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XIII. The Ceremonial of the Ordination of a Burmese Priest of Bunn 14, 
with Notes, communicated by Groner Kwox, Esq., of the Hon. East-India 
Company’s Medical Establishment, Madras. 
Read 18th of June 1831. 
To Sir Grornce Tuomas Staunton, Bart., V.P. R.A.S., &c. Se. &e. 
London, 26th April 1831. 
Sir: 
In the course of a conversation held not long ago at Canton with Pro- 
fessor Neumann, respecting the affinity between the Chinese and Burman 
languages, I happened to shew him a translation that I had, which he con- 
sidered somewhat curious, and recommended me to present to the Royal 
Asiatic Society; and Doctor Morrison offered me an introduction to the 
President, which, with the translation, I have now the honour to forward 
to you. 
It is fair that I should, at the same time, submit a short criticism of the 
doctor’s, which I found with the manuscript on its return from him; and to 
mention that I transcribed it anew, leaving out some redundancies of ex- 
pression, and the too frequent mention of the sacred name, which, if nothing 
more, appeared irreverent. Respecting what the doctor remarks, I would say, 
that the work is the translation of a translation (for I know nothing of the 
Pali), and that as such it was delivered to me orally by a respectable native, 
whom I employed in the business : I profess, therefore, to be answerable only 
so far for its fidelity ; but I have little or no doubt that the spirit at least 
of the original is preserved. 
The doctor also takes, I suppose, his notions of Buddhism from the 
Chinese people alone; but having seen both, I can affirm, that the Burmans 
appear to be a much more religious people than the Chinese, at least exter- 
nally, if one may judge from their regular visits to their temples, and the 
deep veneration with which they regard the priests and every thing be- 
longing to their objects of worship. It is, however, possible that my assistant 
had caught something of the turn of expression in use amongst us on 
Vor. III. 2N 
