These priests eat but one meal in the day, consisting chiefly of fruits and roots, all which they purchase with the money given them by devotees; for all our travellers tell us they never beg. They have small buildings in the form of chapels, where they celebrate the change of the moon, and at that time the people send them what provisions they can afford. They have their heads shaved as well as their beards, their feet and right arms are naked, but they make use of an umbrella to screen them from the heat of the sun, or from any inclemencies of the season.

When one of these priests die, they keep his body several days, and make a public entertainment to his honour. The body is exposed upon a scaffold erected for the purpose, and the priests standing round it, perform several curious ceremonies, which may properly be called the funeral service. After this odoriferous wood is piled round the scaffold, and the body reduced to ashes in the presence of the spectators. Such pieces of the bones as remain in the ashes, are carefully picked up, and buried in an earthen urn, behind the cell where the deceased resided, and the ashes are thrown into the river.

In their marriage ceremonies, they are like the heathens in many other nations, that is, in general, for in some particulars they differ. The bridegroom is obliged to purchase the bride from her parents, and lay down the money before he receives her; but as divorces are common among them, so the money must be returned if a separation takes place. In such cases the husband sends home the wife to her relations, without any sort of formality, or so much as assigning a reason, and then the purchasemoney is returned. The estates of those who die without issue, are seized by the king, and he is entitled to one-third of the estates of those who have children. Some of the richer sort of persons in Pegu, purchase for a small sum the daughters of the poor, if they are handsome, and although they are only kept for a short time, and then sent back to their parents, yet this does not in the least prevent them from procuring husbands.

Their customs are much more equitable than what takes place under the government of the Great Mogul, who seizes the estates of every one of his subjects at their deaths, without making any provision for their wives and children. The king never marries but one wife, but he keeps a great number of concubines, sometimes upwards of a thousand.

When the children in Pegu are born, they tie at little bell round their necks, and within the bell they put the tongue of a snake, and although this may at first be painful to the infant, yet custom and use render it familiar, and when they grow up, it is considered as an ornament. They likewise infuse paint, of a bluish colour, into the skins of their

children, which, instead of making them appear beautiful, has quite the contrary effect, and spoils their complexions.

The priests in Pegu, as in other heathen nations, act as physicians; and when a person falls sick, one of them is selected to attend him, and he is called the devil's father. This person being much esteemed for his knowledge, both of human and divine things, pretends to know what will be most agreeable: and acceptable to the evil spirit, and he instructs the patient how to appease his anger. A grand entertainment is made for the devil, and the people dance to all sorts of vocal and instrumental music. They believe in the transmigration of souls from one body to another; but, at the same time, they imagine that when they have passed through several bodies, they will enter into a state of everlasting happiness.

When the king dies, two boats, with gilt roofs, in the form of a pyramid, are prepared, and in the middle between them, a stage is erected, on which the body is laid, and exposed to public view. Under the stage they kindle a fire, the materials of which are composed of the most odoriferous woods that can be procured. They throw into the fire fine herbs, so that the whole has the most fragrant smell that can be imagined. After this they let the boats sail down the river, and while the fire is consuming the body, the priests, or talapoins, sing hymns, and repeat several prayers, which they continue doing as long as the fire burns. The fire being extinguished, they temper the ashes with milk, and hav

ing moulded the whole into a solid mass, throw it into the sea at the bottom of the river; but such pieces of the bones as are picked out of the ashes, are buried in the tomb erected to the memory of the deceased.

With respect to the funerals of the common people, there is a distinction made between them and the king. A funeral pile is erected in a field, adjoining to where the deceased resided, and the corpse is laid on a stage, in the middle of which is a dome, and sometimes a small pyramid. The stage or litter is then covered artfully over with gilt cane, and carried by sixteen men to the funeral pile. The relations and friends of the deceased follow the corpse, and after the fire has consumed the body, they make the priests some recompence for their trouble, and return home, where they have an entertainment that lasts two days.

