the road which leads to heaven.

"There arrived, they find it extremely beautiful.

"Of silk were the houses, and brilliant were the precious
stones.

"Amusing herself, the princess was delighted with the abundance
of food which was there.

"Great being the bounty of the Almighty to mankind. And there
was no difference susceptible in the ages of those that were
there."

[Footnote 25: I am indebted for this and the subsequent versions
in the text to Raffles' "History of Java."]

[Footnote 26: Angels.]

I have already mentioned that among the Kavi poems are contained various
ethical works. Of these the "Paniti Sastra," or Manual of Wisdom, will
serve as an example. Raffles, in his account of this work, says that it
contains one hundred and twenty-three stanzas, and that it is said to be
contemporary with the Bharata Yuddha. Vreede, in his "Catalogue," says
in a note,[27] "Winter mentions the 'Niti Sastra Kawi,' and as its
author Prabu Vidayaka, in the time of Aji Saka." As Saka was the
commencement of all things in Java, to refer the work to the time of
Aji Saka, is practically to say that it is of unknown antiquity. It
belongs to the second class of _Tuturs_, or sacred writings, _i.e._
those which were not kept secret by the priests, but which might be read
by other castes beside the Brahmans; and there are several versions and
translations of it in modern Javanese. The following lines are taken
from the Kavi text of this work:--

"As the suraya flower floats in the water, so does the heart
exist in a pure body; but let it not be forgotten that the root
of the flower holds to the ground, and that the heart of man
depends upon his conduct in life.

"As the moon and the stars shed their light by night, and the
sun giveth light by day, so should the sayings of a wise man
enlighten all around him.

"Deprive not another of the credit which is due to him, nor
lower him in the opinion of the world; for the sun, when he
approaches near the moon, in depriving her of her light, adds
nothing to his own lustre."

[Footnote 27: Page 262.]

There is a modern Javanese version of the "Niti Sastra," of which the
following passages are specimens:--

"A man who is ignorant of the sacred writings, is as one who has
lost his speech; for when these become the conversation of other
men, he will be under the necessity o