Upon that, Montezuma cried out, that the design of the Spaniards was not to eradicate idolatry in America, but solely to enrich Spain, at the expense of that part of the world; that this was so true, that in Mexico, the christian Spaniards and their slaves, did not compose more than one hundred thousandth part of the inhabitants. “What do you desire,” said Lucifer, “that I should do to the Spaniards?” “I do not demand,” said the prince, “to be reinstated in my dominions; some day, perhaps, one of my descendants, or some generous Indian, will deliver my country from the Spanish yoke; I wish only that the Indians who were killed in the conquest of Mexico, should have the liberty to roast upon spits, and eat their cruel enemies; and in this manner my nation shall be sufficiently revenged.” “We accord to Montezuma,” said Lucifer, “the Spaniards who conquered Mexico, with the exception of the tailors, whom we reserve for our own table.” After that came an abbot, who took the title of ten abbeys, besides priories, and eighteen cures. “Behold,” said Lucifer, “an abbot, with as many titles as a Roman emperor: speak, of whom do you complain? had you not a sufficient income to live honourably in the world, according to your degree? How have you employed your revenue? Play, women, good cheer, horses, dogs, equipage, dress, and relations, have eaten it. You demand, without doubt, justice against the authors of your ruin: I grant it amply and promptly. For the mortification of your enemies, I surrender you to the troop of beggars who throng the avenues of my palace, and who would not have been damned, if, by alms which would have cost you but little, you had removed from them the necessity of becoming thieves and robbers: go, learn in hell to spend but little yourself.” The minettes, the bigots, and hypocrites, demanded audience. “These are very pleasant people,” said Lucifer to Jupiter; “they will divert us.” “An Italian comic writer,” said one of them, “has burlesqued us, as if it was wrong to _seem_ honest men in the public eye. When one has not the substance of virtue, is it reprehensible to set a good example? It is true, that if our lives, hidden under this cloak, had been exposed, our hypocrisy and spurious piety would have been easily detected; but we injured no person, and if any one was scandalized by our example, it was for conscience sake.” The Italian writer, who happened to be present, and whom I had not before perceived, cried out, “satyrists of France and Italy, our cause is common.”