MADRAS IN 1714. 



19 



he might hope to free himself from all anxiety about the 

 future of his expected children. 



Where an orphan was left without either elder brother, 

 uncle, or aunt, a family council was held and a guardian 

 elected. To him the orphan was given over, and a list was 

 taken of the orphan's effects, which must be restored to him 

 upon his attaining his majority. As soon as he was able, the 

 orphan was made to work. And, if intelligent, he would be 

 taught to read and write and cipher. 



The 6th maxim is : " Quelque crime qu'ayent commis les 

 enfans a l'egard de leurs peres, ils ne peuvent jamais estre 

 desheritez." Even if a son attempted the life of his father, 

 his sin must be forgiven : he could not be disinherited. And 

 similarly a son could not disinherit his father, who (in de- 

 fault of sons) was his natural heir. For no cause could the 

 father be deprived of this indefeasible right. 



With regard to this maxim I would observe that the 

 worthy Father Bouchet would appear to have got a little out 

 of his depth here. Where inheritance is unknown, of course 

 disinheritance is impossible, and therefore it is not incorrect 

 to say that an Indian father may not in any case disinherit 

 his son. But a father may separate his son from him, and 

 not infrequently does so, and such separation practically may 

 amount to disinheritance. And the idea of the father being 

 heir to his son would seem to be quite opposed to the idea 

 above presented, of the son being obliged to throw all his 

 earnings into the common mass. 



We now come to the 7th, unfortunately the last, maxim : 

 " Le pere est oblige de payer toutes les dettes que les enfans 

 ont contracts es ; et les enfans sont pareillement obligez de 

 payer tous les dettes de leur pere." This rule, Father 

 Bouchefc observes, is general, and serves definitively to settle 

 disputes. However profligate the son, the father must pay 

 his debts, and the duty of the son is reciprocal. " Quand 



