C H A P. VI.
On the Principles, Moral Ideas-, Manners, Refinement,
Luxury, and the Condition o f Women, among the N a tions
in the South-Sea-Ifes,
P'&XMJE DEDf&lIVT -SOLATIA DDXCIA ViTiE.,' Lucretius»
manners ^ I 'H E happy inhabitants o f the tropical iflands in the Sout-h-
"*• Sea, occupy a rank in the clafs o f human beings, which is
by no means fo defpicable, as might, at firft fight, be imagined j
and the Taheiteans and their neighbours in the Society-iflands,
may claim the higheft rank among thefe nations. Th e y are certainly,
for many reafons, -fuperior to the cannibals in N ew -Z e e -
land, and ftill higher above the rambling, poor inhabitants, of
New-Holland, and the moft unhappy wretches o f 'Tierra del
Fuego. In the fame proportion the people at Tanna, and Malli-
collo, exceed thofe at New-Caledonia; the inhabitants o f the Mar-
quefas, Hand higher than the people o f the Friendly-iflands, and
thefe mull, yield to the Tahekeans, as every circumftance concurs
to
to confirm, their high rank. T h e organization o f their bodies m a n n e r s -
teems- to me to; be the moft happy and- fufceptible o f enjoyment and .
improvement,, o f all the other nations before-mentionedthe. climate
they live in, the vicinity of fo many iflands, peopled, by the fame-
nation, fpeaking the fame language,, enjoying the lame kind o f government,
accuftomed to the fame laws and regulations, inftructed-
in the lame principles, having the lame ideas in regard to morality
and religion, the lame food,, drefs, habitations,, and general,
manners j in a word, every thing contributes to conned and to
form them for a higher degree o f enjoyment..
Men, o f different inclinations, who are endued with rationalfouls,
and capable o f forming, various ideas, are found to make advances
to perfection only,, when they ftrive to aequire a competent- knowledge
o f a variety of objects, and take cate to admit no other ideas
among thofe who may-ferve them.in life, than fuch as are perfectly
conformable to truth, and which exprefs to the mind the real qualities
and properties o f things 3, and when: their thoughts and actions-
are directed by the ftrict rule o f right.. In this cafe they will foon
difco-ver that though there be a ftrongi inftinct in. their, breads,
prompting them to appropriate as much good to themlelves as p o f -
fible, yet the enjoyment o f it. will ‘foon- become more and more imperfect,
and unhappinefs, in fome meafore, the eonfequence; but.
by transferring ads of benevolence to other, men, they foon, open to?
themfelv.es.:
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