His father mother and sister as well as his gurunanse or 

 teacher are invoked in testimony of the truth ; and he is 

 ready if necessary to swear by the sun. But he ignores, 

 the beautiful passage in Romeo and Juliet :< — 



Borneo. — Lady by yonder blessed moon I swear; 



That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops. 

 Juliet. — O swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon,, 



That monthly changes in her circled orb, 



Lest that thy love prove likewise variable. 

 Romeo. — What shall I swear by ? 

 Juliet. — Do not swear at all ; 



Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self, 



Which is the god of my idolatry, 



And I'll believe thee. 



Act 2, Scene II. 



For an oath taken by the moon is in this country by 

 no means a mere sentimental formula. 



The so-called tooth of Buddha enshrined in the- Da- 

 lada Maligawa at Kandy is an object of profound reverence,, 

 and an oath taken thereby is supposed to carry with it an 

 obligation proportionate to the general veneration paid to 

 the relic, whilst one of their most important oaths is 

 taken by the head of Buddha. 



We learn from Herodotus, that the most sacred oath 

 of the ancient Scythians, was sworn by the king's hearth. 

 It was an oath which had a peculiar significance and effect 

 -—whenever the king fell ill, he sent for three of his sooth- 

 sayers, and inquired the reason of his malady. They in- 

 variably said that it was because some one had sworn 

 falsely by the king's hearth. The person whom they ac- 

 cused was sent for, and charged with thus being the author 

 of the king's -sickness, and he, of course, protested his in- 

 nocence. Thereupon other soothsayers were called in; and 

 if they agreed with the opinion of those first consulted, 

 the perjurer was put to death, and his property divided 



