56 Buddhism and OdinisM. [No. 1. 



description of the disposal of the remains of Buddha, as given in the 

 Tibetan books, and although relating to circumstances which occurred 

 at a very distant place, still affords an instance of a coincidence 

 which cannot be altogether valueless in examining the relation of 

 the two systems of religion. 



" In the manner of treating the remains of the dead, the analogy 

 is borne not only in burying the body and erecting topes thereon, 

 but we find that in Scandinavia, the ashes of men of little importance 

 were deposited in urns and buried under earth or thrown into the 

 water, just as the Buddhists of Ceylon put the ashes of their dead 

 into urns and deposite them under the earth, or as the Buddhists 

 of Nepal, who throw the ashes of their dead into water" (p. 8.) 



The second section of the work is devoted to shew the identity 

 of the form of the haugs of Norway with the topes of India ; and 

 then follow in the next section a few hypotheses as to the 

 symbolism of the tope; the most probable of which appear to be 

 that they represent a bubble floating on the sea as emblematic of 

 the vanity of the human body. 



In the fourth section the author conveys an idea of the im- 

 mense masses of materials that are brought together to give to these 

 monuments an imposing appearance, by describing the size of some 

 of the largest topes and haugs. 



He says, " the Yaldershaug at Valderoe, an island near the 

 coast of Sondmor, a district in the diocese of Bergen, is nearly four 

 hundred feet in circumference, and from 14 to 16 feet in perpendi- 

 cular height. It appears to have been twice as high before. 



" The AusTiaug in the parish of Ulfsteen, diocese of Bergen, has a 

 circumference of 450 feet, and a height of 32 feet. A hau^ at 

 Vigeroe in the same diocese, has a circumference of 330 feet and a 

 height of 24 feet. In the parish of Urland of the same diocese, 

 there are several haugs, some of which are more than 400 feet in 

 circumference. In the parish of Glopen of the same diocese, there 

 is a haug having a circumference of more than 530 feet and a per- 

 pendicular height of 24 feet. In the parish of Yttre Holmedal of 

 the same diocese, there are two haugs, one of which is 340 feet in 

 circumference and 32 feet in height, and the other 400 feet in cir- 

 cumference and 16 to 18 feet in height. 



