PRTNGi- ftan'd unparallelled in the annals o f ail -'nations. ‘ T h e man who
PLgg QJf
u n i o n , Æal1 c a n 7 thefe veg etahle productions to Taheitee, and the South'-
Sea ides, and at the fame time teach the inhabitants their cultivation
and ufq, will become a benefadtor to mankind ; he will' defense
to -be ranked with Triptolemus, Orpheus^ - and other heroes,
and merit the thanks and reverence o f grateful pofterity.
T h e happinefs refulting from the fertile climate, and from a pro-
fufion of-fine vegetable productions, raifed by the induftry o f the
Manahounes and Toutous in Taheitee, and its neighbourhood;
the very moderate and mild fervitude o f their Toutous, the order
and regulation in their domeftic focieties, the benevolent and pa-,
ternal aftedtion o f their chiefs, their alFociation for'the fècürity of'
property and liberty, their commerce, wealth, and enjoyments,
give us the bell idea o f the more refined-and exalted fitua'tion o f the1
inhabitants o f Taheitee, and the Seciety-i-flands;-above all the -reft
o f the nations we vifited in the courte o f our voyage.. -Convinced1
o f the redtitude o f order, and juftice, as far as they relate tb hüman
focieties; fènlible o f the pleafure arifing from each common aft
o f benevolence, and fired with the generous fp i r i t b f ’ communia-
eating happinefs to as many as are willing to form with them the
fame fociety ; they are likewife capable o f that-noble and difin-'
terefted defire to work for the common weal as much as lies in
their .power,-which we call ■ public fpirit or true patrmilfth,'and what1
Is Hill better, they adtually Ihew it-.pn many occafions. I have
feen a man eating a fmall proportion o f bread-fruit, or other food,
and neverthelefs lharing this trifle out amongll feveral o f his
brethren, whilft it would admit of divifion. Th e folicitude o f
their chiefs, to ftrike a good bargain for their fubjedts, when they
brought fruit, filb, or hogs to market, is likewife another proof of
this aflertion ; nor can I .omit the afliftance they generally gave to
one another; the .deteftation in which the better fort o f „people held
all the thieves and robbers j the Unking increafe- o f happinefs we
obferved in O-Taheitee, were, at our fecond arrival, after an ab-
fence o f eight months, owing to the encouragement and minute
infpedtion o f the fituation of every individual family under O-Tu,
the refignation of-the command o f the-fleet to T -O w h a , made by
O -T u , and the readinefs of T -O w h a to undertake that expedition,
though ill o f the g o u t ; the wifdom and public lpirit with
which they politely declined the afliftance offered them by Capt.
Cook for conquering the revolted ifland of Imeo. A ll thefe particulars
give me the higheft opinion of their true patriotifm, and
noble attachment to the weal of their country. This great maxim
is the firft germ of all noble iocial feelings and fentnnents : it af-
figns to the various relations o f man their true Valour, and bids him
adl in confequence of each of them ; it preferibes the fimplicity
and unity of principles, and the harmony-of means for adting upon
C c c . . thole
P R I N C I P
L E S OF
U N IO N .