29^ ^ ' OBSERVATIONS ON 



Baudd'has surpass them in monstrous exaggerations 

 of the same kind. In this rivalship of absurd fiction, 

 it would not be unreasonable to pronounce that to be 

 most modern, which has outgone the rest. 



The greater antiquity of the religion of the Vedas 

 is also rendered probable, from the prevalence of a 

 similar worship of the sun and of fire in ancient 

 Persia. Nothing forbids the supposition, that a re- 

 ligious worship, which was there established in times 

 of antiquity, may have also existed from a remote 

 period in the country between the Ganges and the 

 Indus. 



The testimony of the Greeks preponderates greatly 

 for the early prevalence of the sect, from which the 

 present orthodox Hindus are derived. Arrian, 

 having said that the Brachmanes were the sages or 

 learned among the Indians *, mentions them under 

 the latter designation (<rof,r«0 as a distinct tribe, 

 * which, thougli inferior to the others in number, is 

 superior in rank and estimation : bound to no bodily 

 work, nor contributing any thing from labour to the 

 public use : in short, no duty is imposed on that 

 tribe, but that of sacrificing to the gods for the com- 

 mon benefit of the Indians ; and, when any one ce- 

 lebrates a private sacrifice, a person of that class 

 becomes his guide; as if the sacrifices would not else 

 be acceptable to the gods f.' 



Here, as well as in the sequel of the passage, the 

 priests of a religion consonant to the Vedas, are well 

 described: and what is said, is suitable to them; but 



Kaj ruv Bfcc^jj.ciiiuv ot o'>j c-otpi^oti tok 'iv^oXq haiv. n. 1. A. lib. 6. 



2of »r«» fK'» X. T, ?\„ Anian in ludicis. 



