94 
POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
lifted up; let him be exalted ; let all rejoice in him; let 
onr hearts sing praise to him/ This is the language of 
her inmost soul." 
On a public occasion, in tbe island of Raiatea, 
during the year 1825, a number of the inhabitants 
were conversing on the wisdom of God ; which, it 
was observed, though so long unperceived by them, 
was strikingly exhibited in every object they be¬ 
held. In confirmation of this, a venerable and 
gray-headed man, who had formerly been a sor¬ 
cerer, or priest of the evil spirit, stretched forth his 
hand, and, looking at the limbs of his body, said, 
“ Here the wisdom of God is displayed. I have 
hinges from my toes to my finger ends. This finger 
has its hinges, and bends at my desire-—this arm, 
on its hinge, is extended at my will—by means of 
these hinges, my legs bear me where I wish; and 
my mouth, by its hinge, masticates my food. Does 
not all this display the wisdom of God?” 
The above will show, that the inhabitants of these 
distant isles, though shut out for ages from inter¬ 
course with every other part of the world, and 
deprived of every channel of knowledge, are, not¬ 
withstanding, by no means inferior in intellect or 
capacity to the more favoured inhabitants of other 
parts of the globe. These statements also warrant the 
anticipation, that they will attain an elevation equal 
to that of the most cultivated and enlarged intel¬ 
lect, whenever they shall secure the requisite 
advantages. 
They certainly appear to possess an aptness for 
learning, and a quickness in pursuit of it, which is 
highly encouraging, although in some degree coun¬ 
teracted by the volatile disposition and fugitive 
habits of their early life, under the influence of 
which their mental character was formed; and a 
