THE EVOLUTION OF THEOLOGY VTTT 



has been justified by all the knowledge <f 

 Polynesian life which has been subsequently 

 acquired. 



It is desirable, therefore, to pay close attention 

 to that which Mariner tells us about the theo- 

 logical views of these people : 



The human soul, 1 after its separation from the hotly, is 

 termed a hotooa (a god or spirit), and is helievcd to exist in tin- 

 shape of the lx>dy ; to have the same propensities as during life, 

 hut to he corrected hy a more enlightened understanding, hy 

 which it readily distinguishes good from evil, truth from false- 

 hood, right from wrong ; having the same attributes as the. 

 original gods, but in a minor degree, and having its dwelling 

 for ever in the happy regions of Bolotoo, holding the same rank 

 in regard to other souls as during this life ; it has, however, 

 the power of returning to Tonga to inspire priests, relations, or 

 others, or to appear in dreams to those it wishes to admonish ; 

 and sometimes to the external eye in the form of a ghost or 

 apparition ; 1m t this power of reappearance at Tonga par- 

 ticularly belongs to the souls of chiefs rather than of matahooles 

 (vol. ii. p. 130). 



The word " hotooa " is the same as that which 

 is usually spelt " atua " by Polynesian philologues, 

 and it will be convenient to adopt this spelling. 

 Now under this head of " Atuas or supernatural 

 intelligent beings " the Tongans include : 



1. The original gods. 2. The souls of nobles that have all 

 attributes in common with the first but inferior in degree. 

 3. The souls of matabooles ' that are still inferior, and have not 



1 Supposed to be "the finer or more aeriform part of the 

 body," standing in "the same relation to the Uid.y as the 

 perfume, and the more essential qualities of a flower do to the 

 more solid substances" (Mariner, vol. ii. p. 127). 



- A kind of "clients" in the Roman sense. 



