‘Yes.’

’And do you not think that the greatest part of those men who tell lies in the court, under the influence of strong motives, unless they bear the Koran or Ganges water in their hands, would refuse to tell lies, if questioned before the people of their villages among the circle in which they live?’

’Of course I do; three-fourths of those who do not scruple to lie in our courts, would be ashamed to be before their neighbours, or the elders of their village.’

’You think that the people of the village communities are more ashamed to tell lies before their neighbours than the people of towns?’

‘Much more[10] here is no comparison.’

’And the people of towns and cities bear in India but a small proportion to the people of the village communities?’

‘I should think a very small proportion indeed.’

’Then you think that in the mass of the population of India out of our courts, and in their own circles, the first class, or those who speak truth, whether they have the Koran or Ganges water in their hands or not, would be found more numerous than the other two?’

’Certainly I do; if they were always to be questioned before their neighbours or elders, or so that they could feel that their neighbours and elders would know what they say.’

This man is a very worthy and learned Muhammadan, who has read all the works on medicine to be found in Persian and Arabia; gives up his time from sunrise in the morning till nine, to the indigent sick of the town, whom he supplies gratuitously with his advice and medicines, that cost him thirty rupees a month, out of about one hundred and twenty that he can make by his labours all the rest of the day.

There can be no doubt that, even in England, the fear of the odium of society, which is sure to follow the man who has perjured himself, acts more powerfully in making men tell the truth, when they have the Bible in their hands before a competent and public tribunal, and with a strong worldly motive to tell a lie, than the fear of punishment by the Deity in the next world for having ‘taken his name in vain’ in this.  Christians, as well as other people, are too apt to think that there is yet abundance of time to appease the Deity by repentance and reformation; but they know that they cannot escape the odium of society, with a free press and high tone of moral and religions feeling, like those of England, if they deliberately perjure themselves in open court, whose proceedings are watched with so much jealousy.  They learn to dread the name of ‘perjured villain’ or ‘perjured wretch’, which would embitter the rest of their lives, and perhaps the lives of their children.[11]