172 
UOOTAN, 
character, ail circumstances considered, is not very much to be won¬ 
dered at. Let it be remembered, that, in the first career of life, by a 
continuance in a state of celibacy, the Booteea is recommended to dis¬ 
tinction ; as on the contrary, any matrimonial contract proves almost 
a certain hindrance to his rise in rank, or his advancement to offices 
o 
of political importance. Having therefore made the first sacrifice to 
ambition, and remained long single, in the hope of attaining to higher 
dignities and emoluments; chagrined, at length, by a series of disap¬ 
pointments, if a bare competency has been the fruit of his long service, 
he withdraws himself from public life: being at the same time some¬ 
what advanced in years, his passion for connubial connection, is 
weakened, and his natural apathy confirmed. Having been detached 
by early habit from society, uninfluenced by ties of duty or affection 
to family or friends, his most prevailing impulse is the love of ease; 
and indolence and vanity at once direct his choice to religious retire¬ 
ment. The multitude flatter with their admiration the penitential 
devotee ; and motives perhaps merely temporal, falsely obtain the 
praise of exalted piety. 
It will be obvious from hence, since population is opposed by two 
such powerful bars as ambition and religion, how great a diminution in 
the number of inhabitants must inevitably be the result. In fact, the 
higher orders of men, entirely engrossed by political or ecclesiastical 
duties, leave to the husbandman and labourer, to those who till the 
fields and live by their industry, the exclusive charge of propagating 
\ 
the species. 
Having crossed the summit of Pomaela, we descended between the 