At the close of the feast, the widow of the deceased, accompanied by the relations, repair to the place where the body was burned, and shed tears. over the ashes. After which they gather up such pieces of the bones as have not been consumed to ashes, and bury them with every mark of sorrow and lamentation. The mourning of the women, as well as of the men, consists chiefly in shaving

their heads; which mark of respect for the memory of the deceased is reckoned the greatest that can be shewn, because nothing is so much esteemed by them as fine hair.

Much having been said concerning these idolaters worshipping the devil, we shall here say something concerning what notions the ancients entertained respecting that being, who is considered as the grand adversary of mankind. Dæmons, or devils, are always by Christians taken in a bad sense; and for this we have the authority of our Lord and all his apostles. The heathens believed that devils had bodies as well as souls; and that although immortal, yet they had the same passions as men. They believed further, that they had power to foretel future events, and that all dreams happened in consequence of their superintending providence. They were to convey the prayers of men to heaven, and bring down the answer from the gods.

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The Christian fathers had confused notions concerning dæmous or devils, for Justin Martyr often ascribes to them such actions as could not have been performed without a body. He says, that some of the angels, having received from God the government of the world, soon corrupted his law, and by the commerce they had with the posterity of Adam, they begot what we call devils; and in this sentiment he is followed by many of the rest of the fathers. The Jewish Rabbies have strange notions concerning devils, and they say that the worship of them was the last species of idolatry. Some of them are of opinion, that there were a sort of devils, who often appeared to the children of Israel in the wilderness, under the shape of goats; but we have no proof that the Jews ever worshipped them, even at the time they were sunk into the grossest idolatry. If ever they did worship devils in the shape of goats, they must have learned the practice from the ancient Egyptians, who considered those animals as sacred.

Minucius Felix, an ancient Christian writer, acknowledges the existence of devils, which he seems to have taken from the poets; but he adds, that among philosophers, this was a matter of dispute. Socrates believed this doctrine, for he had always a dæmon or devil to attend him. The Magi in Persia and other parts of the east, pretend to perform all their operations by the assistance of the devil, and they imagine that those unclean spirits lie concealed under images erected in their temples. Sometimes these dæmons or devils, are called genii, and they are considered, not only by the Pagans, but likewise by the Mahometans, as being employed to conduct the affairs of this lower world; and particular providences are (say they) intrusted with them.

Plato gives us the following description of the genii. "They are spirits (says he) who never in

habited bodies, and one of them is appointed to attend every man upon earth, to be a witness of his actions; and that, when the man dies, the genius conducts his soul into the other world, and delivers in his evidence before the judge." Thus Horace says,

The genius only knows, that's wont to wait
On birth day stars, the guider of our fate;
Our nature's God, that doth its influence' shed,
Easy to any shape, or good or bad.

The ancients had their genii for provinces, as well as for particular persons, nay, even for trees, fountains, the sciences and forests. Sacrifices were offered annually, and sometimes oftener, to these imaginary beings, and many of the offerings were extremely costly. From a passage in Plutarch, it seems to have been a notion among the Greeks and Romans, that every man had two spirits to attend him. That justly celebrated writer tells us, that the evening before the battle of Philippi, while Brutus was sitting melancholy in his chamber, a monstrous horrid being appeared to him, and being asked what god or devil he was, the apparition answered, “I am thy evil genius, Brutus; thou shalt meet me at Philippi." Brutus, not in the least discomposed, answered, "I will see thee there;" and next day he lost the battle, and put an end to his life. It is certain, that Plutarch was not a credulous writer, but what truth there may be in this story, we shall not presume to say.

The Mahometans believe, that the world was inhabited by genii many thousands of years before Adam was created, and that Elias was sent down from heaven to drive them into a remote corner.That ever since they have been employed as ministering angels to attend ou men, to preserve them from danger, and to conduct them through life.

