Civf/ah'sc Language. 3^1 



the Betel-pcpper-slirub (/*?^6'r hethS)^ the nut of the arcca-palm 

 {Areca catechu, or cabbage- tree), some lime made of calcined 

 shells, and tobacco, which, according to the rank of the indi- 

 vidual, they keep ready prepared by their side, in silver or 

 brass boxes, resembling snuff-boxes. These corrosive substances 

 at the same time stain the saliva so deep a red, that, after 

 long use, the lips and teeth seem as though smeared with blood. 

 The language is an offshoot of the Sanscrit, copious, har- 

 monious, and full of expression, with threefold grammar, and 

 as many vocabularies, viz. for the royal tongue, the official or 

 court tongue, and that of society at large. To these there 

 must be added the Pali, the learned, but obsolete written 

 language of the priestly caste, which the Cingalese have 

 in common with the kingdoms of Siam and Ava, in the 

 further Indies. In this language, itself but a dialect of the 

 Sanscrit, all their sacred books, traditions, and poetry are 

 written. In many parts of the island the knowledge of 

 language and written lore are held in such high honour, 

 that grammar and literature form the entire study of the 

 inhabitants. Reading and writing are as common among the 

 Cingalese as in England, except that in Ceylon the women 

 take no part therein. They do not write as we do, with quill 

 or steel pen upon paper, but engrave the characters with a fine- 

 pointed iron graver, or stilus, upon the leaves of the Talipot 

 palm-tree {Corypha umbraculifera), from which they slice 

 a broad strip for the purpose about 2 feet long, and several 

 inches broad. These require no further preparation than that 



