INHERITANCE OF PROPERTY. 
345 ) 
ests, that little attention is paid by the poorest class to these rules; 
and that the latter have probably been made purposely to serve the 
cupidity of the Court, Wealth in Siam frequently leads, as it does 
♦ 
all over Asia, to the ruin of its possessor; what therefore cannot with 
safety be enjoyed is often buried. To this also, in a great measure, 
may be ascribed the aversion shewn by the mass of the people to en¬ 
gage in arduous but lucrative professions ; and the heedless manner 
in which they often throw away all that they are worth at festivals, 
births, marriages, and funerals, in many of these respects they agree 
with the natives of India, and in all with the remaining Indo Chi¬ 
nese nations, and the Malays. A poor man will stint himself in every 
comfort for years, in order that he may be able to squander his sav¬ 
ings, perhaps equal to a hundred pounds sterling, at his marriage. 
Indian despotic native governments too, always encourage such 
waste; since poverty ia their subjects is desirable to them; and not, 
where provisions are so abundant, followed by disaffection and tur¬ 
bulence, but productive of submission and docility. The Law there¬ 
fore regarding succession is often evaded by a man during Iris life ; 
since by Gift he caw transfer property from his own hands to nume¬ 
rous relatives, and defeat the rapacity of the Court. But any at¬ 
tempt by an heir to conceal property which belonged to the deceased 
causes a forfeiture of his claims 
A person claiming inheritance must personally appear; substitutes 
being inadmissible. Heirs to property must assist at, and bear their 
share of, the charges for obsequies, exceptions being made for those 
who cannot, from the nature of circumstances, be present. 
Before property is divided, the debts of the deceased are to be 
punctually paid; and competent witnesses must be present at the 
division. It does not appear that any distinction is drawn betwixt 
property of which a female may be possessed, and that left by a man,— 
both are divided on similar principles. The eldest child, whether 
male or female, gets the largest share. Should the individual have 
no parents, grand parents, or great grand parents living, then the 
portion, or one third of the real and personal property, which such 
persons would have otherwise taken, is divided equally, and added to 
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