464 PROCEEDINGS OP THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



facts, with respect to the primitive condition of mankind, in a manner 

 so singularly and surprisingly adequate as to invest it with a strong 

 probability of truth. 



All of these, except the first three, have existed within the histori- 

 cal period, and still prevail in large portions of the human family. 

 The assumption, as to them, is limited to their mutual relations as 

 members of a series. 



With respect to the first three, namely, Promiscuous Intercourse, 

 the Intermarriage of Brothers and Sisters, and the Communal Family, 

 their prevalence will be assumed ; although there is strong evidence 

 tending to render probable the first two, and decisive evidence of the 

 existence of communal families in the barbarous nations of the present 

 time. 



The Hawaiian custom, which has been explained, is the fourth in 

 the series. It is a compound form of polygynia and polyandria, since, 

 under one of its branches, the several brothers live in polygynia, and 

 their wives in polyandria ; and, under the other, the several sisters live 

 in polyandria, and their husbands in polygynia.- In other words, it is 

 promiscuous intercourse within prescribed limits. Its existence, %s a 

 custom, seems to imply antecedent unregulated promiscuous inter- 

 course, involving the cohabitation of brothers and sisters as its most 

 common form ; thus finding mankind in a state akin to that of the 

 inferior animals. It seems probable that the Hawaiian custom still 

 embodies the evidence of an organic movement of society to extricate 

 itself from a worse condition than the one it produced. In effect, it 

 was a compact between several brothers to defend their common 

 wives, and a like compact between the husbands of several sisters to 

 defend their common wives, against the violence of society; thus im- 

 plying the existence of a perpetual struggle amongst the males for the 

 possession of the females. 



And this brings us to an important general proposition, namely, that 

 the principal customs and institutions of mankind have originated in, 

 and can only be explained as, great reformatory movements of society. 

 If this sufficiently explains the origin of the Hawaiian custom, it must 

 be regarded as one of a series of similar movements, by means of which 

 mankind emerged from a state of promiscuous intercourse, and through 

 a long and painful experience attained to marriage between single 

 pairs, and finally to the family as it now exists. 



I propose now to submit a conjectural solution of the origin of the 



