the hog, and the fowl, which on great occafions ferye for his.meal;
in fhort, there is not a Angle article of his food, which owgs,nqt
its exiftence to his or his. fathers induftry Or care; who planted, the
trees, which fttrniih cocoas, apples, and other nuts and-fruits. In
■ regard to clothes, the Taheitean is molt certainly happier :than the,
European, whole drefs requires more time, labour, and devices;
and to whom folly and fafflion have made many articles feem to be,
neceffary, which are really frivolous and abfolutely ufelefs; the Taheitean
drefs is eafier obtained and made; elegant, Ample, and an-
fwering every purpefc in their, Atuatioiu Their houfes arc neat
and well fuited to the climate,; and the manners of. the nation; I
pretend, not here to fay that thefe-three great articles, food, raiment,
and habitation, are in every reipect at Tuheitee, fuperior to our
food, our dreffes, our materials, and houfes;' it mult be allowed
thefe articles are among us, more ingenioufly, contrived,and varied,,
and better adapted to all feafons, climates, and ranks ; but it cannot
be denied that thefe people ..enjoy a. happinefs which is more attainable
by every individual, for thgre cannot be an inftance-among,
them, that eyer a perfon died for want of Ihelter, cloth, or food;
even the meaneft obtain their fhare with great eafe and in.
affluence ; none is doomed by a hard matter to perpetual toils and
unremitted labour, which requires a continual exertion of all his
ffrength; for the natives work gently, and more for the fake of
exercife
exercife, than to obtain their livelihood by it. The fertility of the
country enables them to fatisfy their little wants, apd to form fo-
cieties, where they can mutually afiift one another, both by their
labour and by the inftrudtion and knowledge, which willingly flows
from the lips of their wife men and fathers; they hear the noble
adtions of their anceftors celebrated by fongs, and confecrated by
the gratitude of pofterity; their minds therefore are early devoted
to candour and humanity, to truth and to virtue ; their focieties- are
well regulated ; their chiefs have a great love and paternal predi-
ledlion for the happinefs and welfare of their .fubjefts, who, in their
turn are attached to their fuperiors by love and a truly filial duty.
The vices which are ufual among them, are yet fo few in number,
and of fo harmlefs a tendency that few focieties can boaft fuch- innocence,.
and fimplicity of manners. Every individual is convinced
that the chiefs can have nothing in view in the adminiftra-
tion of affairs, but the happinefs of the whole community, and the
fatisfadlion and contentment of every individual; and this'they prove-
in return by that exemplary love, attachment, refpedt and obedience,
which they chearfully fhew to their; chiefs. While the
youth of both fexes was tinging and dancing, and thole of a ma-
turer age, adtive as well in their duties as-enjoyments, we have often
feen the venerable hoary fenior looking upon the more bufy feenes of
life with a complacent fmile and a ferenity, which bore witnefs to the
4 F happinefs