The most striking feature by which, on the whole, and notwithstanding its many glaring defects, this code is distinguished, is the rigour and purity of its morals. A complete system of ethics might be gathered from the scattered moral sentences, of which we subjoin the followleg few examples. " Let not a man be querulous, even though in pain ; let hint not injure another in deed or in thought, let him not even utter a word by which his fellow-creature may suffer uneasiness (2, 161). Let him bear a reproachful speech with patience ; let him speak re proachfully to no man ; with an angry man let him not in return be angry ; abused, let hits speak mildly (6, 47). Let him say what is true, but let hint say what is pleasing; let hint speak no disagreeable truth, nor let him speak agreeable falsehood (4, 138 ff.). Though oppressed by penury, in consequeuce of his righteous dealings, let him never give his mind to unrighteonsness (4, 171); let hint be firm in his contentment and check all desire of acquiring more than he pos sesses, for happiness has its root in content, and discontent is the root of misery (4, 12). A wise man should constantly discharge all the moral duties, though he perform not constantly the ceremonies of religion (4, 204); he should act without any view of toward, and con stantly shun religious hypocrisy, for he who describes himself to worthy men in a manner contrary to truth is the most sinful wretch in the world ; he is the worst of thieves, a stealer of minds (4, 255). Even here below an unjust man attains no felicity, nor be whose wealth proceeds from giving false evidence ; for the soul itself is its own witness : offend not thy soul, the supreme internal witness of men. The sinful have said in their hearts No one sees us.' Yes, the gods distinctly see them, and so does the spirit within their breasts (4, 170 ; 8, 81). He who perseveres in good actions, in subduing his passions, in bestowing gifts, in gentleness of manners, who bears hard ships patiently, who associates not with the malignant, who gives pain to no sentient being, obtains final beatitude (4, 246 ; 12, 10). Single is each man born, single he dies, single he receives the reward of his good, and single the punishment of his evil deeds. When he leaves his corpse, like a log or lump of clay on the ground, his kindred retire with averted faces, but his virtue accompanies his soul" (4, 240). The principal moral duties in general are summed up in the following passage : " The avoiding of all injury to animated beings, veracity, the abstaining from theft and from unjust seizure of property, cleanliness and command over the bodily organs, form the compendious system of duty which Maim has ordained for the four classes" (10, 63). To conclude with the words of Sir William Jones : " The work contains abundance of curious matter, extremely interesting both to specu lative lawyers and to antiquaries, with many beauties which need not be pointed out, and with many blemishes which cannot be justified or palliated ; it is a system of despotism and priestcraft, both indeed limited by law, but artfully conspiring to give mutual support."
The time at which the laws of 3lanu were composed is wholly un certain, and it was only from conjecture that the eminent Sanscrit scholar whom we have just named fixed the 12th century B.C. as the probable epoch of their composition. Generally speaking we may safely pronounce it the code of an already refined and enlightened people, and the work itself bears ample testimony that a very advancing degree of civilisation had been acquired by the Hindus when these laws were promulgated. But what is most important, is that the burning of widows is totally unknown : on the contrary, a widow is legally bound to devote herself to pious austerity, and may even be lawfully married to the brother of her deceased husband, as she could marry any other man during the reign of king Vena (3, 173 ; 5, 157). Now the duties of a,Satti, so minutely detailed in works of later date, could not possibly be omitted in a sacred code of law, and therefore the work seems at least anterior to the invasion of India by the Macedonians, who were fully acquainted with these horrid sacrifices.
The learned Hindus agree that many laws enacted by Mann were confined to the first three ages of the world, and have no force in the present age ; some of them have been abolished or modified by subse quent Hindu lawgivers, according to whom the work is rather to be honoured than to be strictly followed. In fact for a long time it has formed only a very small part of the juridical system, and may be con sidered as the oldest text-book of law extant, or as the Hindu ' Insti tutes,' preparatory to the copious ' Digests," Pandects,' and other legal works now in use among the different juridical schools in India. (Ellis. in Madras Transactions,' vol. i., and Sir Thomas Strange, Hindu Law, principally with reference to such portions of it as con cern the Administration of Justice in the King's Courts in India,' Loud., 1830.) The Institutes' of Hindu law, or the Ordinances of Mauu,' were verbally translated from the original by Sir William Jones, 1794. The Sanscrit text with the gloss of Kullfikabhatta was published at Cal cutta in 1813, and a new edition of the metrical text, together with Sir William Jones's translation, carefully collated with the original, was prepared by Sir Graves Haughton, 1822, 1825. Another valuable edition was published in Sanscrit, with select notes and various readings, at Paris, in 1830, and a French translation with notes and explanations, both by Loiseleur des Longchamps, at Paris in 1833.