Polynesian., 1862-06-21
No. 8.

teO. ana OF giving preuomlnance TO- tne more
worthy. Now, this is an agent by which to ope-
rate on this people that is not beyond our reach.
They are both an inquisitive and initiative race,
very ready to adopt sentiments and opinions which
they feel to be good, and know to be real. If,
then, they had the to reach It, there is every
reason to believe that they would drink greedily
healthful draughts at the fountain of European
literature, that their views would be in conse-
quence enlarged their faculties strengthened and
that their minds, elevated to intellectual pursuits
and pleasures, would rise somewhat above, and
therefore look down on, sensuous thoughts, and
merely sensual Qualifications 1t is also, think
to be presumed, that such attainments, along with
the other advantages which would follow in their
train, would elevate woman to something like the
rank which she holds among us; for it may be said
to be her natural sphere. More the creature of
sentiment and feeling than of hardy action, her
strong desire is to hold sway over the affections.
She is ambitious of rule much will she do much
will she endure to gain this the object of her
bition. But that ambition is to reign over the
heart rather than the head. We of the other sex
are different. The world is before us, and the aim
of our lives is to work out q path through it to
material or intellectual distinction The struggle
is continually calling forth utmost energies
and We are hardened and roughened by it. Hence,
while
Mans love is Of man 's life a thing apart
'Tis woman's whole existence.
Were then this idea of the proper rank Of
woman ever to find place in the minds of this
people, there be little doubt, think. that she
herself would do something to attain it. Were
she sensible that to awaken deep love, and es-
tablish permanent rule over the affections. she
must be pure in heart and soul, she would do
something to preserve that purity. She would be-
come, in some degree, guardian to herself.
But to open up European and American litera-
ture to the Hawaiian race, they must be taught
- a.
surrounding point decidedly to the English Ian
guage as the one to be made choice of. Hence o
question, on which very probably the salvation Of
this people turns, hinges, in fact, a grammati-
cal problem. Ii is problem of which do not at
present intend to attempt the solution. You, Mr..
Editor see intend to insert in your columns some
speculations of mine on the Polynesian languages
in general, embodied in letter which sent Mr..
Wyllie. After these have appeared / may give
you my ideas on what seem to me the proper
means to facilitate the study of the English Ian
guage to Hawaians. At present, can only say,
that, in my opinion, it might be very greatly ia
cilitated.
Without, however, entering into any such dis
cussion. there is, think, one circumstance con-
nected with the process which may be assumed as
an unquestionable fact. 1t is essential to the
ready teaching of English to a Hawaiian, that the
teacher be himself master of the Hawaiian. If,
for instance, an Englishman were to set himself
up in Paris as teacher Of English, he would in
faliby fail if he were not we'll versed in French,
because he would be unable to open up to his pu-
pills the true import of the foreign idiOm By vary
ing the phrases of their native tongue until they
had seized the exact III this, all will ad-
NIT, be the case, as to a ready teaching of English
to Frenchman, it is doubly true to the process
of teaching it to a Hawaiian, because while the
genius of the French and English languages is yery
similar that of the Hawaiian is as opposed to
kbo ol,sh h.
cessary element, therefore, to the success of the
process of readily communicating to the native q
competent knowledge of English, by one whose
mother tongue is English, is that he himself have
well mastered the Hawaiian. Consequently, what
ever tends to unfold to foreigners the true ma
ture of the language of these islanders and to give
a ready command Of it, tends very much to add to
our ability to communicate knowledge of our own
language to them. Something has already been
done to further this very desirable object, but much
remains to do. In particular, We want q compre-
hensive Hawaiian Dictionary. | have reason to
believe that a very eopiOus one is now nearly
ready in the hands of the Hon. Judge Andrews.
1t were much to be wished that the publication of
it were expedited.
Smuch as to measures which might give a
more healthGul flow to the tide of life OF these
islanders This question remains Would il or
would it not be prudent to annul the present laws
relating to adultery and forncationl They are
very hateful, and must be so to every one who has
attentivey viewed their actual operation. | wish,
therefore. from my heart, that l. or any one know
ing as do what Hawaiian life is, could, after well
weighing the matter, say, away with them'
But conceive this is at present not be thought
OF, because their operation has almost done away
with all restraining powers save their own. These
disorders are now somewhat kept down because
they esteemed offences which the magistrate is
called on to punish. In the present condition of
H.r thaoo laxva
the dread OF punishment by which those disorders
are held little in check, but, to the native mind,
it would seem to give positive sanction to them.
They were, they would say, before kapu, and if you
remove the kopu they must be noo. Ii the over
throw of the Puritanic rule in England, after last
ing for fifteen years, Oyerspread that land with a
food of drunkenness and debauchery, from which
it was long of freeing itself, we may assure our
selves that were the Puritanie enaetments which,
unhappiy have bad rule these islands for fcrty
years, at once abolished, period OF extreme IL
cense would ensue-a sort of general saturnalia,
that would utterly swamp the race. Before, there
fore, IN my opinion, any such measure can with
proprietS be adopted, must revive, and call into
action the ancient feeling that parents and hus-
bands are the proper guardians of domestic purity.
If we do this and If farther we can infuse into
this people something of our own ideas of the
proper place of woman In civilized community,
so that she begin TO become guard TO herself, we
may then, with more prOpriety, venture on the
farther step of doing away with the laws in ques-
tion. may farther add, that the measures which
havSventured to suggest, would of themselves,
believe, have considerable tendency both to give
greater force to existing laws and to render their
agency less corrupting. But to make this clear |
should have to enter exposition of the actral
working of the machinery by which they are now
carried into effect and have already, 90 far,
fear, trespassed on the patience of your readers,
that for the present omit that part Of my subject
% The death-smile is the grandest thing In