sidered exceedingly vile and selfish. At meals strangers or foreigners are always shewn a preference, and females are helped before men of the same rank, because they are the weaker sex and require attention. A number of such instances might be given if necessary, but these, it is presumed, are sufficient to demonstrate that the people of the Tonga islands are not only not selfish, but admire liberality, and are practically liberal.

In such a kind of mind as we have been describing, we may readily suppose that the sentiments of veneration and respect are felt to a considerable degree; and, accordingly, every mark of such sentiments is shewn to the gods, to chiefs, and aged persons. Actual impiety is little known among them: Finow (the late king), was, indeed, an impious character in many respects, but we have already seen how much the people wondered at his success. The same king was one day prevented from going out upon an expedition against the enemy, by one of his chiefs happening to sneeze, which is considered a bad omen. Finow, on a sudden, greatly exasperated, with raised arms and clenched fists, exclaimed, in a loud voice," Crowd, all ye gods, to the protec"tion of these people, nevertheless I will wreak

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my vengeance on them tenfold!" But this impious exclamation was heard with horror by every body. There is no necessity to dwell upon the respect that is universally paid to chiefs, for it forms the stable basis of their government; and, of course, cannot be allowed to be infringed upon: it is, in short, a superior sacred duty, the non-fulfilment of which it is supposed the gods would punish almost as severely as disrespect to themselves. The great veneration which they pay to aged persons is a very amiable trait in their character; and, though it is now kept up by old habit and custom, it must, no doubt, have arisen in the beginning from notions which would do honour to the most civilized people; for it is not only to those who are old, both in years and wisdom, that such respect is paid, but every aged man and aged woman enjoys the attentions and services of the younger branches of society. Great love and respect for parents is another prominent mark of their character; and, indeed, it must be so, as it arises out of a two-fold motive: i. e. they pay respect on the score of parentage, and on that of superior chiefship or rank. Every chief also pays the greatest respect towards his eldest sister, which respect he shews in an odd way, but it is ac

cording to custom, viz. by never entering into the house where she resides; but upon what exact principle, except custom, Mr. Mariner has not satisfactorily learned.

The same principle of love and respect for parents and superiors engages every man to secure and defend his hereditary rights as another point of religious duty, and in honour to the memory of his ancestors, from whom he received them. By a farther extension of the same sentiment, he loves the island on which he was born, in particular, and all the Tonga islands generally, as being one country, and speaking one language. But the amor patriæ, in the more extended sense, cannot be supposed to prevail in a very high degree, for, having no wars with foreigners, the opportunities for the excitement and growth of this passion are not very frequent; nevertheless, in the history of the war at Vavaoo, we shall discover proofs of the existence of this noble sentiment, as well as in the life of Toobo Neuha, and in the death of the late king, who lamented that he left the country in a critical situation. The present king, and his uncle Finow Fiji, were, no doubt, patriots in the best sense of the word.

Honour is another principle upon which we

must speak; but, in regard to which, it is dif ficult to give the just character of the Tonga people. That they are honourable, in many respects, there can be no doubt; and that, in other respects, they do things which are, seemingly, at least, very dishonourable, there can be as little question. It was agreeable to every generous and honourable sentiment in Teoo Cava's men (vol. i. p. 351), to help him out of the ditch at the peril of their own lives; or in Mr. Mariner's four companions, to save him at the same risk. It was honourable in the late king, who was a very passionate man, and expected to be obeyed, to receive in good part, and readily to excuse, Mr. Mariner's refusal, on many occasions, to conform to orders that were not consistent with his principles. It was honourable in the Vavaoo people to have so much respect for the memory of their late chief, Toobo Neuha, as to resent his wrongs by their steady and determined conduct in regard to his murderers: and the behaviour of Toe Oomoo and her sister on this occasion is not unworthy of admiration. Finow Fiji, on the death of his brother, might easily have made himself king, for his party was exceedingly powerful, and heartily wished him to take the supreme command, but he was a man

of too much honour to rob his nephew of his right. If a man goes to another island, the chief of which, during his visit, makes war with all the island from which he comes, he is bound in honour to side with the chief on whose island he is; and this point of honour, except on extraordinary occasions, is faithfully kept: thus Finow Fiji was at Vavaoo when his brother, the king, waged war with that island, and, honour binding him, he remained in the service of Toe Oomoo, directing his hostilities chiefly against Toobo Toa, and those men who were the actual assassinators of Toobo Neuha. These different instances (and many others might be mentioned), are not only, to a certain degree, honourable in themselves, but are universally considered so by the natives: thus we must not deny that they feel the principle of honour, and practise it to a certain extent: but then what shall we say on the other side of the question? How can we excuse the capture of the Port au Prince, and the atrocious circumstances attending it: the assassination of Toobó Neuha; the treachery of Tarky', chief of the garrison of Bea (vol. i. p. 121)? But what stands forward both prominent and glaring, and the truth of which their own confession establishes, is, the serious