crystal. They are very small, and are kept in the houses of the rich, and used for daily worship.

Small brazen images of many of the gods are kept in private houses, and worshipped daily. These are very small, weighing only an ounce or two.

Very small copper images of Sōōryŭ, and of Shivŭ riding on a bull, are preserved in private houses, and worshipped daily.

The images of mixed metal are those of Radha, Doorga, Lukshmee, Shivů, &c. The images of any of the gods may be made with this mixed metal; and may be worshipped either in private houses or in temples.

The images of all the gods and goddesses may be made of stone: the greater number are placed in temples; a few small ones are found in private houses. All images of stone are worshipped daily: the greater number are of the lingu, or the various forms of Vishnoo. A few exist of the lingŭ nine or twelve cubits high. The mendicant followers of Vishnoo carry small images of Krishnŭ with them in their peregrinations, which are from one to two cubits high. All the stone images in Bengal are of black marble; but there are some at Benares which are white. The sculpture on these stones is in much the same state of perfection as that to be seen in the oldest churches in England. These stones are brought into Bengal from the upper provinces, and cut by men who are to be found in all the great towns, and to whom it is an employment. Some

An image of the lingu is set up at Benares, which six men can hardly grasp.

stone images are miraculously found under ground. See vol. i. p. 203.

The nimbus tree supplies the images of Vishnoo in his different forms; also of Doorga, Radha, Lukshmēē, Shivů, Gŭroorů, Choitůnyů, &c. None of the wooden images are kept in private houses, but in separate temples. They are generally from one to three cubits in height.

All the images which, after worship, are thrown into the water, are of clay baked in the sun, about four cubits high: the images of the lingu, made daily and worshipped, are immediately thrown away. In some places, clay images of Kartikŭ, twenty-one cubits high, are set up, and after the festival committed to the river. The images of Doorga, Siddheshwŭree, Unnŭ-pōōrna, Krishnů, Punchanŭnů, Shust’hēē, Mănŭsa, Dŭkshinů-rayŭ, &c. are however constantly preserved in temples. The Hindoo potters are the principal god-makers, though many other casts, and even Musulmans, follow this employment. The maker first takes a board, and raises upon it a little frame-work, to which he fastens bamboos covered with straw, for the back-bone, the arms, legs, &c. Round these he lays clay mixed with cowdung, chaff, and straw, which he suffers to dry. Having made the head of clay, he lays it to dry, and afterwards joins it to the trunk very carefully. He again clothes the body, arms, and legs, with more cow-dung and clay, and covers the whole with a cloth, that it may not crack. When ready, he carries it to the person's house who may have ordered it, and, according to the size, obtains two, four,

An image of Cybele is said to have fallen from heaven into a certain field in Phrygia.

• Melia azadarachta.

seven, or eight roopees for it. Sometimes the maker paints it at his own house, which costs two, three, four, or five roopees more.

The evening before the consecration, the person at whose temple this image is to be set up, brings twenty-two different articles, among which are fruits, flowers, gold, silver, rice, a stone, turmeric, sugar, cow-dung, clarified butter, a shell, peas, red powder, &c. With all these things the officiating bramhŭn touches the forehead and other parts of the image, repeating incantations. This is called ŭdhivasů, or inviting the goddess to come and dwell in the image. The next day, eyes and a soul (pranŭ) are given. No one reverences the image till this work is done.

When an image of Doorga is to be consecrated, in addition to the above ceremonies, a plantain tree is brought, and bathed either in the house or in the river. At this time the service occupies about an hour: after which the tree is clothed like a woman, with two vilwu fruits for breasts; and nine sorts of leaves, smeared with red paint, are hung round the neck. The trees, from which these leaves are taken, are said to have assisted in different wars the deities whose images accompany that of Doorga. The Hindoo shastrus make no hesitation in giving tongues to stones, or making trees into soldiers. It may be allowed in a romance; yet the modern Hindoos are silly enough to believe most gravely that all this is the very truth. They say, Why not? God can do every thing.'

If a woman, a dog, or a shōōdrů, touch an image, its godship is destroyed, and the ceremonies of deification must be again performed. A clay image, if thus defiled, must be thrown away. There are degrees of impurity

imparted by the touch of different animals.

Breaking the hand or foot of an image is an evil omen. If an image be unequal in any of its parts, or if the eyes be made to look upwards or downwards, and not straight forwards, something evil will befall the owner. If it be set up with ease, the spectators declare, that the god himself is pleased.

Godship of Images tried.-By performing a ceremony called shora, it is imagined, a person may obtain the power of ascertaining whether the deity dwell in an image or not. In this ceremony, which must be repeated during fifteen days and nights, the devotee bathes an image of the goddess Vipurēētŭ-průtyŭngira with milk, curds, clarified butter, cow's dung, and cow's urine; worships it, having on red garments; and repeats the initiating incantation of this goddess ten thousand times. In the night, he walks round the image, in a triangular manner, one hundred and eight times, prostrating himself after every circumambulation. On the last day, the ceremonies are continued to a greater extent, and the burnt-sacrifice is added. When such a person bows to an image, if the deity dwell not in it, it will break to pieces. A person of Krishnŭ-năgără is mentioned as having obtained this power: he bowed to an image of Mădănů-Mohůnů, at Vishnoo-poorů; when the image became bent in the neck, and continues so to this day. At Réboona, a village near Balasore, several stone images are said to have been broken by a man named Kalaparhŭ, who bowed to them.

CHAP. III.

OF THE PRIESTS.

THE Poorohitu.-Every bramhun may perform the ceremonies of his religion. The priest, called a poorohitů, is, however, called in to assist in the shraddhů, the ten ceremonies called sungskaru, in those at the offering of a temple, at the different vrutus, at the festivals, and at a burnt-sacrifice; and he is sometimes called to fast, and bathe, in the name of another. A man of property in some cases, unwilling to fast himself, gives his poorohitů a roopee to do it for him; and, in the cold weather, he gives him a fee, to bathe for a month, and perform the ceremonies connected with bathing, instead of himself. Some rich men retain a family priest, who receives the fees and separate presents of cloth, sweetmeats, rice, fruits, &c. as his reward.

Any bramhun, who is acquainted with the different formulas of worship, may become an officiating priest. In some cases, one person is priest to a thousand families; but he employs assistants, and gives them a stipulated share of the perquisites. If the priest do not arrive in time, or if he blunder in performing the ceremonies, the person employing him reproves him. When several families have the same priest, and wish to perform certain ceremonies on the same day, the priest is sure to offend, and never fails to be told of his partiality to one family, and neglect of the other. These priests are generally very avaricious, and