90 ORIGIN' AND DECLINE OF THE 



as Outcasts. They assured me on the contrary, that 

 they considered them as belonging to the second 

 class, and that they are treated as such by every 

 Brahmen, in despite of Menu and of the Purdmcas, 



Let us suppose some extensive district in India 

 solely inhabited by Europeans, and that these were 

 entirely wilHng to conform, in every thing, to the re- 

 ligion of Brahma', and the manne;rs of the Hindus. 

 Their resolution would be highly approved of by 

 every Brahmen; and they would soon find many to 

 officiate, and pray for them, on their being of course 

 paid for their trouble. Let us add to this, numerous 

 grants of land, villages, honours, privileges, and an 

 entire submission to their will, they would soon treat 

 them as Cshettris, as they do the present Rajputs. 

 It is true, they could neither intermarry, nor eat 

 with the other Hindus, but the four great classes ne- 

 ver intermarry, nor eat, but with particular families 

 of the same tribe in their own class. After a few 

 generations, they would say of these Europeans, what 

 they say of the present Rajputs and Mdhrdttas, that 

 they were not originally Cshettris nor Brdhmens, 

 and are a spuriuus race. This would not do, it is 

 true, for a single individual, who would find himself 

 insulated, and lost entirely, unless he assumed the 

 character of an anchoret or penitent. I had long 

 conversations with learned Pandits, on the subject, 

 and this was their opinion, and that even they might 

 have Brdhmens of their own, by studying their sa- 

 cred books, and obtaining the necessary knowledge, 

 which would not be attended with much ditficulty. 

 With regard to their ancestors having ate beef, this 

 could be no objection, as there is not a. Hi?idu, whose 

 ancestors, at some remote period, it is true, did 

 not eat beef, and every sort of animal food, except ' 



