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Religion of the Ceylonese. 
continent. Indeed they seem to be more actuated by appre- 
hension than by any real sentiment of zeal ; and they seldom 
think themselves called upon to take much concern in religious 
matters till they fall into sickness, or verge towards the close 
of life. The injustice of the Portuguese in forcing religious te- 
nets upon them, must have shocked them the more, as they 
have not the smallest idea of intolerant zeal. So far are they 
from being displeased at Europeans, or people of other per- 
suasions, entering their temples and observing their ceremonies, 
that they are rather gratified by such marks of attention, and 
account the presence of visitors as an honour done themselves. On 
being questioned about their superstitions, they do not hesitate to 
confess the absurdity of their apprehensions, but still they look upon 
themselves as unable to escape from them ; and dread even to at- 
tempt vindicating their freedom, from a fear that they may be in- 
stantly delivered over to the vengeance of those malignant spirits 
who infest their country. The Christian priests and missiona- 
ries, though often successful in propagating their doctrines, have 
never yet been able totally to eradicate superstitions which 
have been imbibed from the cradle. 
I was very much surprised to observe the Ceylonese wear 
beads, and mutter prayers as they count them and go along 
the road, in the same manner as I have seen done in Roman 
Catholic countries. I at first imagined that these were con- 
verts to that religion, but upon enquiry, I found that they 
were all stanch adherents to the worship of Buddou. Their 
high respect for the customs of the Europeans led them early 
to adopt this usage from the Portuguese ; but the prayers 
which they mutter over their beads have no reference what- 
ever to those used by the Roman Catholics, but are directed 
