To conclude, it deserves here to be remarked: 1st, That in all the copies of these laws now extant, a great number of Samscred words occur; such as _Mangala_, _Uttama_, _Gòdama_, _Niba_, &c.: from which there is strong reason to conjecture, that they were originally written in the Samscred language. 2d, It is highly probable that these laws were committed to writing about 1600 years before the birth of Christ, and at a period when the school of the _Samanæi_ was in a flourishing condition. 3d, It is evident that all these laws are merely of a moral tendency, and, as such, belong to the _Sàmavèda_, that is, the moral laws of the Indians. There are, however, some others of a dogmatic nature, and these form the _Ircuvèda_, that is, those parts of the Indian code of laws which treat of divine and celestial things. In the last place, there are also ceremonial laws, which relate to the practices of divine worship, offerings, lustrations, &c. and these together form the _Yagiurvèda_. All these three kinds are mentioned in the Brahmanic dictionary _Amarasinha_, in the chapter entitled _Shabdàdivargga_. Copies of these laws are preserved in all the temples and academies; but they are under the keeping of the Brahmans, and besides them no one is suffered to read them[166]. CHAPTER IV. _Classes or Families of the Indians._ Of these classes, called by the Indians _Giadi_ or _Varna_, and by the Europeans, very improperly, _casts_[167], there are a great many. The principal are: _Brahmana_, _Kshetria_, or _Ràgiaputra_, _Vayshya_, and _Shudra_. Their origin is lost in the period of Noah, whom the Indians call king _Menu_[168]. The Brahmans form the class of priests. Their high-priest _Sarvavèda_, that is, a man who has performed all the duties of the law, has the superintendance of the public worship, and no offerings are ever presented without his order. All the Brahmans in general, who have ever brought to the gods a public offering, are called _Eburandiri_. In this respect, however, they are divided into several classes. Those who have been present at the grand festival of oblation, which I have described in my _Systema Brahmanicum_[169], are called _Yagiamàna_ or _Yashda_. Others who have brought solemn offerings to the god _Sòma_ (the moon) are called _Sòmàdri_, _Sòmabadi_, or _Dikshida_. _Guru_ is the appellation of those persons who teach morality and other philosophical sciences. Those who instruct the people in what manner to pray in the temples, and on other solemn occasions, are called _Shrotria_. Those, on the other hand, who give precepts respecting the so called _Mandra_, or meditation of the heart, are called _Aciàrya_. The title of those who employ themselves with astronomy is _Grahashastri_; but the astrologers, who form a class entirely distinct, are called _Giòdishyashàstri_. Among these Brahmans there are several philosophical sects: