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This breast

for more than two hundred and fifty pounds.
plate, the rich tiara and girdle* of the goddess, (with others
of her symbols of which it would be improper to give a
description,) were pledged by the officers of the temple of Siva
at Wannerpony, to a gentleman whom I knew, and who
granted me leave to inspect them on the premises where they
were deposited. They were valued all together, at nine hun-
dred pounds sterling. Having remained there a very long time
unredeemed, they were at last disposed of by public auction,
and I was present at the sale. This was an occurrence unpre-
cedented in my previous acquaintance with Heathenism.

Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place. -Verse 29.

The Hindoo temples have a holy place,† which has a dome top to it. Its name signifies the principal or original place. Into it none but the priest can go; and when he enters and performs the poosy, or ceremonial worship, he rings a bell which is carried in his left hand. See Verse 34.

Upon the hem of it, thou shalt make pomegranates.-Verse 33. This fruit is plentiful, and grateful to the taste; and a representation of it may be seen in temples, on pillars, friezes, or painted on the drapery which clothes the cars. In all this, their only purpose is ornament.

Thou shalt anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister unto me, in the priests' office.-Verse 41. The Hebrew has, for consecrate, "fill their hand." See also Judges xvii. 5, 12, and 1 Kings xiii. 33, and many other places, where the word consecrate is in the margin rendered "fill the hand."

Is it not a remarkable fact, that the word kai-reppi, which signifies, in Tamul, "to consecrate a priest," also means to fill the hand?

See Isaiah iii. 24.

+ In one of the large plates (No. 37) illustrating the Researches of Belzoni in Egypt and Nubia, (published by Murray, Albemarle-street,) is given a view of the temple at Erments, with a dome top, which corresponds exactly with the holy place of the temples of the Hindoos.

In reference to the representations given in the plates contained in Belzoni's Researches, I am of opinion that they principally refer to India; a position which I may, perhaps, hereafter attempt to prove.

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When a layman meets a priest, he puts his hands together as an act of reverence; and the priest stretches out his right hand, as if full of something, and says, "Blessings." His hand is deemed to be full of favours, and, being stretched out, it conveys them to others.

CHAP. XXIX.

Take the anointing oil, and pour it upon his head, and anoint him.Verse 7.

When a priest is consecrated, water is poured upon his head, and also perfumed oils.

Take one cake of oiled bread.-Verse 23.

The natives, on festive occasions, eat cakes made of the flour of rice, which are fried in fresh cocoa-nut oil.

CHAP. XXX.

Thou shalt make a laver of brass to wash withal; and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat.-Verses 18, 19.

In the vestibule of every heathen temple a large brass laver is kept filled with water. In it the priest washes his hands and feet before he enters into the holy place.

Take thou of sweet cinnamon.-Verse 23.

Whence did the Israelites procure this (at that time) rare and valuable spice?* In Jeremiah vi. 20, it is said "incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country." Here we see a distinction made betwixt the places that produced the incense and the sweet cane: the latter was from a far country. We know, an inferior kind of cinnamon was formerly found in Arabia, though now believed to be extinct. Whence did they get their numerous spices? Have not the Eastern Isles

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Many authors believe Taprobane, that is, Ceylon, was the place.

been always most famous for such articles? Has any island ever been so celebrated for cinnamon as Ceylon? Is it not here, at this day, of a more valuable species, and in greater plenty, than that of any other country? It was never brought hither by speculators or cultivators. It is indigenous to the soil.

Were the ancients unacquainted with Ceylon? Facts, history, and tradition concur in declaring, that they were not. The theology of Egypt has a strong affinity to that of India, and was probably either derived from it, or both had one

common source.

Whither did Solomon's ships proceed on their three years' voyage? to the African Isles? Were those places ever celebrated, in comparison with the Eastern archipelago, for the articles imported by the ships? Where did they procure their ivory? or, as the margin has it, "elephants' teeth?" It is well known that the Eastern Isles abound with elephants, and that those of Ceylon are the most prized of any in the East. Did the ships sail to the continent of Africa for them? Where did they procure their "apes," their "peacocks," their "ebony," their "precious stones," their "silver and gold?" In what parts of the world are they so plentiful as in those to which I have now alluded? Ceylon abounds in precious stones, peacocks, and ebony; and Java and Sumatra abound in apes and gold.

