424 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
lished at Colombo.^ The collector who remains a considerable 
time in the region, may however be able to reap a rich after¬ 
harvest, less of the classical works preserved in the temples 
than of the smaller popular writings in the hands of private 
persons. 
We see in Ceylon innumerable descendants of the races 
who repeatedly subdued larger or smaller portions of the island, 
or carried on traffic there, as Moormen (Arabs), Hindoos, Jews, 
Portuguese, Dutchmen, Englishmen, &c., but the main body of 
the people at all events varies very little, and still consists of 
the two allied races, Tamils and Singhalese, who for thousands 
of years back have been settled here. The colour of their 
skin is very dark, almost black, their hair is not woolly, their 
features are regular, and their build is exceedingly fine. The 
children especially, who, while they are small, often go completely 
naked, with their regular features, their large eyes, and fresh 
plump bodies, are veritable types of beauty, and the same holds 
true of most of the youths. Instead of buying in one of the 
capitals of Europe the right to draw models, often enough with 
forms which leave much to desire, and which must be used 
without distinction for Greek or Northern divinities, for heroes 
or smcmts of the present or former times, an artist ought to 
make tours of study to the lands of the south, where man does 
1 The Catalogue of Pali, Singhalese, and Sanscrit Manuscripts in the 
Ceylon Government Oriental Library, Colombo, 1876, includes :— 
41 Buddhist canonical books. 
71 Other religious writings. 
25 Historical works, traditions. 
29 Philological works. 
16 Literary works. 
6 Works on Medicine, Astronomy, &;c. 
According to Emerson Tennent (i. p. 515), the Eev. E. Spence Hardy has 
in the Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Asiatic Society for 1848 given 
the titles of 467 works in Pali, Sanskrit, and Elu, collected by himself 
during his residence in Ceylon. Of these about eighty are in Sanskrit, 150 
in Elu or Singhalese, and the remainder in Pali. 
