om law, religion, or moral feeling. Religion is seldom of itself
found sufficient; for, though men cannot hope to conceal their
transgressions from the Deity, they can, as I have stated, always
hope in time to appease Him. Penal laws are not alone sufficient, for
men can always hope to conceal their trespasses from those who are
appointed to administer them, or at least to prevent their getting
that measure of judicial proof required for their conviction; the
dread of the indignation of their circle of society is everywhere the
more efficient of the three checks; and this check will generally be
found most to prevail where the community is left most to self-
government--hence the proverb, 'There is honour among thieves'. A
gang of robbers, who are outlaws, are, of course, left to govern
themselves; and, unless these could rely on each other's veracity and
honour in their relations with each other, they could do nothing. If
Governments were to leave no degree of self-government to the
communities of which the society is composed, this moral check would
really cease--the law would undertake to secure every right, and
enforce every duty; and men would cease to depend upon each other's
good opinion and good feelings.[12]

There is perhaps no part of the world where the communities of which
the society is composed have been left so much to self-government as
in India. There has seldom been any idea of a reciprocity of duties
and rights between the governing and the governed; the sovereign who
has possession feels that he has a right to levy certain taxes from
the land for the maintenance of the public establishments, which he
requires to keep down rebellion against his rule, and to defend his
dominions against all who may wish to intrude and seize upon them;
and to assist him in acquiring the dominions of other princes when
favourable opportunities offer; but he has no idea of a reciprocal
duty towards those from whom he draws his revenues. The peasantry
from whom the prince draws his revenues feel that they are bound to
pay that revenue; that, if they do not pay it, he will, with his
strong arm, turn them out and give to others their possessions--but
they have no idea of any right on their part to any return from him.
The village communities were everywhere left almost entirely to self-
government; and the virtues of truth and honesty, in all their
relations with each other, were indispensably necessary to enable
them to g