Report No. 28

7. Definition by Bentham.-Bentham has defined "oath1" as follows:-

"By the term oath, taken in the largest sense, is universally understood a ceremony composed of words and gestures, by which the Almighty is engaged eventually to inflict on the taker of the oath, or swearer, as he is called, punishment in quantity and quality liquidated, or more commonly unliquidated, in the event of his doing something which he, the swearer, at the same time and thereby engages not to do, or omitting to do something which he in like manner engages to do.".

1. Bentham, Works, Vol. III, p. 191.