CASTE. By this term is here distinguithed the Classification and 'distribution of the members Of a, community into -certain classes or orders,. for 'the petformance'of certain fitnctions; with of certain privileges, 'Or the endurance of certain burtbens ; -establishment of hereditary per manence 'in 'these orders, the son being ordained to perform' the 'functions, 'to -enjoy the iprivileges, stistain the turthens of the lather, and to marry 'only in 'his own'tribe, mixture of the classes, in reeler succession, all ages.
'The Tenn Cattle is 'borrowed from the 'Portuguese. Itwaa term applied 'by That peopleorho 'first df the turopeannatronititnmefiestalliiiihmentrin theyfound establithed upon this princilile among the inhabitants of that portion of the globe ; atialrom them, as 'It was from their inter course that 'the • rest of the natitms Of modern 'Eu rope first derived theirintaisilty with the manners and institutions 'df the people of India, the term made its way, and was estidiliihed ti the other lan guages Of The 'institution itself appears in the'early ages Of societfro have been very extensively introduced. - In 'to the ancient 'Egyptians„ The Diet is universally and firnilliarlY known. The TreSident Goguet,'Whombh singular industry, and no ordinary judgment and sagacity, explored the remains of an cient times, comprehends a great body of history in a 'few words. " We may farther observe," says he, " that, in the Assyrian empire, the people were dis tributed into a certain number • of tribes,and that professions were hereditary ; 'that is'to say, children were not permitted' to quit 'their father's occupation, and embrace 'another. We know not 'the 'time the author of this institution, Which,from the high est antiquity, prevailed over almost all Asia, as well as in several other 'countries." It is not necessary here to sureaharge 'the reader 'with the 'authorities which he quotes. 'The passage itself 'B. i. Ch. 1. Art. 'S.1 'will be consulted all vilto 'dis trust legitimacy of'his inference, or desire tw prosecute' the inquiry.
infbrmed by Plutarch, in his 'Life 'of Thesetts'thal by this prince, the class of priests, anti that' tif no bles, in other words the magistrates or maitary lead ers, into one : whence the society was composed of 'three classes'; 1. The sacerdotal,' legis lating, and riling class ; The class of husband.' men ; and, S. The class Of tradesmen.' " To the no bility," says the illustrioushiographer,•" he commit ted the choice of magistrates, the teaching and dis pensing of the laws, and the interpretation of all holy and religious things ; 'the whole city, as to all other matters, being as it were reduced to an exact equality ; the nobles excelling the rest in honour, the husbandman in profit, and the artificers in number. And Theseus was the Aristotle 'says, out of an' inclination to popular government, parted with the regal. ower ; which Homer also appears to at test, in his catalogue of the ships, where he gives the name Of 'PEoryx to the Athenians alone." There is a 'the beginntng of 'Plato's Timms, which, though a work Of 'fancy, is not 'without some weight, as evidence . either of -conclusions iihich were _drawn 'by men' of, research, Or of dons which 'were current tanong the people. thii passage, ot asserted, thaton'thepiiineval State of the Initants 'of Attica,' they-resembled the 'Egyptians inihe'diviSion. into *hereditary classes and professions ; but a eery accurate description is givpn of those classes, five in number ; viz. 1. The class of priests ; 2. The class of handicrafts ; 3. The class of shepherds and hunters ; 4. The class of ploughmen ; 5. The military class. rIgeorov this ro rwi ;spoor 71v0‘, air° rosy Oahu zolic apacieffilvor terra a, vitro ro ron anadsgyon, Ors nalli ie,vro ixacov, ccXXI., as we ivrtnalarypavov, asuusrlsr ro vs ran volkicw star rosy higsurwr Teo re ran roma- xoss re, isorpos 7svoc, moo mums rani yivon mxweloperov, as isan Oa° tans ra wags rot sro. Amos inns vs mess irgosaraxihr isaXsiv.