EMERSON] UNWRITTEN LITERATURE OF HAWAII 263 



toward the natural Avorld, whether of admiration, awe, reverence, 

 or whether their attitude was that of blank indifference and absorp- 

 tion in selfish things. But he utterly failed to penetrate the mystery, 

 the " truth and poetry," of the Hawaiian mind and heart. Was it 

 because he was tied to a false theology and a false theory of human 

 nature? We are not called upon to answer this question. Let others 

 say what was wrong in his standpoint. The object of this book is not 

 controversial; but when a palpable injustice has been done, and is 

 persisted in by people of the purest motives, as to the thoughts, emo- 

 tions, and mental operations of the " savage," and as to the finer 

 workings within that constitute the furniture and sanctuary of heart 

 and soul, it is imperative to correct so grave a mistake; and we may 

 be sure that he whose words have just been quoted, were he living to- 

 day, would acknowledge his error. 



Though it is not the purpose of these pages to set forth in order 

 a treatise on the liumaji nature of the " savage," or to make unneeded 

 apology for the primitive and uncultured races of mankind in general, 

 or for the Hawaiian in particular, yet it is no small satisfaction to 

 be able to set in array evidence from the life and thoughts of the 

 savages themselves that shall at least have a modifying influence 

 upon our views on these points. 



The poetry of ancient Hawaii evinces a deep and genuine love of 

 nature, and a minute, affectionate, and untiring observation of her 

 moods, which it would be hard to find surpassed in any literature. 

 Her poets never tired of depicting nature; sometimes, indeed, their 

 art seems heaven-born. The mystery, beauty, and magnificence of the 

 island world appealed profoundly to their souls; in them the ancient 

 Hawaiian found the image of man the embodiment of Deity; and 

 their myriad moods and phases were for him an inexhaustible spring 

 of joy, refreshment, and delight. 



