438 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
be retained by his friends; in other words, that death will 
shortly ensue. And in all these, and similar cases, there 
are faditra appointed; respecting which, however, it seems 
unnecessary to go into any further detail; they afford pain¬ 
fully conclusive evidence of the strong delusions under 
which the Malagasy pass the present state of existence, 
and enter upon that which is to come. It is evident that 
the blessings sought are those alone which relate to the 
present life, and that while they ascribe none of the cala¬ 
mities which they suffer to moral causes, no moral quality 
is considered necessary in the means of averting evil which 
they employ. No one will peruse the preceding account 
without commiserating their circumstances, and earnestly 
desiring that the time may be hastened when they shall be 
delivered from these lying vanities, and directed to that 
Divine Redeemer, who alone can deliver from the miseries 
present and future to which man, in consequence of sin, is 
exposed. 
