HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
387 
CHAP. XIV, 
Extensive prevalence of superstition among the Malagasy—Their general 
belief in the power of charms and frequent use of divination—Mythology 
of the Malagasy—Indefinite ideas of God, of the human soul, and a future 
state—Defective sense of moral responsibility—Worship of tutelary 
gods—Imagined sacredness of the villages in which the idols are kept— 
The idol-keepers—Bearers of the idols in public processions—Origin and 
appearance of the national and household idols—Homage paid to them 
by the people—Means used in rendering articles otherwise common 
objects of superstitious worship—Temples—Sacred stones—Sacrifices— 
Appeals to idols in the administration of oaths and the ordeals—Names 
of the principal idols—Their supposed antipathies—Anecdotes illustra¬ 
tive of the deceptive pretences of the keepers of the idols—Exposure of 
their deceptions by Radama—Public exhibition of the idols—Visit of 
Radama to the supposed residence of the idols—Import of the names 
of the idols. 
Although the natives of Madagascar have been frequently 
represented as destitute of any national system of religion, 
as having no popular idols, or religious observances, towards 
which they evinced any strong predilection, and might there¬ 
fore be regarded as a people favourably prepared for the 
reception of Christianity, being unawed by an interested 
priesthood, and unprejudiced in favour of any ancient 
creed, their actual circumstances will be found to differ 
widely from this flattering, but too hastily formed opinion. 
The Malagasy, possessing the feelings and passions 
which are common to human nature, and being subject to 
the same hopes and fears, joys and sorrows, as other mem¬ 
bers of the human family in their destitution of the light 
and guidance of revelation, have endeavoured, like others 
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