religion. These are the three deities which the Indians represent by one
idol, with three heads growing out of one body, with this mysterious
signification, that they all proceed from the same principle. By which it
may be inferred, that in former times they have heard of Christianity;
and that their religion is an imperfect imitation, or rather a corruption
of ours.

They say that Visnu has descended a thousand times on earth, and every
time has changed his shape; sometimes appearing in the figure of a beast,
sometimes of a man, which is the original of their pagods, of whom they
relate so many fables.

They add, that Brama, having likewise a desire of children, made himself
visible, and begot the Brachmans, whose race has infinitely multiplied.
The people believe them demi-gods, as poor and miserable as they are.
They likewise imagine them to be saints, because they lead a hard and
solitary life; having very often no other lodging than the hollow of a
tree, or a cave, and sometimes living exposed to the air on a bare
mountain, or in a wilderness, suffering all the hardships of the weather,
keeping a profound silence, fasting a whole year together, and making
profession of eating nothing which has had life in it.

But after all, there was not perhaps a more wicked nation under the
canopy of heaven. The fruit of those austerities which they practice in
the desart, is to abandon themselves in public to the most brutal
pleasures of the flesh, without either shame or remorse of conscience.
For they certainly believe, that all things, how abominable soever, are
lawful to be done, provided they are suggested to them by the light which
is within them. And the people are so infatuated with them, that they
believe they shall become holy by partaking in their crimes, or by