Page:The Overland Monthly, volume 1, issue 1.djvu/68

 guage. They read such books as have been printed in the native dialect, chief of which is the Bible, which they quote with a volubility and correctness that may astonish the stranger. Under the persuasions and injunctions of the missionaries, upon whom they look with somewhat of the old superstition with which they contemplated the savage priests, they have given up the heathen ceremonies attending all occasions of public interest. They have learned the relation of man and wife, and observe the marriage ceremony, which was not conceded till several years after the arrival of the missionaries. They have become farmers and mechanics, and engage in trade to a considerable extent; some of them are teachers in the elementary schools; some have become constables, some school inspectors; some even are entitled lawyers, and others occupy seats upon the bench. The government is monarchical, having a legislature of nobles and representatives, a large portion of whom are whites, besides a cabinet of ministers, all but one of whom are resident foreigners, and some of whom are men of education and character.

But this is not the perfect picture. The teaching of the nation has been in the native language, which, in itself, is of narrow and limited scope, which has never been the vehicle of any lofty ideas, into which no perfect translation can be made, and which has not and can never have the elasticity which must be characteristic of all languages used by peoples not altogether savage. The Bible and but a few religious and elementary works, translated from the English, compose the Hawaiian library. There is no literature, no books of science, of art, of travel, of philosophy, and can never be in that language. When one has learned to read and write the Kanaka \anguage, his course of study in that channel is nearly complete. If he would receive a liberal education, he

must throw off the old philological shell, and acquire the vocabulary of a language which, once attained, opens to intelligence exhaustless and invaluable stores of learning. But the native mind seems as listless and inactive as his body. At school he may have acquired something of education, but in his life it is useless, and he adds nothing to that which has been taught him. As a people they are good-natured, amiable and docile to a remarkable degree, but are lazy and indolent, taking no interest in any matter of real public importance, and caring nothing for what is not absolutely personal. They have no pride in themselves as a nation, caring and thinking nothing of a possible future for the kingdom, with no ambition and no self-reliance. They exhibit no marked original strength in any direction. Although they are mechanics of every kind, they are foremen and leaders in none. They know nothing of foreign governments, take no interest in the life of political principles, and have and seek no further enlightened connection with their own government, than to fill such offices as can give them power, position and pecuniary gain, in which they resemble some in a civilized nation, but which, after all, is but responding to a barbaric instinct, which was theirs when they were confessedly savages. Their lawyers only pettifog, and their most noted judge used to sleep on the bench. They attend church because of their superstitious regard of missionaries, and because they like the excitement and sociability of a crowd. They are proud in being church members, render the most accomplished lip-service, are fluent in prayer, and continue the outer religious life from love of approval. In old age they are pious, because they have outlived the years of sinful vigor; but not till then. Piety and youth or manhood, in the Hawaiian life, do not know each other. Religion is the day's garb, but