is commendable. Among other Idols ador’d at _Mexico_, they had one called _Vitziliputzli_, placed in an azure colour’d Chair, with _Serpent’s Heads_ at each Corner. Yea the Pagans, to authorize their own Crimes, and justify their vicious Lives, have constituted licentious, drunken, vicious Gods, _&c._ Instances of this kind we have in their religious Institutions, as the _Saturnalia_ of the _Romans_, which were Feasts sacred to the God _Saturn_: This Feast was observed in _December_, at first kept for one day, then for three days, and afterwards for seven days. So sacred was this Festival, that while it lasted, no Criminals were to be executed, no War to begin.... And yet at the same time, a Sanction was given to universal Debauchery; all Rules of Virtue and common Decency were intirely banished, and all things run into a wild Scene of Distraction and Lewdness, and all this under the Umbrage of doing Honour to their Gods[441]. Footnote 441: Uno die ... trium dierum ... septem dierum ... Bellum fumere nefas habitum——_Macrobii opera_, _Londini_, A. D. 1694. p. 155, 160, 168. The same Game was acted in the _Lupercalian_ Feasts, instituted in honour of the God _Pan_ (under the shape of a _Goat_) whose Priests, on the Morning of the Feast, ran naked thro’ the Streets, striking the married Women they met, on the Hands and Belly with _Straps_ cut out of _Goats Skins_, which was held an Omen, promising Fruitfulness, and happy Deliveries. I shall only add the _Bacchanalian_ Feasts, celebrated in honour of _Bacchus_, the God of Wine, and Master of the Revels; sometimes called _Orgia_[442], from a _Greek_ Word that signifies Anger and Rage, because in the Celebration of it, People acted in so raging and furious a manner, as if they had been absolutely distracted. These religious Feasts were not only encumber’d with a great number of Ceremonies, but attended with most notorious Dissoluteness; for Men and Women met at them, all naked, except their Heads and Hips, that were shaded with Vine Leaves. Footnote 442: Οργη The Women, who were installed Priestesses, during this Feast, ran thro’ the Streets, and other Places, cover’d with Tyger’s Skins, Scepters in one Hand, and Torches in the other, howling and roaring out the Praise of _Bacchus_, with Hair dishevell’d, dangling about their Shoulders. They were call’d _Mœnades_ from their Madness, _Thyades_ from their Rage, _Bacchæ_ from their Intemperance.