Religion °f- ÉÉj 'Çeyloneses
cpntinenfo c Jndeed* they sScem to :be more -actaated iby appre-r
hens jon/than» sejifcit|.en|, Qf. zéal ; arid they seldom:
think theins^lK^S:: called upon to ;take much corieern. in religious
matter^; till they fell into s^kl^ffs^pp verge, towards. the-olose-
M f c lÉ É S ^ mju$ti^^q£f,the| Portuguese in ^jfcwÿfjreHgiiiis ?ter-
nets upon them, must-haves stacked them ; the «mare^-ak' they
have not f bfe smaltest i^o^ of intoleiiant ^eak r -So far are-ithey?
from teing'-displehsed at Europeans, or-people.-Of- other persuasions,
entering their, -temples: and observingytfreir ceremonies:
that they, are rather gratified by such i^rk? of attention, and
account the presence of-visitors as an honour done themselves. On
being questioned about their superstitions, they do not hesitate-to
confess- the absurdity of tjheir apprehensions, but still they-look-upon,
themselves as? unable to eseape fforn them ; mid ^dreadveyen to attempt
vindicating their freedom* from a fear that-'thpy may be instantly
deliyerigd over t© the vengeance of thoseonafigpant -spirits
wfeudnfeef tb©*r country. - The..Christian, p r ie st and missionaries,
thohgh often successful in. propagating their, doetripes* have,
xiever ÿet been able -totally toi eradiçate sup^titiohsvyhioh
have been imbibed from the cradle.
I was very much surprised-to jobserye. the, .Cqylpnese wear
beads, and mutter .prayers;,, asothey count them, and go a tm g
the road, in the same manner as I have - seeprdqaiOi -iu Roman
Catholic countries. I at first imagined that these, ^yserpr converts
to that religion, but upon enquiry,. 1' foupd,, that; they
were all stanch adherents to the : worship^ of B^dqate.'rt^Wf;
high respect for the customs of the Europeans led. themtifaily;
to adopt this usage; .from, the Portuguese ; but the prayers
which they mutter over, their beads have no reference whatever
to those used by the Roman Catholics, but are- directed
e n t i t y to their: own super^titl'oi^ and- ./intended- as, prevenr
tiv?| against *the influer^e of, the;(;eyi4'$^pirife; ^hieh^suUTOund
th©S-?-dt
. pChe immortahty^;qf<lthe--S0®lgand the ^ u - r r e d t ^ ^ o f the
hpdy, are rtenets» firmly believed among. arll)4 } h e '^ ^ y lo ^ '^ ),ip'(h ^
be^eve. thafcvdb%r£®uls iof- th e l ||j |j , are -immediatelyt-* aft^r- p death
admitted into ythe . raiak fap d ^ h a t^ th g k , pnolent prophets
and ,gdofti*jkmgs4&&e ,long/i^imGq|ftempl©yed[ in .exercising
^therppjVeifS, of -this station: while oniFthe<-?©ijaej hand, g j || souls
of the • .wieked^t particularly ^ofy unjust,-, tyrants ■ ■ andkimpiqns
priests*;, ared supposed tto have passed-iig^o wild beasts and reptiles:
^ 5 he‘i Geylóiiesef are; rigid ÉprpdestLnariaps,, ,and beljeye -that
pepple^ are, borp, to th ek ^particular- desti-nies^w^etljiery gopd^oir
without,;,any, -fgo^sibility. .of',|avoicing- -><?§#,• B e r in g th em .
Spells, ,and, eharms-^e,,, indeed 5vsu-pppspjd. i%. gp^ae, tineasnrp .to
bib-ten the ' . * js*£; i appointed t,c a lam itie s anjd • cn-ngi durable
reliance, ispplaced on givipg. alm§v} Op thip aGpountr^hfijj <3q f-
lonps,©i- #-rg. very ^bei^,h in; the diftributio^i af^ charity-.; They
consider, giy-ingdpresenfs >tGaHtheit -pi^es-ts* &ndfTalms- to ,,t-heir;-b$g-
ggys^as} qssentiah aGts-of. goodness, , The; ,Gingles^ri^L our service
ip,-particular, ;^vho ^hasye nthe natural ,-ferocity,, fo£ | their minds
me^re aompleioly. .^ubdued, ofteu, give 1 remarkable proofs -of
thei® extended;IgóojImatfrFe i^vthesorresppcts.- It.,isf cpstomary
, faff- them even to lay, by,- a, eeidam proportion -pf.-, their food; to
dj^frifoute among the p o o r; and although' ^atressf^; strangers..
ar®ihmong;the Indiaas accounted objects- ©£; very little compas-
sjmaptyeU a,; Cinglese^will not shut >his hand to the. M a lb a r
or Moor who asks' ' him - for., -relief. Their' ftendtemess/is ^at
times extended even do the brute creation; and it is-r customary
for;, them to bind themselves during the continuance of