amongst the Singhalese. 227 



alone constituted in Ceylon, the nobility of the land.* Be- 

 tween good blood and the privileges of the nobility, there was 

 (for my remarks have reference to the past, when Ceylon was 

 governed by the Singhalese Kings) an important connection. 

 The various officers of the state, including Prime Ministers, 

 Ministers, and Provincial chiefs, were selected from those who 

 could trace back an honorable descent through many genera- 

 tions. They formed the first or chief class of society : and 

 those who bore titles, as well as those who stood with them 

 on an equal footing in point of birth, constituted the nobility 

 of the land. To this body, which increased only with their 

 families, no accessions were ever made, except as we find, 

 from two classes of persons. One, the natural children of 

 Kings and Princes, who were alone entitled to the appellation 

 of Bandar a ; and the other, those whom the Monarch had 

 honoured by raising to, what Mr. Stark calls, the " eminent 

 place" of Situ, (p. 73.) Various instances, as those of 

 Ghosaka, Pawarika, Mahadana, Sumana, &c, may be ad- 

 duced from native records, of persons created Situ, simply 

 owing; to their great wealth. 



This may however, appear strange, when we reflect on the 

 hinderance of caste to the social system in the East. One 

 would be led also to believe, that something more than mere 

 wealth was necessary to be entitled to the privileges of this 

 distinguished title. Not so. There is perhaps not a single 

 instance on record by which we could find that there was any 

 other recommendation for this gift of Royalty, except the 

 great wealth of the recipient. Of course, it is not to be 

 supposed that this high distinction was conferred on the 



* " It is the more usual course for the cultivators of the soil to be regarded as 

 forming the noblest class of the people, next to that who held rank as hereditary prin- 

 ces ; they are the cupatrids ; they form the timocracy ; and it is from them the rulers of 

 the state are chosen ; as delegates of the King, when the Government is monarchical, 

 as temporary chiefs, when it is an aristocracy."— Hardy on Budhism, p. IP). 



