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system of government； for I am anxious to hear it。
Capt。 The great ruler among them is a priest whom they
call by the name Hoh； though we should call him Metaphysic。
He is head over all； in temporal and spiritual matters； and all
business and lawsuits are settled by him； as the supreme au…
thority。 Three princes of equal power viz。； Pon； Sin； and
Mor assist him； and these in our tongue we should call Power；
Wisdom； and Love。 To Power belongs the care of all matters
relating to war and peace。 He attends to the military arts； and；
next to Hoh； he is ruler in every affair of a warlike nature。
He governs the military magistrates and the soldiers； and has
the management of the munitions； the fortifications； the storm…
ing of places； the implements of war； the armories； the smiths
and workmen connected with matters of this sort。
But Wisdom is the ruler of the liberal arts； of mechanics；
of all sciences with their magistrates and doctors； and of the
discipline of the schools。 As many doctors as there are； are
under his control。 There is one doctor who is called Astrolo…
gus； a second； Cosmographus； a third； Arithmeticus； a fourth；
Geometra； a fifth； Historiographus； a sixth； Poeta； a seventh；
Logicus； an eighth； Rhetor； a ninth； Grammaticus； a tenth；
Medicus； an eleventh； Physiologus； a twelfth； Politicus； a thir…
teenth； Moralis。 They have but one book； which they call
Wisdom； and in it all the sciences are written with conciseness
and marvellous fluency of expression。 This they read to the
people after the custom of the Pythagoreans。 It is Wisdom
who causes the exterior and interior； the higher and lower walls
of the city to be adorned with the finest pictures； and to have
all the sciences painted upon them in an admirable manner。
On the walls of the temple and on the dome； which is let down
when the priest gives an address； lest the sounds of his voice；
being scattered； should fly away from his audience； there are
pictures of stars in their different magnitudes； with the powers
and motions of each； expressed separately in three little verses。
On the interior wall of the first circuit all the mathematical
figures are conspicuously painted figures more in number
than Archimedes or Euclid discovered； marked symmetrically；
and with the explanation of them neatly written and contained
each in a little verse。 There are definitions and propositions；
etc。 On the exterior convex wall is first an immense drawing
of the whole earth； given at one view。 Following upon this；
there are tablets setting forth for every separate country the
customs both public and private； the laws； the origins and the
power of the inhabitants； and the alphabets the different people
use can be seen above that of the City of the Sun。
On the inside of the second circuit； that is to say of the second
ring of buildings； paintings of all kinds of precious and com…
mon stones； of minerals and metals； are seen； and a little piece
of the metal itself is also there with an apposite explanation
in two small verses for each metal or stone。 On the outside
are marked all the seas； rivers； lakes； and streams which are
on the face of the earth； as are also the wines and the oils and
the different liquids； with the sources from which the last are
extracted； their qualities and strength。 There are also vessels
built into the wall above the arches； and these are full of liquids
from one to 300 years old； which cure all diseases。 Hail and
snow； storms and thunder； and whatever else takes place in the
air； are represented with suitable figures and little verses。 The
inhabitants even have the art of representing in stone all the
phenomena of the air； such as the wind； rain； thunder； the rain…
bow； etc。
On the interior of the third circuit all the different families
of trees and herbs are depicted； and there is a live specimen of
each plant in earthenware vessels placed upon the outer parti…
tion of the arches。 With the specimens there are explanations
as to where they were first found； what are their powers and
natures； and resemblances to celestial things and to metals； to
parts of the human body and to things in the sea； and also as
to their uses in medicine； etc。 On the exterior wall are all the
races of fish found in rivers； lakes； and seas； and their habits
and values； and ways of breeding； training； and living； the pur…
poses for which they exist in the world； and their uses to man。
Further； their resemblances to celestial and terrestrial things；
produced both by nature and art； are so given that I was as…
tonished when I saw a fish which was like a bishop； one like a
chain； another like a garment； a fourth like a nail； a fifth like
a star； and others like images of those things existing among
us； the relation in each case being completely manifest。 There
are sea…urchins to be seen； and the purple shell…fish and mus…
sels； and whatever the watery world possesses worthy of being
known is there fully shown in marvellous characters of paint…
ing and drawing。
On the fourth interior wall all the different kinds of birds are
painted； with their natures； sizes； customs； colors； manner of
living； etc。； and the only real phoenix is possessed by the inhabi…
tants of this city。 On the exterior are shown all the races of
creeping animals； serpents； dragons； and worms； the insects；
the flies； gnats； beetles； etc。； in their different states； strength；
venoms； and uses； and a great deal more than you or I can think
of。
On the fifth interior they have all the larger animals of the
earth； as many in number as would astonish you。 We indeed
know not the thousandth part of them； for on the exterior wall
also a great many of immense size are also portrayed。 To be
sure； of horses alone； how great a number of breeds there is and
how beautiful are the forms there cleverly displayed！
On the sixth interior are painted all the mechanical arts； with
the several instruments for each and their manner of use among
different nations。 Alongside； the dignity of such is placed； and
their several inventors are named。 But on the exterior all the
inventors in science； in warfare； and in law are represented。
There I saw Moses； Osiris； Jupiter； Mercury； Lycurgus； Pom…
pilius； Pythagoras； Zamolxis； Solon； Charondas； Phoroneus；
with very many others。 They even have Mahomet； whom
nevertheless they hate as a false and sordid legislator。 In the
most dignified position I saw a representation of Jesus Christ
and of the twelve Apostles； whom they consider very worthy
and hold to be great。 Of the representations of men； I per…
ceived Caesar； Alexander； Pyrrhus； and Hannibal in the high…
est place； and other very renowned heroes in peace and war；
especially Roman heroes； were painted in lower positions； under
the galleries。 And when I asked with astonishment whence
they had obtained our history； they told me that among them
there was a knowledge of all languages； and that by persever…
ance they continually send explorers and ambassadors over the
whole earth； who learn thoroughly the customs； forces； rule and
histories of the nations； bad and good ali