Page:The history of caste in India.pdf/105

 of new castes by the indiscriminate intermixture of two already existing, but I must say a few words regarding the authorship of such theories of this nature as were invented to explain away the origin of new castes.

When we find a writer making a statement regarding the origin of a new caste for the first time we should not make haste to draw a conclusion that the author is the inventor of the theory. The doctrine which he records he may derive either from another author or an authoritative teacher who may have transmitted his doctrines by oral instruction. It may also happen that a writer should receive such doctrines from popular beliefs. It is possible that a theory may be current among people but may never appear in any book. Again, the writer who may see the growth of such a theory may entirely ignore it, knowing the real facts about the matter. But later on the facts may be forgotten, and to a theory which one author may have received with distrust a later author may give some credence. For this reason, unless we have any positive evidence, we should not come to any hasty conclusion making an author responsible for the invention of wild theories which he may incorporate in his book; though we may safely regard him as guilty of recording the belief without examination.