• When a class of this description became nume, roue, they must have filled society with the disorders. The nature of the case draw,n the philosophical mind to this conclusion, had no testimony existed. It so happens, however, that this is one of the few facts in the ancient history of the Hindus, which can be ascertained from their records. In the preface to that compilation of the Hinds Lamy, which was translated by Mr Halhed, it is stated that, after a iluccession of good kings who secured obedience to the laws, and under whom the people enjoyed felicity, came a monerch, evil and corrupt, under whom the laws were violated, the mixture of the classes was perpetrated, and a new and impiom race were produced. The Brahmens put this wick ed king to death ; and, by an effect of miraculous power, created a successor, endowed with the meac excellent qualities. Nevertheless the kingdom did not prosper, by reason of the Burren Bunker (so were the impure and irregular brood denominated); and it required all the wisdom of this sage and nr tuous king to devise a remedy. He resolved to farm a classification of the mixed race; and to assign them occupations. This accordingly was the com mencement of arts and manufactures. The Burn! Bunker became all manner of artisans and baud!" crafts. Of the classes into which they were buted, one was appointed to the weaving of cloth, another to works in iron, and so in all other cases; till the subdivisions of the race were exhausted, and the wants of the community were provided for. Among the Hindus, thirty-six castes of the impure race are enumerated, all inferior in rank and privi leges even to the SidraTo proceed farther in the detail, would be inconvenient and useless. By this supplement to the institution of the four primary castes, two great evils were remedied at once ; the increasing wanta of an improving society were sup plied, and a class of men, who had been the pest of the community, were converted to its service.
The only remaining inquiry with respect to the institution of castes, which seems appropriate to this place is that of its utility or inutility as a part of the social establishment.
A few words, we think, will suffice, to convey clear and determinate ideas upon this subject.
It is the distinction of man's nature, that he is a progressive being. It is by this grand characteristic that he is separated so widely from the inferior ani mals. When found in circumstances and situations in which the benefits of progression seem not to have been reaped, he is raised but a slight degreeabove the condition of some of the more perfect of the inferior animals. His peculiarity is, that he is sus ceptible of progression ; and unless when he is placed in circumstances which impose extraordinary re straints upon the principles of his nature, does inva riably and incessantly make progress. Even when be originates in a state little above that of the infe rior animals, he rises, and gradually ascends from one stage to another, till his elevation above all the other inhabitants of this globe is immense ; nor is there any limit which our knowledge permits us to set, to his final attainments and felicity. In what ever state the other animals originate, in that same state they remain through all ages ; and seem alto gether incapable of improvement.
In regard to man, therefore, considered as a class of beings, or an order of existence ; every thing is to be considered as beneficently important, in propor tion as it favours his progression ; every thing is to be considered as mischievously important, in proportion as it obstructs and impedes that progression.
It is by this grand test of all that is good and evil in human institutions, that we shall endeavour to estimate the effects of the establishment of castes.
'We shall not here adduce the elevation of one set of the classes, and the correspondent degradation of another, obviously the cause of infinite evil ; because it may be with justice maintained, that this horrid elevation, and equally horrid depression, are not essential parts of the institution of caste, but arise from other causes, and may, in fact, be separated from. that institution.
First of all, it is evident, that at the time when the number of castes and professions is established, unless it could be foreseen what are all the species of ope rations of arts, by which the desires of man, in all Their possible varieties, are capable of being grati fied; and what are all the possible divisions of labour from which any good cam arise ; the appointment of fixed, unalterable castes and professions, must oppose an irresistible barrier to human advancement in these two grand instruments of progression, the divi skin of labour, and the practIce of new arts, as Lion may suggest them, or the multiplying desires of an improving society may create the demand. Since it is obviously impossible that all these things can be foreseen, it abundantly certain, that the institution of any fixed number of arts and trades is exactly an institution for preventing the progression of mankind. This deduction appears to be conclusive; and,• if there were no other argument, affords a complete answer to the question respecting the utility of castes.
Even in the trades and arts which are known and provided for at the time of the institution, it is by no means certain, that this fixed order of the persons who are to practise them is a contrivance well adapt ed for carrying these arts themselves, whether large in number or small, to their highest state of perfec tion. It by no means follows, that a man will do any thing better than. any other man because his father did it before him. • To establish, a caste for any particular art or profession, is giving -a sort of monopoly to that particular description of men. It is a wide monopoly, to be sure ; but as far as the appropriation of the art to one class is calculated to have any effects, they must so far be such as it is of the nature of a monopoly to produce, and hence un favourable to the progress of the art. The way which presents itself to the reasoning mind, as that i which is best calculated for improving every branch of human industry or skill, is to open, as widely as possible, the doors to competition ; not to exclude •any man, of whatever origin, who may appear to have an extraordinary genius for any particular thing, but allow him, through competition, to reap the re ward of his superiority, and hence to feel all the motives that can prompt him to excel. The ac quirements of one generation are not transmitted to another more surely when they are transmitted from father to son, than when they are transmitted in the way of promiscuous instruction. Nor does it neces sarily, or even commonly, happen, that the learner gets more careful instruction from his father, than he would from a man who is not his father ; or, that he himself is more intent in his application, andcare ful to learn, because it is his father who instructs him.