125 



(nerapati.) By his own power, the king- prevents 

 others from seizing- the land over which he has 

 dominion ; hy his own power, he legally seizes the 

 land over which others reign \ therefore he is not 

 subordinate to the subject." And this would seem 

 to be the common sense view of the case. 



But the point, as regards disposing outright of 

 waste lands, in India, requiring the gravest atten- 

 tion, is the introduction into the Country, generally, 

 of a novel principle, a principle altogether foreign 

 to the fiscal laws of the land, and the traditions and 

 ideas of the people ; and it was partly for the better 

 elucidation of this portion of the subject that I have 

 extracted so largely from Law books 



In regard to the origin of property in the soil 

 most Nations seem, as if instinctively, to start from 

 the same point to recognize one great principle, 

 m., that the Earth is God's.* In Hindoo Law, 

 the King holds under a deed of gift, originally 

 granted by the sixth incarnation of the Deity, who 

 wrested the Earth from the dominion of tyrant 

 warriors ; and in selling land the King sells his 

 sovereignty, for the obligation to protect, except in 

 the case of Brahmanas, i. e. the Church, implies the 

 payment of revenue, and a promise of one King* 

 cannot bind his successor. In practice, moreover, 

 the idea of a King disposing of his property or estate, 



* For in truth, there is no other Lord of the Earth but one, \ 

 THE SUPREME GOD. Jaffannatha, on a text of MANU. 



The Earth is the Lord's. He gives it unto whom hepleaseth. j 

 QORAN. 



