courtiers of Candy occurred in the expedition of general Mac-
doual in 1803. The-King -beingalarmed at the rapid progress
and activity‘of liis enemy* assembled all his priests andsoothsayërs
to cast the generals nativity and to devise the means by which
he -might most certainly be^destroyed. After 'due consultation,
they told the King th at it was in vain-to -attempt- the gener&Pis
life with the sword, or with musfeets loaded in the -UfoaTway
with leaden bullets; for that he- was invulnerable: to leadI’Or
iron, and only to h é ‘killed’ by bullets - of- - g o ld .. BttitetSo of£ this
metal were accordingly prepared; and- people appointed to watch
an opportunity o f Osii^ them ydth eifeetr; but
doual having been informed ofr thé eireumstancé^ Was on •’* his
guard, and escaped the ! weapon^
The superstitious fears and ceremonies Of the Ccylmiese'form
the chief part of their devotion towards- supernatural- beings *
With regard to what may be pröperly termed thfek/Jreligionj
neither the Europeans, iror indeed they dhêfoseï^y -Seem Tit©“ha#%
formed any dear idea. Some have-asserted thatUtTsythe same
with that of the Hindoos with only a slight variation- o f forms
and names. Nothing howevpr is easier than ’-fo'%mcfe rese#fe-
blances between religions where we-giveffeeseope^to the-imagin-
ation, and allow ourselves the liberty of• altering terms a t pleasure.
The religion of the Ceylonese appears to me to be"-founded
on a different system of idolatry from that practised-among the
Hindoos. A variety of ideas indeed seêm to b e borrowed from
the la tte r; and with these a large mixture of Mahometanism- is
very perceptible. In one point they agree with both,- -as twell
as with Christians,, in acknowledging one Supreme' Being who
made and governs all things. They differ ’however as widely
from the Mahometan» and rigid Hindoos in another respect; for
although:'-they are pnable to>.cOnqUer-their original supers tithing
• ÖKMstäaa- religion;
and Smfre-rof nthe,- Ginglese haVeffoeen - concerted without being
hardly .-censured by others' for their^apsstacyi- I t 'gi-vfes us a
striking proof of the' wonderfolveonfusion tof their ideas Mth re-
gatd«fot religion*' when we find, th a t'th e same'fkhfilefwhe adore
ope .-Sucprem^ Being more--powerful than | all- farthers," ‘should at
fhe Jsaaiie, time offer up th e ir ’jdeVdtiofos >1» devils, animals, and
tfre^.eijy ■ productions läfiflthe i& ite t
Besides JjheWone - Supreme Being, who: is worshipped a b the
■ Creator and Kulefefof heaven: arid earth; tbedCeykmese have a
number n f anfei:ioT ;dei£if^,:;as imSs ?ai-tormenting- demons; u The
inferior (deifies, who watch overthem for good; are supposed to
be^the'üonlS iof rgond men ; tfhfetfae* demons are looked upon
as the spirits of th e wicked; and both are* Supposed to; neat by
the permission of .the Supreme .iBeimg. ■ The next in digfoty to
l&fciour of »sctolst-.1 This idea of
a SEapiour . sieeösjt: an some~e degree* to pervade every religion in
the- world; | although tainted b y a-variety df different superstitions
trhich are jomed3 to it ; und what is remä'Ii^fle^ ÖieHexpedta-
tions/formed from the iihterference of this" Savidnr ate id almösfc
eyery religion nearly -the''same. Buddou, according -torthe rhost
general traditfonyywas originally th e spirit: -of & /good man,/who-
was again sent to revisit the;«earth; and after having performed
a; ipredigious numbeiv ^ v ip tü ö d ^ n ^ 4 n s ; and befeni,transformed
into? ^hundred and ninety-nine«’.diffemit shapes; re^ascended into
heaven, and is still employed in procuring the pardon of -his
worshipped. The introduction ofothe wdrship of Buddou into
Ceylon is fixed-at«bout forty yearsrafter the C h r i s t i a n a t
'which time, some say, a violent quarrel :taok place between the