XVIII 
CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE 
441 
these points I will not pretend to offer any opinion, in 
opposition to men who have resided as many years as I was 
days on the island. 
On the whole, it appears to me that the morality and 
religion of the inhabitants are highly creditable. There are 
many who attack, even more acrimoniously than Kotzebue, 
both the missionaries, their system, ‘and the effects produced 
by it. Such reasoners never compare the present state with 
that of the island only twenty years ago ; nor even with that 
of Europe at this day ; but they compare it with the high 
standard of Gospel perfection. They expect the missionaries 
to effect that which the Apostles themselves failed to do. In¬ 
asmuch as the condition of the people falls short of this high 
standard, blame is attached to the missionary, instead of credit 
for that which he has effected. They forget, or will not 
remember, that human sacrifices, and the power of an idolatrous 
priesthood—a system of profligacy unparalleled in any other 
part of the world—infanticide a consequence of that system— 
bloody wars, where the conquerors spared neither women 
nor children—that all these have been abolished ; and that 
dishonesty, intemperance, and licentiousness have been greatly 
reduced by the introduction of Christianity. In a voyager to 
forget these things is base ingratitude ; for should he chance 
to be at the point of shipwreck on some unknown coast, he 
will most devoutly pray that the lesson of the missionary may 
have extended thus far. 
In point of morality, the virtue of the women, it has been 
often said, is most open to exception. But before they are 
blamed too severely, it will be well distinctly to call to mind 
the scenes described by Captain Cook and Mr. Banks, in which 
the grandmothers and mothers of the present race played a 
part. Those who are most severe should consider how much 
of the morality of the women in Europe is owing to the 
system early impressed by mothers on their daughters, and 
how much in each individual case to the precepts of religion. 
But it is useless to argue against such reasoners ;—I believe 
that, disappointed in not finding the field of licentiousness 
quite so open as formerly, they will not give credit to a 
morality which they do not wish to practise, or to a religion 
which they undervalue, if not despise. 
