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116 places, and carrying on business as merchants, bankers, and ship-builders; and since that time they have continued to flourish exceedingly, although it would appear from the census returns that their number is not increasing. In 1841 there were 114,000 Parsis in India, while in 1881 the number was given as only 85,000.

As we have already said, the religion of Zoroaster, which is still professed by the Parsis, is essentially monotheistic. Dr. Haug, who is the great authority on the subject, writes as follows:—"The leading idea of Zoroaster's theology was monotheism: that there are not many gods, but only one. The principle of his speculative philosophy was dualism, the supposition of two primeval causes of the real world and of the intellectual; while his moral philosophy was moving in the triad of thought, word, and deed." The Creator of the Universe is worshipped under the name of Hormazd, or Ahrima Mazda; while, according to the Parsi Scriptures, there are working in subjection to the Supreme Being two causes or principles, by whose agency he is the Causer of all causes, the Creator and Destroyer of all things. These two principles are Spento Mainyush, the increasing or Creating Spirit, and Angro Mainyush, the decreasing or Destroying Spirit. And these two are ever at work, and have been from all eternity, acting and counteracting on each other,