XXII. 41. "Thou hast also given me the necks of

mine enemies." (Gen. xlix. 8. Exod. xxiii. 27.

Josh. x. 24. Job xvi. 12.

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The neck is often used for the whole body, and in threatenings, it is the part mentioned. A proprietor of slaves is said to have their necks. To a person going amongst wicked or cruel people it is said, "Go not there, your puddara, i. e. neck, or nape, will be given to them." Depend upon it government will have it out of the necks of those smugglers." "Have you paid Chinnan the money?" "No, nor will I pay him." 66 Why?" "Because he has had it out of my neck."* When two men have been fighting, the conqueror may be seen to seize the vanquished by the neck, and thrust him to the ground.

1056 years before Christ, whereas Buddha did not establish his religion till 521 years before Christ, which was about the time of the prophet Haggai.

These facts, however, are worthy of being recorded, as they afford some curious coincidences, and may serve to illustrate future discoveries.

* A witness said in his examination before the Honourable the Supreme Court, that the prisoner threatened to have the value of the article out of his neck. This being interpreted to the Judge, he smiled, and said, the figure was most absurd. His lordship, however, did not know that the figure was most appropriate, and conveyed a very forcible idea to the minds of the Orientals.

1 KINGS.

CHAP. I. verse 2.-"Let there be sought, for my lord the king, a young virgin -let her cherish him, and

let her lie in thy bosom."

This is by no means so uncommon a thing as people in England suppose. Men of seventy years of age and upwards often take a young virgin for the same purpose as David did, and no other. It is believed to be exceedingly healthful for an aged person thus to sleep. "In the hot season, he is kept cool, and, in the cold season, warm, by sleeping with a young person; his withered body derives nourishment from the other." Thus, decrepit men may be seen having a young female in the house (to whom, generally, they are not married), and to whom they bequeath a considerable portion of their property.

14.-"Confirm thy words." The Hebrew has for

confirm, "fill up."

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"I wish you to go and inform Tamban, that I will gladly go into the court and fill up all his words." My friend, do not believe that man's word."-" Not believe them! why, his words have been filled up by many people." "Well, you say you saw Muttoo turn his cattle last night into your rice fields, what proof have you?"—" None, my lord, I was alone, and, therefore, have no one to fill up my words." "As Venase was coming through the cinnamon gardens, that notorious robber Kalloway* met him, took from him his earrings, finger-rings, and five gold mohurs; but, before he got off, several people came up, who knew him well, so that there will be plenty of witnesses to fill up his words."

16.-"Bath-sheba bowed, and did obeisance unto the

king."

When a husband goes on a journey, or when he returns, his wife, on seeing him, puts her hands together and presents them to him as an act of obeisance. When she has an important request to make, she does the same thing; and, it is surprising to see the weakness of him who pretends to be the stronger vessel, for, under such circumstances, she will gain almost any thing she wants. Hence, the force of their popular proverb, "The woman who regularly makes obeisance to her husband, can make it rain whenever she pleases."

When Bath-sheba made her obeisance to the king, he asked, "What wouldest thou?" but, the Hebrew has this, "What to thee?" This accords with the idiom of the Tamul language. Thus it will be asked of a person who stands with his hands presented to a great man, ummak-enna, "To thee what?" If speaking of a third person, avanuk-enna, “ To him what?" or literally, "Him to what?"

II. 16.—“I ask one petition of thee, deny me not.” The Hebrew has for "deny me not," "turn not away my face."

When a man has gained the attention of the person to whom he wishes to speak, he generally says oru-kealvemāteram, i. e. one request only, to show he is not going to give him much trouble, and to ask for many things.

face:

Adonijah said to Bath-sheba, " turn not away my under similar circumstances it would be said here, "Ah! do not make my face ashamed Do not put away my face Reject not my face."

34. "He was buried in his own house in the wil

derness."

This refers to the interment of Joab, who was slain by the hands of Benaiah. It is probable that Joab had built this house for the purpose of being buried in it, as it is not

reasonable to suppose that he would erect a house in such a place, to be the habitation of the living.

Children or parents often build a house in a retired place, over, or for the remains of their dead; and the rest of the family also when they die are buried there.* In some of these places may be seen the funeral car, or palankeen, in which the corpse was taken to its long home suspended from the roof. At the anniversary of the death of a father, mother, or any other near relation, the friends go thither to perform the annual rites for the benefit of their manes. Such a house, so long as the descendants of the dead interred there have the power to prevent it, will never be allowed to go to decay.

38." Shimei dwelt in Jerusalem many days." Ask a man how long he has lived in the village, or a priest how long he has officiated in the temple, the answer is not a long time, or many years, but veagu-nāl, i. e. many days. "How long were they digging that tank?"-"Ah! many days." "Who built that temple?"-" Ah! my lord, how can I tell? it has been built many days." "I hear

you were at the taking of Seringapatam, when the great Tippoo Saib was "How long is that since?"

"Yes, I was.'

slain."
"I cannot certainly tell, but many days."

III. 7.- "I am but a little child; I know not how to go out, or come in.”

:

So said Solomon when he came to the kingdom of his father and so say men here, though they be advanced in years, when they wish to speak of their incapacity for any performance. "What can I do in this affair; I am but a boy of yesterday's birth? When a man pleads for forgiveness, he says, "I am but a little child, it was my ignorance." Has a man insulted another by not bowing to him, or refusing to take off his sandals in his presence, or by the use of some improper expressions; those who go to intercede for him, say, * Some of these houses are most splendid. See Daniell's Oriental Views.

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Forgive him, sir, he is but an infant of yesterday." A person wishing to compliment a holy or learned person, says, "I am but a little infant when compared with you."

25.

"Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one and half to the other."

The great merit of the king in this matter was finding out the true mother.

"A woman who was going to bathe left her child to play on the banks of the tank, when a female demon who was passing that way carried it off. They both appeared before the deity, and each declared the child was her own: the command was therefore given that each claimant was to seize the infant by a leg and an arm, and pull with all their might in opposite directions. No sooner had they commenced than the child began to scream, when the real mother, from pity, left off pulling, and resigned her claim to the other. The judge therefore decided, that as she only had shown affection, the child must be hers." *

The decision of a Hindoo magistrate in the case of some travellers is also in point.

"Two travellers once went into a rest-house to sleep; the one had on beautiful ear-rings, the other had none. In the night the latter arose, and while the other slept, took off one of his rings and put it in his own ear. In the morning the former finding one of his rings missing, looked at his companion and saw it in his ear. He immediately charged him with the theft, but the thief retorted, and charged him with having stolen one of his rings. They disputed for some time, and at last each determined to make his complaint before a magistrate his worship patiently heard the case, but as each swore that the other was the thief, and as neither of them could produce a witness, he was at a loss how to decide. He then took one of them into a private apartment, and said, I cannot find out who is guilty, but as I perceive the rings are * From the Rev. R. S. Hardy. See book Panseya-panas-jatike.