Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/48

 36 CLASSIFICATION AND and authority of the head of the church. The Indian islanders have, indeed, an ample stock of credulity and superstition, but the temper of the people is not of that gloomy and enthusiastic cast which affords the materials that would kindle into a flame of fanaticism or intolerance, and however abject their political servitude, they are not subject to the still more pernicious slaveiy of the priest- hood. The Mahomedan religion authorizes no regular priesthood, yet among the Indian island- ers it has become a distinct profession, and in Java we see them the virtual successors of their Braminical predecessors, a peaceful unaspiring race of men, whose influence is kept under through control by the all-limiting supremacy of despotic power. Although, in considering the class of nobles, I have stated that an official rather than a hereditary nobility exists, yet, from the nature of things, it must necessarily happen that such nobility is in some measure hereditaiy in families. The pos- sessor of oflice acquires, in that situation, a portion of power, wealth, intelligence, and experience, which is naturally more or less inherited by his fa- mily ; and, from habit, convenience, and necessi- ty, the nobility are often chosen from the same stock. In such a state of society, there can be no middle class ; and, accordingly, as mentioned in another place, the mercantile order had in Java,