INDIAN FAMINES - Institute for Social and Economic Change

198 PREVENTIVE AND
merous difficulties. Caste can hardly be credite .. 1
with too many sins. To this is due the horro:
felt' by the high caste of mixing with tho
crowd, when honest ~onvictions that work wa.­
necessary should prevail: to this is due tht,
many instances of the non-acceptance of wellmeant
offers of succour to suffering wretches ani 1
to starving babes. Caste must be debited wit:.
the aversion to receiving cooked food, as well a.­
with the difficulty of providing it even when !'
is known that it will be acceptable, To caste w
must attribute the want of brotherly affectio'
between fellow-countrymen, and the consequell'
want of unity of action. 'Vomen's rights al'
agitated freely in England; but the compulsor:.
seclusion of women in the East should be know,
to our sisters at home before they can reali~,·
to the full their past disabilities or sufficient1'
value their present privileges; and they shoul .
then rejoice that caste is not an institution'
this country. Caste is also accountable for tL
limi ted variety of food, none of the more nouris 1
ing and sustaining articles of diet of the Westel
world being permitted by caste usage_ Mm'
other disturbing elements are attributable