258 
HISTORY OF MADAGASCAR. 
Whether the noble and generous feeling of gratitude has 
much place amongst the Malagasy has been questioned. 
Though often characterized by extreme apathy, they are 
certainly susceptible of tenderness of feeling, and their 
customs furnish various modes of testifying their sense of any 
acts of kindness shewn them, and their language contains 
many forms of speech expressive of thankfulness. The fol¬ 
lowing are among those in most general use : “ May you 
live to grow old—may you live long—may you live sacred* 
—may you see, or obtain, justice from the sovereign—may 
you be loved by the sovereign-—may you be loved by the peo¬ 
ple—may you be raised to the highest rank—and, not least in 
their estimation, may you be blessed with a large family! ” 
With all their expressions of thankfulness, considerable 
action is used: sometimes the two hands are extended open, 
as if to present; or the party stoops down to the ground, 
and clasps the legs, or touches the knee and the feet, of the 
person they are thanking. 
The Malagasy have many different forms of salutation, 
of which they make liberal use in exchanging the ordinary 
civilities of good neighbourhood, and the common trans¬ 
actions of life, and which form an important part of the 
etiquette regarded by them as essential to good behaviour. 
Hence in their general intercourse there is much that is 
stiff, formal, and precise, at least much that appears so 
to a foreigner; while amongst themselves the whole is 
merely an intimation of politeness and good breeding, 
whereby they maintain a higher degree of courtesy and 
mutual respect than might be anticipated in a state of 
society not more refined than that of Madagascar. 
When the natives meet each other, instead of observations 
upon the state of the weather, which they would consider 
* Secure from the power of charms or sorcery. 
