Indian Antiquary Vol 54

SR No.: 032546
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1985
Total Pages: 376
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 18 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JUNE, 1925
remains of a culture involving megaliths and solar evidence. The argumente brought forward by kings spreading from one end of the world to the the author would equally prove that England other, or rather I should say "cultures"; for and Scotland are moieties of a dual society. Mr. Perry considers general features and therefore ! The theory of the origin of the hostility between the genus only, and ignores the species and varieties. the moieties is a very lame one : it fails to For a start that is of little consequence ; if, as I recognize its sporting character and above all believe, civilization is one, and if all the successivo its close connection with the sacrifice. Mr. Perry waves that have spread in early times across the In. thinks it was the disrupting factor in the archaic dian Ocean and across the Pacific have received their society ; but in Fiji the rivalry of intermarrying impetus from one centre, it is of little importance tribes is the cement that binde society together : at the start whether we speak of an archaic civili- it is the foundation of trade, or rather their subzation or civilizations. The analysis comes later. stitute for it, of sport, of alliancee, of good
The thesis is, however, not altogether new, though fellowship. It may have degenerated, but its amplified, modified for the better and supported degeneration was the result and not the cause of by abundance of new evidence. It is in the decadence. The phenomenon of decadence is a unichapters on the Dual Organization and those that versal one that attacks all societies in all climates follow that I see Mr. Perry's most valuable con- and all ages; we do not know the causes, but the tributions. I am glad to see that he has definitely symptoms are familiar to all students of the broken with the old theory that the dual organiza. history of art ; and I fail to understand why tion is "primitive". He connects it with the malaria, hook worm, or the dual organization archaic civilization. Mr. Perry quotes a mass of should be invoked to explain why one people evidence quite sufficient to show that it is by no underwent a fate which is common to all. means & clumsy and inadequate contrivance to In the conclusion our interest revives: one may prevent incest, but merely one cog in a big wheel or may not agree with the author, but the chapter of doctrine, though all the complications of the is stimulating and presente new points of view. wheel do not appear. The main doctrine, the One confusion to which I demur is that between division of society into sky and earth people, is warlike spirit and cruelty. The most warlike clearly stated and the origin of heaven and hell people I have met may have been unfoeling, but is sufficiently indicated. Mr. Perry however has never actively cruel; on the whole I have found made a common mistake of describing the them kindly and good natured; the most unwarlike carth people as the "common people"; Sanskrit people I have come across has also boon the most scholars fall into the same error when they translate cruel. Whatever I have read or heard about the vis by "common people." It is clear vid could races of the world confirms my experience that on not refer to the masses, since it applies to the third the whole the most warlike are the least cruel. degree of twice bom; below them came the fadra, The Fijians were extreme cannibals, yet murder is or uninitiated, whose upper ranks were respectable almost unknown among them; the Sinhalese are enough to hold appointments at a Vedic courti. Buddhists, but hold the British Empire record for For a long time I made the mistake of attaching to murder. This incidentally supports the author's the Fijian expression "The People of the Land " contention that war is a custom and not an instinct, the same meaning as we should, until after long since the passion for war and the lust to kill are study I discovered it was merely a technical term not directly proportionate, but, if anything, in vergely for the lower half of the aristocracy, lower some so. Mr. Perry's contention will meet with violent times in everything, sometimes only in precedence opposition from the paychological school, but I am
As this is perhaps the most successful part of confident he will prove right, if by war is meant the Book I need not dwell on it, as the reader only organized warfare, and not private brawls. cannot do better than read it himself.
The whole idea of civilization being an education The twenty-sixth chapter entitled Egypt marks in certain tendencies is & fruitful one. Being & relapse. Why the author should want to trace new it is bound to be imperfectly applied in parts; all civilization to Egypt one fails to see. The but I think it will appear more and more that much Arguments fail to convince. For instance the dual which we have always put down to nature will turn organization is derived from Egypt; but first we
out to be the result of ages of training. have to prove the existence of the dual organization A most extensive bibliography follows the there. I am quite willing to believe that the text and would alone be a valuable contribution division of Egypt into North and South is an to the comparative student. instance of the dual organization, but I want
A. M. HOCART. Sata patha Brahmana, V. 3. 1. The low condition of the sadras has been exaggerated owing to the contempt poured upon them by the Brahmans. But firstly, the Brahmans were insufferably conceited; recordly, do not all the more genteel of our own sudras spend most of their time trying to provo that they are not middle class 1 And is not bouryeois a term of reproach, although the term applies to all but a very few of the upper classes ?