S. The Veers, .theageicultural.and. commercial class. It is ea lees nesamery to multiply parties Lars under this head. When the two extremes are sufficiently explained, what modifications of respect dr disrespect belong to the intermediate stages, may be easily inferred.
4. As much Si the Brahman is an object of' in tense veneration; so much is the Sudra an object of contempt, and even of abhorrence, to the other classes of his countrymen. The business of the Sudras is servile labour ; and their degradation in human. The most abject and grovelling submission is imposed upon them as a religious duty, enforced by the most dreadful punishments. They are so completely deprived of • an equal share in the ad vantages of the social union, that few of those ad vantages are reserved to them. The classes above them are restrained from injuring them, even in the case• of the greatest by punishments far slighter, than those which are appointed for injuries done to the superior classes. The crimes which they commit, are punished with 'much heavier in flictions than equal crimes committed by individuals of the classes above them.' Neither their persons dor their labour ,is free. " A • man of the servile Caste," says the sacred orditiance 'of Menu, " whe ther bought or unbought, a Brabbien may compel to Perform servile duty ; because such a man was creat ed by the Self-existent for the purpose of serving Brahmens." AccOrding to the principles of the same code, the Sudra was excluded from the benefits of property. "'No collection of wealth must be made by a Su dra, even though he has poiver, since a servile man Who has amassed riches gives pain even to Brah diens:" " A Brahmen may seize without hesitation, the goods of 'his Sudra slave ; 'for as that slave can have no property; his Master may take his goods." - The degradation of the wretched Sudra extends not only to every thing in this life, but even to reli gion, and the prospect of future happinesh. " Let not a Brahmen," says the above code, " five advice, nor what remains from his table; nor clarified butter, of which part • hal been offered, nor let him give spiritual counsel to such a man, nor inform him of the legal expiation for his sin ; surely he who de clares the law to a servile man, and he who instructs him in the mode of expiating' sin, sinks with that very man into the hell named Asamvrita." Not only are the Sudrad not allowed to read any of the sacred books ; but, " If," says the Gentoo Code, " a man of the Sooder reads- the Beids of the Shaster, or the Pooran, to a Brahman, a Chehteree, or a Bice" (Halhed's mode of spelling the names of the four castes), " then the magistrate shall heat some bitter oil, and pour it into the aforesaid Sooder's mouth ; and if a Sooder listens to the Beids of the Shaster, thin the oil, heated as before, shall be pour ed into his ears, and arzeez and wax 'shall be melted together, and the orifice of his ears shall be stopped np therewith. If a Sooder gets by heart the Beids
Of the Shaster, the magistrate shall put him to death. if a Sooder gives much and frequent molestation to a Biahman, the magistrate shall put him to death." From this specimen of particulars, a judgment may be formed with regard to the rest.
Though this is the primary and original formation of castes, the institution, unless where it happens to be early broken up, does not rest here. The distri•' bution of the members of the community into four classes only, and the appropriation of their services to four species of employment, though a great in improvement at the time they were instituted, must have become pioductive of many inconveni ences, as the wants of society multiplied. The bare necessaries of life, with a few of its rudest acommo. dations, are all the means of gratification which it affords, or is capable of affording .to mankind. As" the desires of mankind, however, speedily extend beyond such narrow limits, a. struggle must have early ensued- between the first principles of human nature, and those of the political establishment.