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or the immortality of the soul. There is no self-righteous 
complacency, like that of the Hindoos, to combat, arising 
from works of supererogation; at the same time, they are 
not destitute of a knowledge of the universal depravity of 
the human nature and, however preposterous their ideas 
f Our learned theologians would little expect to find these poor heathens 
accounting for the origin of evil—yet such is actually the case. The follow¬ 
ing tract on the subject, is taken literally from Flacourt, who translated 
it from a Madegasse MS. 
Origin of Sins ! Formerly the devil (dian-bilis, or beliche) was married 
and had a very wicked wife , who brought him seven children ; these 
being grown up to manhood, addicted themselves to vice. 
The first gave himself to pride, to despise men, and to a thousand Wick¬ 
ednesses—as making poisons, witchcraft, causing hail, rain, whirlwinds, 
locusts, thunder, and blasting the fruits of the earth. So that although 
mankind knew who he was, they were obliged to make him a God. 
The second was addicted to robbery and plunder, and took great usury, 
by which he ruined every body. 
The third practised all kinds of debauchery and wickedness, carrying off 
all the women and girls, and ruining them. 
The fourth was guilty of vexatious lying and evil-speaking against 
honest men, by which he excited quarrels, brawls, and private malice; so 
that the whole world was thereby thrown into confusion and trouble, being 
sorry when he saw them at peace and repose. When any one was pros¬ 
perous, he immediately invented against him a thousand calumnies in order 
to trouble his repose, and ruin his prospects. 
The fifth was so addicted to gluttony, that not content with gorging him¬ 
self, he incited others to do the same by his example, and thus they became 
bad managers, ran into unnecessary and ruinous expenses, and wasted 
their substance in ceaseless gluttony and intoxication. 
The sixth was so choleric, that on every occasion he killed and mas¬ 
sacred every body he met, without any cause ; exciting quarrels and fights 
between men for things of little consequence. By his bad examples, and 
bad morals, all those have been corrupted who have caused the wars that 
have taken place on the earth, from the beginning to the present day. 
The last was so lazy, that he preferred leaving his lands untilled, rather 
than cultivating them, and prevailed on many to follow his example. 
Thus the Owpilampes , or wood-robbers, Ompizees , or savages, and 
sluggards, imitate them ; the slaves also will neither work nor follow their 
masters. 
The fable ends with the massacre of these wicked youths, at which the 
devil being very angry, complained to the Divine Being, who told him his 
