xviii INTRODUCTION. 



of very great value, although I think it of less value than the 

 grammar. To say that Mr. Male's Avork is now behind our 

 present knowledge of these languages is to say only what every 

 student would hope and expect to be the case. But even now, 

 the student of the Polynesian philology who has separate 

 grammars and dictionaries of all the languages in his hand may 

 still learn something from this work which he cannot afford to 

 overlook. The volume containing it is, however, very rare and 

 difficult to obtain.' 



As regards Tahiti and the Marquesas, P. L. J. B. Gaussin's 

 Da Dialecte de Tahiti, de celui des lies Marquises, et en general de 

 la Lanyue Polynesienne (Paris, 1853), is a work which is of 

 interest and especial value in regard to the Marquesas. 



Dr. Friedrich Miiller's sketch of the Sawaiori languages, in 

 his ' Voyage of the Frigate Xovara ' (lieise der Fregatte Nomrn, 

 Vienna, 1867), has some value. 



As this subject must possess great interest for many, and, 

 with a view to popularising, as far as I can, a study which 

 must tend towards the opening up of the beautiful region 

 about which I write, I make no scruple in reproducing here 

 the admirable list of books of reference on the languages 

 of Polynesia, for which I acknowledge myself indebted to 

 the author of the paper just quoted. In addition to the 

 works already named, the chief works on the particular lan- 

 guages of the Malayo-Polynesian or Sawaiori tongue arc as 

 follows : 



On the Maori of New Zealand the grammar by R. Maunsell, 

 LL.D. (Auckland, N. Z. ; 1st ed., 1842 ; 2nd ed., 1862). 

 Kendal's Grammar, 1820, may be consulted, and Archdeacon 

 Williams's ' First Lessons in Maori ' (1872) ; Bishop Williams's 

 Dictionary (1st ed., 1844; 3rd ed., edited by Archdeacon 

 AVilliams, 1871) is very good, and moderately full, giving many 

 examples of the use of words from Sir G. Grey's ' Mythology 

 and Traditions of the Xew Zealanders ' (London, 1 855), which 

 greatly enhances its value. Sir George Grey's ' Maori Poetry ' 

 (Xew Zealand, 1853), and his ' Proverbial and Popular Sayings 



