File:Ridpath's Universal history - an account of the origin, primitive condition and ethnic development of the great races of mankind, and of the principal events in the evolution and progress of the (14583759069).jpg

Identifier: ridpathsuniversa08ridp (find matches)
Title: Ridpath's Universal history : an account of the origin, primitive condition and ethnic development of the great races of mankind, and of the principal events in the evolution and progress of the civilized life among men and nations, from recent and authentic sources with a preliminary inquiry on the time, place and manner of the beginning
Year: 1897 (1890s)
Authors: Ridpath, John Clark, 1840-1900
Subjects: World history
Publisher: Cincinnati : Jones
Contributing Library: University of Pittsburgh Library System
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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rival in this high country—the cli-mate of which is neither temperate nortorrid, and where neither summer norwinter, in the proper sense of thosewords, can exist—a people as singularas their environment. They were liftedas far from the level of savage life andfrom the manners and customs of theaverage North American races as wastheir country above the sea. Hererudeness had disappeared before a com-plex civilized life, in which gentility andmildness of manners were notable in themidst of commerce and artistic activities.It must not be supposed that the intelli-gence of this people was without super-stition and cruelty; but their supersti-tion related to the larger mysteries oflife, and their cruelty was seen only inreligion and in war. Among this people the primitive pur-suits had given place to manufacturesand the cultivation of the Industries and soil. The Aztecs discov- arts of the Az-ered and worked theirmines of silver and gold. They cutprecious stones, wrought the metals into
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SCULPTURES OF THE AZTECS.—Lintel at Lorii.lard.— Drawn by H. Chapuis, from a photograph. CENTRA L A ME RICA NS. —PRIMITIJ rE MEXIC ANS. 533 artistic forms, and did much cunningworkmanship, to the surprise of theirinvaders. As builders, they had risento the first rank. Not six races of thehuman family had surpassed them inthe greatness and splendor of theirstructures. They had discovered and in-vented many of the principles and con- manner as to preserve the integrity ofthe year for ages. Strangely enough,the Aztecs had not discovered the mys-terv of letters. The need Aztec astron- of such an agency for the omy and compu- , r ,, . . tation of time. record of thought was painfully felt by them, and they sought to supply the lack with symbolical writ-

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