POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
451 
social and domestic life^ the comforts of home^ and the 
refinements^ and conveniences, which arts and labour add 
to the bestowments of Providence. The difficulties we 
encountered resulted not less from the inveteracy of their 
idle habits, than from the absence of all inducements to 
labour, that were sufficiently powerful to call into action 
their dormant energies. Their wants were few, and their 
desires limited to the means of mere animal existence 
and enjoyment; these were supplied without much anxiety 
or effort, and possessing these, they were satisfied. 
During the early periods of their residence in the 
islands, our predecessors often endeavoured to rouse 
them from their abject and wretched modes of life, 
by advising them to build more comfortable dwell¬ 
ings, to wear more decent clothing, and to adopt, so 
far as circumstances would admit, the conveniences 
and comforts of Europeans; contrasting at times the 
condition of their own families with that of the 
natives around them. While the inhabitants continued 
heathens, their endeavours were altogether unavailing. 
The people frequently said, ^^We should like some of 
these things very well, but we cannot have them without 
working;—that we do not like, and therefore would 
rather do without them. The bananas and the plan¬ 
tains, &c. ripen on the trees, and the pigs fatten on the 
fruits that are strewed beneath them, even while we sleep; 
these are all we want, why therefore should we work?” 
They knew no higher, sought no happier state, 
Had no fine instinct of superior joys. 
Why should they toil to make the earth bring forth, 
When without toil she gave them all they wanted ? 
The bread-fruit ripened, while they lay beneath 
Its shadows in luxurious indolence ; 
The cocoa filled its nuts with milk and kernels, 
