_ 52 Tree and Serpent Worship_, by James Fergusson. London, 1868. Very similar opinions had been advocated by Rajendralal Mitra, in a paper published in 1858 in the _Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society_, “Buddhism and Odinism, illustrated by extracts from Professor Holmboe’s Memoir on the _Traces du Buddhisme en Norvège_.” How much mischief is done by opinions of this kind when they once find their way into the general public, and are supported by names which carry weight, may be seen by the following extracts from the _Pioneer_ (July 30, 1878), a native paper published in India. Here we read that the views of Holmboe, Rajendralal Mitra, and Fergusson, as to a possible connection between Buddha and Wodan, between Buddhism and Wodenism, have been adopted and preached by an English bishop, in order to convince his hearers, who were chiefly Buddhists, that the religion of the gentle ascetic came originally, if not from the Northeast of Scotland, at all events from the Saxons. “Gotama Buddha,” he maintained, “was a Saxon,” coming from “a Saxon family which had penetrated into India.” And again: “The most convincing proof to us Anglo-Indians lies in the fact that the Purânas named Varada and Matsy distinctly assert that the White Island in the West—meaning England—was known in India as Sacana, having been conquered at a very early period by the Sacas or Saks.” After this the bishop takes courage, and says: “Let me call your attention to the Pâli word _Nibban_, called in Sanskirt Nirv_âna_. In the Anglo-Saxon you have the identical word—Nabban, meaning ‘not to have,’ or ‘to be without a thing.’ ” 53 See _Buddhaghosha’s Parables_, translated by Captain Rogers, with an Introduction containing Buddha’s Dhammapada, translated from Pâli, by M. M., 1870, p. 110, note. 54 Hare, “On the Names of the Days of the Week” (_Philol. Museum_, Nov. 1831); Ideler, _Handbuch der Chronologie_, p. 177; Grimm, _Deutsche Mythologie_, p. 111. 55 A writer in the _Index_ objects to my representation of what Josephus said with regard to the observance of the seventh day in Greek and barbarian towns. He writes:— WASHINGTON, _Nov. 9, 1872._