246 OM' THE RELIGION AND 



"XXXIX. It farther remains to be explained, 

 '• how the inhabitants of a new world are produced. 

 *' The Burmas conceive, that on the furface of the 

 '* newly-regenerated world a crufl arifes, having the 

 " tafte and fmell of butter. This fmell reaching the 

 " noilrils of the Rupa and Zi^z;?, excites in thefe beings 

 " a dchre to eat the cruft. The end of their lives as 

 " fuperior beings having now arrived, they affume 

 ,'• human bodies, but fuch as are fhining and agile, 

 " and defcend to occupy our earth, and the other 

 " 1,010,000, which are adjacent*. Thefe human 

 " beings for fome time live on this preternatural food 

 " in tranquillity and happinefs. But being afterwards 

 " feized with a defire and love for property, the nec- 

 " tarious cruft dilappears as a punifjiment for their 

 " crime; and their bodies being deprived of tranf- 

 *' parency and fplendour, become dark and opaque. 

 " From this lo fs of light, dark night commences, and 

 " mankind are in the utnjoft perturbation : for as yet 

 " there is neither fun nor moon. Irnmediatelv how- 

 " ever the fun begins to appear in the eaft, diffi pates 

 " the fears of m.an, and fills him with delight. Hence 

 " is the fun called Suria. But this joy is, foon fol- 

 " lowed by new diflrefs : for the fun performing round 

 " Mtejimo his. daily revolution, is foofi hid by that 

 '' mountain, and darknefs again commences. Men aj"e 

 " again afliicted by this new deprivation of light, and 

 " in perturbation exclaim, ' O that light, which came 

 " to illuininate the world, how quicklv hath it vanifli- 

 " ed r While they are with ardent vows deliring 

 " another light, behold in the fame eaftern region, and 

 " in the beginning of night, the moon appears accom- 

 " panied by all the Itars, and all mankind are wonder- 

 " fully delighted. Now they fay to one another, 

 '• ' Hov,' timely is this appearance! This luminary 

 " has appeared as if it had known our necelfity; let 



" us 



♦ Ihr f;)uls deflinccl to animate human bodies are by the Brahmfns 

 ■ a!!fd Brama, which is evidently the fame wonl with the Biamma, or firfl 

 inhabitants of the earth, according to the liahans : for the Burma pro- 

 : 'jnciation makes no difference b.twccii r and i. 



