OK THE TRANSMIGRATION OF SOULS. S^j 



perfons is to be found among the fables current in the 

 Eaft Indies. The foul, fay thefe people* is in the fame 

 relation to the body as the inhabitant is to the houfe* 

 As the man inhabits his houfe, and repairs the parts of 

 it as they decay ; fo the foul inhabits the body, ftrivc-s 

 to preferve it, and to fupport its failing powers. Far- 

 ther : as the man goes out of his houfe, when it is no 

 longer habitable, and feeks for himfelf another ; fo the 

 foul forfakes her body when a licknefs or feme other* 

 accident renders it incapable of being animated* and 

 puts herfelf in poffeffion of another body. Finally, as 

 the man goes out of his houfe when he will, and returns 

 to it again at pleafure ; fo there are great perfons* 

 whofe foul has the power of freeing itfelf from the body* 

 and returning to it again as often as they pleafe, after 

 having wandered through various regions of the 

 world. This will be confirmed by the following occur- 

 rence : We read in the life of Fieramarken, one of the 

 moft- puifTant fovereigns of India, that a prince im- 

 plored a goddefs, whofe temple flood in a retired 

 place, to teach him the mandiram, that is, a prayer 

 which has the efficacy of freeing the foul from the 

 body, and of bringing her back to it whenever fhe 

 chofe. He obtained the boon for which he prayed ; 

 but unluckily his fervant, who had remained at the 

 door of the temple, had heard the mandiram, retained 

 it in memory, and refoived to ufe it on the fiffl ocea- 

 fion. As this prince repofed an entire confidence in 

 his domeftic ; he related to him the peculiar favour he 

 had obtained, but took care not to difclofe to him one 

 word of the mandiram. It frequently happened, that the 

 prince retired to a folitary place, where he allowed his 

 vol, II. x foul 