There cannot be a doubt that Solomon's ships did sail to India; and if so, would they not touch at such a valuable island as Ceylon?†

• An old East-India captain showed me a piece of what he called virgin gold; which, he said, was washed down a mountain in Sumatra, called Golconda.

+ In Pliny's notices of Ceylon, as quoted by Philalethes, (noticed also in the Universal History,) mention is made of one Annius Plocamus, (a free man,) who farmed the customs in the Red Sea, having been blown in a violent tempest off the coast of Arabia: he was unexpectedly driven, after a passage of fifteen days, to the port of Hippuros, in the island of Taprobane, or Ceylon; but the situation of the port is difficult to trace. The word Hippuros, or Hipporus, is probably composed of two Greek words, hippos, “ a horse,” and oros, a mountain," which is the exact translation of the name of the place called KuthreMalli, that is, "horse-mountain," which lies on the north-west coast of Ceylon. See "Madras Gazette," Sept. 16th, 1830.

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In the neighbourhood of that place are numerous architectural remains, such as pillars and tumuli, which serve to corroborate the tradition that it was once a famous city; and that the princess named Alli, aliàs Abbi-Arasāni, lived there;

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Thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary.-Verse 25. The Hebrew has it, perfumer.

In all large temples is retained a man whose chief business it is to distil sweet waters from flowers, and to extract oil from wood, flowers, and other substances. His name is the Thile-Karan.

CHAP. XXXII.

Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, and of your sons, and of your daughters.-Verse 2.

It was the custom of the men also, among the Israelites, to have their ears adorned with rings; and at this day nearly all the natives of the East wear the same ornaments. Some of them are of a circular form, of two or three inches in diameter; others are more compact and massive, and have on them representations of yālis,* serpents, and various deities. The rings of both ears often weigh more than four ounces of pure gold; and, by their weight in the ear, cause such an unsightly slit as to be quite offensive to the eyes of Europeans.

CHAP. XL.

It shall be an altar most holy.-Verse 10.

The Hebrew has, "holiness of holinesses." The Tamul translation has it, "holiness to holiness."

He burnt sweet incense thereon.-Verse 27. In the Hebrew, "the incense of sweet spices."

The sweet incense used in the Hindoo temples is composed of the following articles: frankincense, kungelium, (two kinds of rosin,) sarsaparilla, periploca Indica, curcuma zedoria, cyperus tixtilis, kondo sange-lingam, (of which the Materia Medica says, "This is a sweet-smelling yellow-coloured root, with which the natives prepare a fragrant liniment for the head,") also the root of the lime-tree.

whose marriage with Arjuna, one of the five Pandavas, is the subject of a very popular drama, called Alli-Arasāni-Nādagam, that is, "the comedy of the princess Alli Arasāni.”

• A fabulous animal, bearing some relation to the dragon.

LEVITICUS.

СНАР. І.

The priest shall bring it unto the altar, and wring off his head.-Verse 15. In the Hebrew, "pinch off the head with the nail." The Hindoos, in offering a fowl, always cut off the head.

CHAP. II.

Every oblation of thy meat-offering shalt thou season with salt.Verse 13.

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Dean Spencer, as quoted by D'Oyly and Mant, says, "Many of the ceremonial laws of the Hebrews have reference to the idolatrous opinions of the neighbouring nations and their corresponding rites, for they were given in opposition to them."

The preceding verse, and the one now transcribed, may be of the description alluded to. The Heathen never use salt in any of their offerings. The Hebrews offered bullocks and heifers; but a Hindoo would as soon offer his child as a heifer. Neither can any female animal be offered by the Heathen.

CHAP. IV.

He shall lay his hand upon the bullock's head.-Verse 4.

It is a fact, that when a man makes an offering of a goat or a ram, he puts one leg over it, (as on horseback,) and puts his hand on the head, while the priest repeats the mantherams or "prayers;" after which, the head is struck off at one blow.

When a ruler hath sinned, and done somewhat through ignorance.— Verse 22.

It is truly amusing to hear a man, after he has been detected in a crime, declare it was all arreyāmey, "all igno

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