When we read an account of so many people, both in ancient and modern times, believing in the existence of spirits, we cannot assign any other reason for the universality of such a motion, besides that of tradition: we are taught in the sacred scriptures, to believe in the existence of angels, both good and bad, although we are commanded not to worship them. Thus we read in Revelations, xix. 10; "And I fell at his feet to worship him: and he said unto me, see thou do it not, I am thy fellow-servant." And again, with respect to the ministry of angels, we have a clear proof in Psalm xci. 11; 12, "Ile shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways: they shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." Many other passages might be adduced, but these may serve to shew, that the existence of spirits is a notion universally embraced by Jews, Christians, Mahometaus, and Pagans. And

it may serve to shew, that the doctrine of the immortality of the soul was never denied by any collective body of people in the universe, that it has

been always an established principle, and that all our hopes, and all our fears, are regulated by our expectations of it.

THIS very extensive kingdom is situated beyond the Ganges, but their religion is, in many respects, the same with those already described in that part of the world. In some things, however, they differ, and these are what we must now attend to. They comprise the whole of their moral law in five negative commandments, viz. "Thou shalt not kill; thou shalt not commit any manner of uncleanness; thou shalt not lie; thou shalt not steal; and thou shalt not drink any intoxicating liquor." Most of these precepts are the same with what we find written in the law of Moses, which may serve to shew, that natural religion is always the same, in all ages and nations, although often debased by rites and ceremonies of human invention.

Their priests, like those in Pegu, are called talapoins, and they are the sole keepers of the law, of which they are so tenacious, that they refused to explain any passages in it to some French Jesuits who visited Siam, in order to convert the people. They reproached the Jesuits for exposing to public view, the images of their saints, and for saying mass with irreverence and inattention. It is probable, the Jesuits never imagined to give offence to these heathens, but the latter, not comprehending the Romish ceremonies, might probably consider that as irreverent which the Jesuits looked upon as sacred.

The grand object of worship in Siam is Sommona-Codom, of whom they give us the following account: They say he was born of a virgin through the influence of the sun; and that, when the virgin found herself with child, she was so much affected that she went and hid herself in a desert, in order to conceal her shame from the world. There, on the banks of a lake, she was delivered of a most beautiful child, but having no milk wherewith to suckle him, and unwilling that he should die, she jumped into the lake, and set him upon a flower which blowed of itself for his more commodious reception, and afterwards inclosed him in a cradle.

From the moment he was born, without the assistance of a tutor he instructed himself, and acquired a perfect knowledge of all things relating to heaven, earth, paradise and hell, with all the mysteries of nature. He taught the people to believe that angels visited him as he sat under a tree, and that they

| worshipped him. worshipped him. But although he was born in such a miraculous manner, yet they tell us, he had a brother named Thevatat, who, being jealous of him, conspired his downfal; but Sommona-Codom prevailed, and Thevatat was sent to be tormented in hell. They tell us further, that the guardian angel of the earth, whom they make a female, endeavoured to prevail with the enemies of SommonaCodom, to adore him as a god; but they refusing, she squeezed her watery locks, and poured forth a deluge, which destroyed them.

Before Sommona-Codom began to aspire at the godhead, he had appeared five hundred and fifty times in the world, under various forms, and always assumed that which was the most beautiful at each period. He frequently laid down his life for the good of his people, and accustomed himself so much to mortification and penance, that he suffered a Bramin to take his son and daughter from him, and put them to the most exquisite tortures before his face. He was so charitable, that he once gave his wife to a poor man who implored charity. Whatever an European may think of this benevolent action, we are assured, that the people of Siam consider it as one of the most illustrious virtues in his life.

After he had renounced the pomp and vanities of the world, he applied himself to all the austerities of a devotee. He fasted, prayed, and performed all the religious duties common in the country, and rose to such strength of body, and perfection of mind, that he overcame, in single combat, a saint of consummate virtue. He had the power to work miracles, and he could make himself invisible in order to know what secret things were transacting in the world. He flew as swift as the wind, from place to place, in order to preach virtue and morality, but one day forgetting himself, he killed a man, for which he was put to death. The person whom Sommona-Codom murdered, was what the people of Siam called a heretic; for these idoloters have heretics among them, as well as we Christians. It was not long before Sommona-Codom made his appearance again in the world, and the first thing he desired was, to eat the flesh of a hog into which the soul of him whom he murdered, had entered, in order to be revenged on his murderer.

