Harding. — On Umvritten Literature. 445 



cal scriptures, though it may fairly take rank with many of 

 the puerile apocryphal writings and rabbinical commentaries. 

 The Hebrew prophecies and psalms, where the Eternal is 

 supposed to speak, rise to a sublimity unparalleled elsewhere. 

 "Without this lofty ideal, it was not possible for the religious 

 utterances of the Maoris to approach them in dignity. Nor, 

 in the absence of written records, could we reasonably expect 

 to find sustained argument or systematic connection, such as 

 mark the principal Scripture books. Such a production as the 

 Book of Job, for example, with its symmetrical form, its 

 dramatic power, and its philosophical treatment of the deepest 

 problems of life and providence, is wholly unlike anything in 

 the literature of an uncivilised people. But this particular 

 book — of vast and unknown antiquity — is unique. It stands 

 absolutely alone in literature. 



If, then, the substance of the native poetry and proverbs is 

 to be commended, the question remains as to their form — 

 whether it is rude and barbarous, or sufficiently finished and 

 symmetrical to bear critical examination from a literary stand- 

 point. To this there can be but one answer. The language 

 itself is flexible, expressive, and exact ; and the songs and 

 proverbs were arranged, like the Hebrew poetry, usually in a 

 dual form, the two lines being either parallel or antithetical 

 in sentiment. Ehyme was not known, but regular measure 

 and cadence were observed, and each song had its proper 

 rangi or melody. In the absence of letters, such an artificial 

 refinement as the acrostical form of the later Hebrew poetry 

 was impossible ; but, as Mr. Colenso has shown, even this 

 was in a measure paralleled by the device of beginning many 

 consecutive lines with the same word or short phrase — a very 

 characteristic feature of Maori poetry. Attentive readers of 

 his paper will have noticed one point which some of the pieces 

 quoted possess in common not only with Hebrew poetry, 

 but with the ballads of northern Europe — a perpetually- 

 recurring burden. In the very curious "soothing charm" 

 used to allay the pain of tattooing, the burden, recurring 

 some nine or ten times, is " Pirori e ! " and Mr. Colenso says 

 that he finds great difficulty in finding a satisfactory rendering 

 of so brief and elliptical an expression. I imagine that an 

 equal difficulty would be found in interpreting the " burdens " 

 of many old English, Scottish, or Danish ballads. Most of 

 them, at all events as regards the narrative they interrupt, 

 are as meaningless as the chorus of a music-hall song. But 

 they are often remarkably quaint and curious, and it is worthy 

 of note that they are so closely paralleled in Maori poetry. 

 Before leaving this subject, I cannot refrain from an allusion 

 to a wonderful and beautiful native poem, one of the most 

 ancient and curious in existence — the song or charm of Paikea. 



