sometimes taken. Veachi used often to lament to Mr Mariner, that those happy days were passed away when they used to live in peace and happiness at the Island of Tonga, when every body paid the highest respect to the divine chiefs, and there were no disturbances to fear, the land being well cultivated, and frequent rich presents sent to them: others made the same complaint. In short, it would appear that tempora mutantur, the almost universal cry of dissatisfaction, is heard at the Tonga Islands as well as elsewhere; but the distant prospect generally appears more beautiful than the place whereon we stand. In all probability, Tooitonga and Veachi had great reason to complain, particularly Tooitonga, respect towards whom was evidently falling off even in Mr Mariner's time; for, formerly, it was thought necessary, when Tooitonga died, that his chief wife should be strangled and buried with him, but, in respect to the two last Tooitongas, this was not performed. Again, the late king would not allow Tooitonga to give him any advice in matters of war, but insisted that he should remain in peace and quietness at his own side of the island and lastly, the present king, when the late Tooitonga died, would not allow his son to succeed to that high title, but, at one bold stroke, freed the people from a burden of taxes, by annulling the title of Tooitonga, and the expensive ceremony of Inachi. Veachi, being a sensible, good, quiet sort of man, who interfered in no public matters, and who had nothing to do with the people of any other island but his own (Toongooa), was still suffered to retain his dignity, and probably does to this day. In that case, he is the greatest chief at the Ton

Islands; for the late Tooitonga's son, if he have not since been made a Tooitonga, is below Veachi in rank. Thus it appears that the Tonga Islands are undergoing considerable changes, both in respect to religion and politics; and if the communication between Vavaoo and the Hapai Islands, and between both places and Tonga, should remain closed for a number of years, it would be a curious inquiry, to investigate what changes the language will undergo in those respective places. In regard to the priests, their habits are precisely the same as other persons of the same station; and, when they are not inspired, all the respect that is paid to them is that only which is due to their private rank. Mr Mariner recollects no chief that was a priest: he has, indeed, seen the king inspired by Taly-y-Toobo (who never inspires any body but the king), but he is not considered a priest on this account; those only being considered such, who are in the frequent habit of being inspired by some particular god. It generally happens that the eldest son of a priest, after his father's death, becomes a priest of the same god who inspired his father. When a priest is inspired, he is thought capable of prophesying, or rather the god within him. These prophecies generally come true, for they are mostly made on the probable side, and when they do not, the priest is not blamed. It is supposed the god, for some wise purpose, has deceived him; or changed his mind; or spoken prematurely, without consulting the other gods.

At the Sandwich Islands, the priests appear to stinct order or body of men, living for the

t together, holding occasional conferences,

peo

and at all times respected by the body of the ple; whereas, at the Tonga Islands, the priests live indiscriminately with the rest of the natives, are not respected on the score of their being priests, unless when actually inspired, and hold no known conferences together, as an allied body. Mr Mariner frequently associated with them, knew their general conduct, and inquired the opinion of all classes of the natives respecting them; and has no reason to think that they combine together for the purpose of deceiving the people. He found nothing remarkable in their general character. If there was any difference between them and the rest of the natives, it was that they were rather more given to reflection, and somewhat more taciturn, and probably greater observers of what was going forward. They have no peculiarity of dress to distinguish them. The most remarkable of their prophecies, if they deserve that name, are those mentioned vol. I. of a young chief being inspired by a female spirit from Bolotoo; and on the illness of Finow and his daughter, when one became better the other became worse, as the priest foretold. The priests associate with the chiefs as much as other matabooles and mooas; and, although Tooitonga and Veachi are considered divine chiefs, they have no more to do with the priests, nor are they otherwise connected with them, than are other chiefs.

Having thus far given a general view of the religious opinions of the Tonga people, and of the habits of their divine chiefs and priests, we shall proceed to unfold, with as much accuracy and impartiality as possible, their notions and habits of

morality; and in another chapter conclude the subjects connected with religion, by a detail of their religious ceremonies.

Moral virtue will appear to have a very slender foundation in these islands, when we consider that the natives believe in no future place of reward, but what a man will equally possess, whether he live virtuously or not, and that they have no idea of a future state of punishment of any kind or degree whatsoever. Neither will our opinion of their notions of moral virtue be exalted, when, on à strict examination of their language, we discover no words essentially expressive of some of the higher qualities of human merit, as virtue, justice, humanity; nor of the contrary, as vice, injustice, cruelty, &c. They have indeed expressions for these ideas, but they are equally applicable to other things. To express a virtuous or good man, they would say tangata lillé, a good man, or tangata loto lille, a man with a good mind; but the word lille, good (unlike our word virtuous), is equally applicable to an axe, canoe, or any thing else. Again, they have no word to express humanity, mercy, &c. but ofa, which rather means friendship, and is a word of cordial salutation. Neither have they any word expressive of chastity, except nofo mow, remaining fixed or faithful, and which in this sense is only applied to a married woman, to signify her fidelity to her husband; but in another sense it is applicable to a warrior, to signify his loyalty and attachment to his chief. Farthermore, when we learn that theft, revenge, rape, and murder, under many circumstances, are not held to be crimes, we shall be tempted to exclaim, How miserable are these wretched people!

the virtues have left their abode, and they are given up a prey to every evil passion! The picture is indeed dark, but we must throw a little more light upon it, and approach to take a nearer view.

The Tonga people do not indeed believe in any future state of rewards and punishment, but they believe in that first of all religious tenets, that there is a power and intelligence superior to all that is human, which is able to control their actions, and which discovers all their most secret thoughts; and though they consider this power and intelligence to be inherent in a number of individual beings, the principle of belief is precisely the same. They firmly believe that the gods approve of virtue, and are displeased with vice; that every man has his tutelar deity, who will protect him as long as he conducts himself as he ought to do; but, if he does not, will leave him to the approaches of misfortune, disease, and death. And here we find some ground on which to establish a virtuous line of conduct. But this is not sufficient. There is implanted in the human breast a knowledge or sentiment which enables us sometimes, if not always, to distinguish between the beauty of disinterestedness and the foul ugliness of what is low, sordid, and selfish; and the effect of this sentiment is one of the strongest marks of character in the natives of these islands. Many of the chiefs, on being asked by Mr Mariner what motives they had for conducting themselves with propriety, besides the fear of misfortunes in this life; replied, the agreeable and happy feeling which a man experiences within himself when he does any good action, or conducts himself nobly and generously, as a man ought to do. And this question they an