238 HINDOO MANNERS. 



CHAPTER VII. 



Hindoo Manners and Literature. 



National Character-Government-Village System-Castes-Bramins 

 -Cshatrvas— Vaisvas-Sudras-Mixed-Loss of Caate-Panahs- 

 Vanous Estimates of Hindoo Character-General Result-Decoity- 

 Domestic Life-Females of India— Modes of spending Money— Lite- 

 rature— The Vedas— The Puranas— Mahaharat and Ramayana— Amo- 

 rous Poems-Metaphvsical Works-Fable or ^\f\^^-^iem 

 Writings-Study of English Literature-Detached Hindoo TruVs- 

 Rainootana-Her Nobles-Bards-Princesses— Infanticide— The Jha- 

 rejahs-Nayrs of Calicut-Bheels-Tudas-Mahommedan Population 

 — Parsees— Jits or Jauts. 



There are certain features in national character which 

 not only discriminate one people from another in distant 

 parts of the globe, but also the same people from their 

 immediate neighbours, that may be generally traced by 

 an attentive observer, though many circumstances render 

 the delineation of them extremely difficult and uncertain. 

 The distinguishing peculiarities are blended with others that 

 are common to mankind in general. The task, besides, re- 

 quires that nice observation which is possessed by very few 

 writers, and which, in all cases, is easily biassed by passion 

 and prejudice. Hence the character of the Hindoo has 

 been drawn in very opposite colours, according to the sug- 

 gestion of those partv impressions which in this case are 

 perhaps stronger than in regard to any other people. Before 

 attempting to balance and estimate such conflicting testimo- 

 nies, it mav he advantageous to bring into view some lead- 

 ing distinctions which influence the national character. 

 The outlines of their religious system have already been 

 traced ; and we have now to consider their political arrange- 

 ments, and the peculiar cartes and classes into which society 

 is divided. , 



The Hindoos appear to have been always ruled by des- 

 potic governments, and for manv ages their subjection to a 

 foreign race, wholly differing in religion, manners, aspect, 

 and language, has been peculiarly humiliating. Even the 



