In a little book of this sort it has been necessary to make many general and sweeping statements which are not always literally true of any given part of India. But perhaps enough has been said to show the interesting and significant differences between the three hundred odd millions of Western Europe and the three hundred odd millions of India. Our business in India has been primarily to keep the peace, to provide a breathing-space after the social and political turmoil that followed on the breaking-up of the Moghal empire. The principal result, so far, has been a notable increase in Hindu self-confidence and ambition, and a growing belief among Hindus that their ancient social system is not incompatible with industrial, commercial, and political advance on European lines. This belief has been much strengthened by the modernisation of Japan, and its results. It has been fostered by the free admission of educated Hindus to the highest and most responsible posts in the King-Emperor's administration. Inasmuch as that statement brings me to the most modern development of Hindu life and thought, I cannot do better than end at this point. [5] Some account of the development of Chaitanya's teaching in Assam may be found in an article of mine in Dr Hastings' _Dictionary of Religion and Ethics_. [6] In 1606, R. de Nobili, a nephew of Bellarmine, was in charge of the Jesuit mission at Madura, and adopted the costume of a Dravidian Brāhman. BIBLIOGRAPHY CHAPTER I The standard authority on the Hindu literary theory of Caste is M. Emile Senart's _Les Castes dans l'lnde_. Paris. Ernest Leroux. 1896. Probably the best succinct account of Caste is Mr E. A. Gait's article in Dr Hastings' _Encyclopædia of Religion and Ethics_. This will, of course, be brought up to date in the forthcoming Report on the Indian Census of 1911. Sir A. C. Lyall's _Asiatic Studies_. London. John Murray. Contains a sympathetic and learned account of Hindu social life and of the workings of Caste in Upper India. M. C. Bouglé's _Essai sur le Régime des Castes_. Paris. Felix Alcan. 1908. Contains much interesting matter taken from many sources, but sometimes, from want of local knowledge, does not sufficiently discriminate between different developments of the caste system. There is an enormous literature on the races, tribes, and castes of India, but references to the most important books will be found in the above authorities. * * * * * Chapter I is, in the main, a summary of Sir H. H. Risley's views as expressed in Chapter VI of Vol. I of the _Imperial Gazetteer_. That is inevitable, since the _Gazetteer_ contains necessarily the most authoritative summary of what is known on the subject, pending the appearance of Mr Gait's forthcoming Census Report. CHAPTER II