STRANGE OATHS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 404, 21 September 1889, Page 6

STRANGE OATHS.

It is curious that we arc quite unable to realise the enormity of some of the Continental oaths. We can, of course, to a certain extent, appraise -such terms as Sacre, Saprisli, and Mot bleu (euphemistic for 3fort Di6.u) ; but, on the other hand, we wholly fail to appreciate the swearing value of Millc, tonnerres and -Tawsend Donnencetter. Even though these latter be regarded as an invocation ot Thor, the god of thunder and summer heat, we cannot see anything very droadful or juratory in them. Anglicised they become perfectly harmless, and would indeed be welcomed in the room of some of our own more opprobrious idioms. ' Thunder ' or even 'Thunder and lightning !' we consider a t very temperate, exclamation : so too, thought the author of 'the 'tragic story of the Bagman's Dog, which may be consulted with advantage on 'this head. Applying the Johnsonian maxim'of ' claret for 1 boys, port' for , men, a.nd brandy for heroes,' we should certainly be inclined to class either or both of them with the claret, nay even with the yet milder variety of Glaclstonian claret," a vintage happily unknown to the learned doctor. To our insular 'minds they convey absolutely no idea of impropriety. We might go about Donnerwettering lor a month together, and not feel one atom the better for it, or the worse ; while our character for propriety and decent speech would not be one whit damaged, whatever might be thought of our sanity. The German soul, however, is conscious of a distinct sense of relief after a judicious indulgence in the same pastime. Hence we are ' confronted by the strange paradox that what is a round oath in one country is not even a smart ejaculation in the next.