POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
447 
sidered its injunctions to require. This article was 
amended in 1826, and it was enacted, in the event of a 
man marrying a second wife, without her knowing that 
he was already a married man, he should not only be 
sentenced to public work, but should furnish pecuniary 
compensation for the female he had thus injured. 
The twelfth enactment, which regards the dissolu¬ 
tion of the marriage contract, is rather a singular article. 
The influence of the former institutions appears to re¬ 
quire it, or at least something of the kind. Formerly, 
under whatever circumstances, and with whatever cere¬ 
monies, the engagement had been made, nothing could 
be more brittle than the band which held together those 
united in matrimony. The engagement was not regarded 
as binding any longer than the caprice or inclination of 
the parties dictated. Accustomed thus to relieve them¬ 
selves for any unpleasantness in temper, &c. it was to be 
feared that the separations resulting from them would 
lead to the arranging of new contracts. To avoid the 
confusion and inconvenience of this, the present regula¬ 
tion was introduced; and although it was not sup¬ 
posed that hard labour would revive affection in the 
bosoms of those who, notwithstanding they had solemnly 
agreed to dwell together for life, had yet become 
estranged from each other; yet it was presumed, that 
the admonition from the magistrate, and the consequence 
of obstinate alienation, might induce the parties to im¬ 
pose a little restraint upon their tempers, and to make an 
effort to live together in peace and quietness, if not in 
kindness and in love. 
The degradation of the female sex is an invariable 
accompaniment of paganism; and in addition to the 
humiliation and slavery to which those in the South Sea 
