= 
688 
of truth may, upon the whole, be a gainer 
by the diicuffion. — 
In remarking upon this article, I would 
begin by obferving, that the very idea of 
a numerous fociety of men ‘ without 
vices, prejudices, wants, and diffenfions,”” 
is wholly unphilofophical. Man, as a 
{pecies, muft always poflefs the charac- 
teriftics of the human nature; and that 
is, of a creature in whom the felfifh prin- 
ciple takes the lead of the {ucial, made up 
of appetite and paflion, liable to innu- 
mierable causes of error arid delufion; and 
though endowed with reafon, incapable 
of duly exercifing it without much effort 
and difcipline. In no itate, therefore, 
will a great majority of human beings be 
free from what, independently of ail arti- 
ficial inftitutions, deferves the name of 
wice ;—that is, an inordinate gratification 
of their defires, at the expence of the rights 
and happinefs of others, and to the diire- 
gard of their own greater and permanent 
advantage. Leaft of all will that ftate of 
mankind called the favage or uncivilifed 
produce this immunity from vice; fince 
the abfence of controul, and the want of 
reflection, muft render individuals the 
flaves of their immediate propenfities, 
which, in many inftances, cavnot but in- 
terfere with their own good, and that ef 
their neighbours. 
To apply thefe obfervations to the in- 
habitants of Otaheite:—We may affirm, 
from the certain information of many voy- 
agers of our own country, much more to 
be trufted than a haity, frivolous French 
theorit, tht they have juit thofe vices 
and defeéts which might be expected in a 
people fo circumfianced. A benignant 
climate and fertile foil have beftowed on 
them a happy temperament, and an ealy 
fupply of their moft prefing wants; 
whence they area kind, friendly, cheer- 
ful, and hofpitable race. But war, that 
{courge of mankind in every ftate, is far 
from being banifhed from them ; and mo- 
_ tives of cupidity or revenge frequently en- 
gage them tm murderous and predatory 
expeditions againft the neighbouring 
iilanders. Their difpofition to make free 
with the property of others is acknow- 
ledged by Commerfon; but he thinks it 
exculpated by an equal readinefs to part 
with what they poflefs. It plainly ap- 
pears, however, from the moft authentic 
narrations, that they are well enough ap- 
prized of the criminality of ftealing, and 
that they practife it with the very fame 
purpote of making a perfonal advantage 
at anothers expence, tuat 1s done by an 
European thief. Tt 
2, 
Remarks on the Manners, &c. of Otaheite. 
Lhe laxity of their mo- 
[O&tober; 
rals’ with refpect to fexual indulgencies 
(which probably was the charm that 
chiefly ingratiated them with their French 
eulogift), though undoubtedly not to be 
eftimated exactly according to our notions 
of virtue and decorum, yet cannot be de- 
nied to produce many of the effects of real 
vice. The. fhamelefs proftitution of the 
females to all {trangers for gaim furely 
exhibits the worft feature of licentious in- 
tercourfe, and has been feverely punifhed 
by the introduétion of a dreadful difeafe; 
and the polite focieties of arreouy, which 
muft prove equally injurious to the domef- 
tic felicity of the fexes with the moft pro- 
flirate coteries of an European metropolis, 
have the additional ftain of deliberate cru- 
elty in the deftruction. of the innocent off- 
fpring. To refufe the title of wice to 
thefe deviations from the univerfal princi-- 
ples of morality, becaufe they are practifed 
with a fort of unconfcious fimplicity, and 
partly wear the mafk of pleafure, is to 
fofier a moft mifchievous delufion with 
re{pect to the nature of things, by means 
of a very unphilofophical abufe of words. 
I pais over. the fuperftitions of thefe 
people, their abfolute and-fervile diftinc- 
tion of ranks, and other inftances of pre- 
judice and falfe opinion, which it is’ fur- 
prifing a French obferver fhould overlook 
or pardon. : 
I would not, Mr. Editor, from the pre- 
ceding remarks, have it fuppofed, that I 
am an approver of the ftrange miflion 
lately fent from this country, in order to 
inftru& the Otaheiteans in a fet of com- 
-plex and myiterious tenets, which it is 
utterly impofible that they fhould com- 
prehend; and which, therefore, can afford 
no rational ground for an amendment of 
their morals. Perhaps the kindeft thing 
that could be done for them, would be to 
leave them entirely to themfelves ; for 
though I am far from thinking them mo- 
dels of virtue, their original charaéter ap- 
pears to me, on the whole, better than 
that of a majority of the {pecies; and little 
likely to be improved by fuch an inter- 
courie with Europeans as can be kept up 
by our navigators. Yours, &c. 
Augufi 12. SOBRIUS. 
— SS 
Zo the Editor of the Mcnthly Magazine. 
SIR, . 
CANNOT account for it, why a// the 
i tranflations of Kotzebue’s Das Kind 
der Liebe, or Natural Son, fhould have 
omitted the fhort, fimple and pathetic de- 
dication which is prefixed to the Leipzig 
Fdition of 179g. ‘The application of one 
of 
t 
— 
