NO. 41. — 1890.] RBBBLION DB CEYLAN. 



475 



•caste or office, holding separate even the judges who decide 

 ■/common disputes from those who settle criminal cases. As 

 they only consider the profession of arms (for peace is an 

 accident with them, war the ruling custom), the Modeliares^ 

 Ar aches, and Disavas are their captains as well as their 

 judges and magistrates. They know of no other titles, and are 

 governed by the same laws and discipline in peace as in war 

 time ; for it was in that manner they gained their empire, 

 and how they preserved and increased it. There is no doubt 

 that this is why they became so warlike : the exercise of 

 .arms and contempt of death instilled more courage into them 

 than they had given them by nature ; for rarely we expose 

 ourselves to danger without the feeling of self-preservation 

 keeping us back, and although our courage might be increased 

 by continual war, yet no spirit contemplates being carried off 

 without some trepidation. 



For this reason that profane Florentine politician com- 

 mended so highly the ancient sacrifices, because it made 

 men accustomed to kill and shed blood to look upon their 

 own death with complacency, hardening their hearts, and 

 making them courageous ; and with still greater blasphemy 

 he condemned the long-suffering patience the Gospel law 

 teaches, commanding to forgive and tolerate the trespasses 

 against us, and to love our enemies. He desired that venge- 

 ance should invariably be taken, because tolerance promoted 

 both weakness, ignorance, and impiety, an error without 

 reason and unworthy to be considered. For the generosity of 

 one who pardons possesses qualities of a superior courage to 

 the greatest worldly valour ; since no one can compete with 

 him who puts up with the contempt of an enemy he has 

 forgiven, and no one wishes dead whom he does not fear 

 alive. It is very certain that only the Gospel teaches true 

 courage, as exemplified by the singular courage displayed by 

 so many martyrs of all ages, irrespective of sex or position, 

 and whom the Church glorifies, who showed themselves 

 undaunted under the awful tortures inflicted by the greatest 

 of tyrants. There are many other considerations which are 



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