266 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
the Mission, the mind of Radama would be fully impressed 
with the importance or expediency of extending the advan¬ 
tage of education amongst his people generally, although a 
love of superiority, and a desire to encourage the pride of 
rank, might induce him to seek the instruction of the 
members of his own family, and those of his immediate 
associates. It was, however, extremely important to ascer¬ 
tain what were his views on this subject, before any 
measures were adopted for the formation of a school 
upon a wider scale. Happily the difficulties which had 
been apprehended disappeared as soon as the subject was 
explained to the king, who expressed his unqualified ap¬ 
probation of the whole arrangement, proposing, that when 
Mrs. Griffiths arrived, the girls should be instructed in 
needle-work and other useful attainments, and giving his 
cordial sanction for the Missionaries to do whatever they 
could in the general instruction of his people. 
The same friendly feeling had been evinced by the king 
on the occasion of Mr. Hastie’s delivering to him the letter 
of Governor Farquhar, in which Mr. Griffiths was recom¬ 
mended to his favourable notice. He expressed himself 
much pleased with the letter, and concluded by saying, that 
with regard to his excellency’s request on behalf of the 
Missionaries, 6t he would be a father to them all.” This 
favourable opportunity was embraced by Mr. Hastie, to 
impress upon the mind of Radama the value of education 
to his country, as well as to give to him correct views of 
the precise nature and objects of the Society’s mission to 
Madagascar; with the whole of which his majesty appeared 
pleased. 
Mr. Griffiths was for some time prevented from attending 
to the duties of the school, by an attack of Malagasy fever, 
