BANIANS, the name of a religious sect in the dominions of the Mogul. These people, believing firmly in the transmigration of souls, will, on no con. sideration, kill any living creature, or eat its flesh ; but, on the contrary, will use their utmost endea. yours to release even the most noxious animals, if they see them in danger of perishing. They account all other nations impure ; and are so scrupulously fearful of pollution, that they will break a cup which has been used or even touched by a person of a different religion ; nor will they enter the same pond in which a stranger has bathed, till they have emptied it completely, and filled it with pure water. Nay, so excessive is their anxiety to preserve their purity, that if they happen to be touched even by persons of their own sect, they cannot eat nor enter their houses, till they have undergone .a thorough ablution. They wear at their necks a stone about ' the size of an egg, which is perforated in the middle, and has three strings drawn through it. As this stone, which they call tamberan, represents their great god, it procures them very high respect among all the Indians.
The name Banians is likewise applied in general to all the idolaters of India, as distinguished from the Mahometans, and is more particularly appropria ted to one of the four principal casts into which the Indians are divided: the other three casts are the Bra mins, or priests; the Rajaputs, or men of the sword; and the artists, or labourers.
In their shaster, or statute-book, the proper Ba nians are distinguished by the name of Shuddery, which comprehends all persons engaged in traffic or merchandise. Their name, in the Bramin language, signifies innocent and harmless ; and nothing can be mere expressive of their real character ; for they would not hurt the most insignificant creature, and they bear injuries with more than Christian meek ness. They are not distinguished from the other Hindus by any peculiar religious tenets; but of the eight general precepts delivered by Bramaw, the In dian legislator, two are supposed more immediately to refer to the Banians, as they enjoin veracity and honour in all their speeches and transactions, and for bid circumvention in buying or selling.
Is commercial language, a bank is a repository ' or an establishment, for the purpose of receiving the money of individuals, either to keep it in se curity, or to improve it by trafficking in goods, bullion, or bills of exchange ; and it may be either of a public, or of a private nature. A public bank
is generally regulated by certain laws enacted by the government of the state, which constitute its charter, limit its capital, and establish the rules by which it 15, to conduct business. A private bank, on the other hand, is merely a contract among individuals, for carrying on a trade in money and bills ; and the responsibility of the partners is the only security of those who transact with it.
Banks are properly commercial institutions, which, by affording credits, or issuing notes, as the repre sentative of money, enable merchants, with greater facility, to buy and sell commodities at home or abroad. The produce of one country is thus ex changed with that of another, by means of a medium to which an ideal value is attached. Hence the great utility of banking establishments in all corn nier:ial countries.
Among the ancients, the term implied something different from its modern signification ; and conveyed an idea corresponding with the profes sion of an agent, broker, or money-lender. Bankers were called argeniarii and nummularii, by the Ro mans ; and they lent out the money of private per sons on interest, wrote the necessary deeds ; arid as sisted in buying and selling all kinds of property.
The first establishment of banking in a regular and systematic form, took place at Venice, about the middle of the 12th century ; and it arose from the necessities of the state. Duke Vitale Michel 11. being involved in expensive wars with the empire of the West, and the Grecian Emperor Manuel, em barrassed the finances of the republic ; and to relieve it from the pressure of its difficulties, he had recourse to a FORCED LOAN ; the contributors to which were made creditors, and received interest at the rate of four per cent. per annum. " The Chamber of Loans" deg/' imprestiiii) was established for the management of this fund, and regular pay ment of the interest ; which, gradually improving its plan, at last formed itself into the more perfect institution of the Bank of Venice.