observed, especially where Europeans were concerned;
nevertheless a well-bred Tongan looked upon theft as a meanness
to which he would not condescend. As to the seventh commandment,
any breach of it was considered scandalous in women and as
something to be avoided in self-respecting men; but, among
unmarried and widowed people, chastity was held very cheap.
Nevertheless the women were extremely well treated, and often
showed themselves capable of great devotion and entire
faithfulness. In the matter of cruelty, treachery, and
bloodthirstiness, these islanders were neither better nor worse
than most peoples of antiquity. It is to the credit of the
Tongans that they particularly objected to slander; nor can
covetousness be regarded as their characteristic;
for Mariner says:--


When any one is about to eat, he always shares out what he has
to those about him, without any hesitation, and a contrary
conduct would be considered exceedingly vile and selfish (vol.
ii p. 145).


In fact, they thought very badly of the English when Mariner
told them that his countrymen did not act exactly on that
principle. It further appears that they decidedly belonged to
the school of intuitive moral philosophers, and believed that
virtue is its own reward; for


Many of the chiefs, on being asked by Mr. Mariner what motives