Accordingly, as he was teaching his disciples one day, a piece of the flesh of this hog was brought him, and he eat a part, but being taken ill with it, he told his disciples to build temples and altars to his memory, and then died. Ever since his death, he has enjoyed perfect tranquillity, being subject to no sort of pain, trouble, or sorrow.

He left the print of his feet in three different parts of the world, viz. in the kingdoms of Siam and Pegu, and in the island of Ceylon. To those places whole crowds of pilgrims resort annually, where they offer up their prayers to him. These pilgrims are permitted to see the bones of Sommona-Codom, but they shine with such resplendent lustre, that they cannot behold them a minute at a time.

Sommona-Codom had two favourite disciples, whose images stand behind him on his altars, but they are not so large as his. The one that stands on the right hand, once, at the earnest solicitation of the damned, turned the earth upside down, and he took into the hollow of his hand all the fire of hell; but notwithstanding all his endeavours, it was not in his power to extinguish it. He therefore implored Sommona-Codom to do this charitable office; but the god refused to comply with his request, telling him, that should mankind once shake off the fear of punishment, they would grow abandoned, and most abominably wicked. There is in this sentiment something in all respects consistent with natural religion, and the notions that we mortals form of right and wrong.

The people, of Siam have a strong persuasion, that Sommona-Codom will once more return to visit them, and they expect that he will come under the form of an idiot, for which reason, whenever they see a stupid fellow, they treat him with divine honours. They relate many strange stories concerning the jealousy that took place between Sommona-Codom and Thevatat; but they are not agreed whether they are brothers, or only near relations.Thevatat having entered into the order of priesthood, pretended he had it in his power to work miracles, and to assume whatever form he pleased. He had such an implacable hatred against SommonaCodom, that he did every thing to vex and afflict him; but the sublime virtues of Sommona-Codom were such, that Thevatat soon lost many of his followers; and thus abandoned, he resolved to make his peace with him. To effectuate this purpose, he sent the following proposals to SommonaCodom, viz. that his scholars should retire into the most solitary deserts, to live upon the charity and benevolence of well-disposed persons, to be clothed in rags, to reside no more in convents, but live day and night under trees in the open air, and not to eat any sort of animal food. To these proposals, Sommona-Codom returned him this answer, that

But notwithstanding all this precaution of Sommona-Codom, Thevatat led away above five hun dred of his disciples, for which, when he died, he was condemned to endure the following torments: His head was thrust into a large iron cauldron, made red hot with the fire of hell. His feet hung down into the flames, and his whole body was impaled with an iron spit lengthways, and crossed by two others. They believe that these torments are not to continue for ever, but they are to end with the regeneration of the sinner.

The people of Siam observe many festivals, particularly one in honour of their rivers, from which the fertility of their country flows. At such times they have boats on their rivers illuminated, and sacrifices are offered to Sommona-Codom. This practice is in all respects consistent with the idolatry of the ancient Egyptians, who once every year observed a festival in honour of the river Nile.And as the Greeks borrowed their religion from the Egyptians, so we find many other heathen nations imitating their example. The Chinese have their goddess Puzza, the Egyptians had their Isis, and the Greeks imitated them in the worship of that imaginary being. In the same manner, the people of Siam have an annual feast in memory of the harvest, when they offer up thanksgivings to their idols, and march in procession from one place to another, accompanied by their Talapoins, or priests, who have books of sacred music, which they sing in concert with such of the people as are able to join in the harmony.

They have so many pagods, that one cannot travel above a league without seeing one, and near them are always convents for their priests to reside. It is computed that there are above fourteen thousands pagods in the kingdom of Siam, but the principal, or metropolitan one, deserves a particular description.

Siam, the chief city of the kingdom of that name, has a most magnificent temple, in which there is an idol, dedicated to the honour of SommonaCodom, made of massy gold, and said to be worth upwards of five hundred thousand pounds, and the king goes there to worship on all solemn festivals. The form of the structure resembles a pyramid, which seems to have been the custom of many of the eastern nations, during the remote ages of antiquity. They have convents among them for women, and each of these is under the direction of a priest, to whom great respect is paid. Every priest who is head of a convent, is called a sancrat, and