ived at in the absence
of caste feelings. And as illustrations of the advantages of this caste
feeling, we pointed to the fact of there being no poor-houses in India,
and especially to the Jews in England, as affording an example of the
favourable effects of caste feeling. After this, we pointed to the fact
that, though caste had the effect of keeping one caste or order of men
above another, it had also a levelling tendency within each caste, and
produced an important point of equality which no poverty can destroy. We
then took into consideration some facts which seemed to show that families
could raise themselves to a higher rank in society by adopting the purer
habits of the classes above them; and we also saw that the influence of
wealth does, to a very great degree, elevate a man of low caste in the
social scale. We next saw reason to suppose that we have hitherto been
labouring under very exaggerated notions as to the stringency of caste
regulations, and two instances were given to illustrate the way in which
caste laws are sometimes set summarily aside. And, finally, we pointed
out, and gave some illustrations to prove, that with most of our
countrymen who have either tried to introduce new customs or in any way to
alter native habits of action, caste has ever been made, and very unjustly
made, the common scapegoat.

One word more. The absolute good that caste has done may be briefly summed
up. It has acted as a strong moral police, and as a preserver of order and
decorum in the community,[46] and it has prevented the spread of bad
habits and customs, more especially that of drinking, as far as large
numbers of the people are concerned.[47] On the other hand, caste is said
to have hindered the progress of the people taken as a whole. But in every
instance where we have really tried the introduction of any art, the
removal of any public crime (as suttee and human sacrifice, for instance),
the improvement of any cultivation, the introduction of education, or of
new means of moving from place to place, we have either found caste to be
no impediment at all, or an impediment so slight as not to be worth
mentioning.

* * * * *

NOTE.--With the view of obtaining information I briefly allude here to two
points with reference to caste and its effects--the (1) curious custom of
the Marasa Wokul tribe in Mysore, and (2) the influence of caste in
developing improved aptitudes which afterwards