Volume 1

The travels of several learned missioners of the Society of Jesus, into divers parts of the Archipelago, India, China, and America ... / Translated from the French [of 'Lettres édifiantes et curieuses, écrites des missions étrangères'].

  • Society of Jesus
Date:
1714
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The travels of several learned missioners of the Society of Jesus, into divers parts of the Archipelago, India, China, and America ... / Translated from the French [of 'Lettres édifiantes et curieuses, écrites des missions étrangères']. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    particular Pleafure to me to give them that Sa- tisfattion, which will be of Ufe for the better under- ftanding af the Genius and Manners of the Indian Nation. te | To this Purpofe there are Two Things to be premis’d. The firft #5, that the Indians are divided into fe- veral Claffes, which the Portuguefes call Caftas, that u, Races, or Tribes. There are Three of them which are the Chief; the Race of the Brachmans, which is the Prime Nobility; that of the Kchatrys, or Rajas, anfwerable to our Gentry, or Inferior Nobi- lity in Europe, and that of the Choutres, that ws the Commonalty. vs, . Befides thefe Three Races, which are very exten- five, there 15 a Fourth calld the Race of the Parias, being the meaneft of the Multitude. This is look’d. upon by all the others as an infamous Race, with which there is no having any Communication without forfeiting a Man’s Honour, “They have fo horrid a Notion of the Parias, as to reckon whatfoever one of them touches defil'd and unfit to be put to any ufe 5 they always talk to them at a Diftance; they are not permitted to live in the Towns, but muft keep abroad, and build their Villages as remote as i appointed. | Each of thofe principal Races divided into o- thers fubordinate to-it, and fome nobler than others. The Race. of the Chouters comprifes the greateft Number of thofe fubaltern Races, for under the Name of Choutres ave comprehended the Races of Merchants, Husbandmen, Goldfmiths, Carpenters, Mafons, Painters, Weavers, &c. Every Trade #. confin’d to one Race, and. none can work at it but fuch as are of that Race’, fo that a Carpenter would be feverely punifh’d fhould he meddle with the Gold- funiths Trade. Homever there are fome Profeffions to which every Man iidifferently may apply pee