‘SOUTH SEA BUBBLES:” BY THE EARL OF PEMBROKE AND HIS DOCTOR.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 174, 30 April 1872, Page 3

‘SOUTH SEA BUBBLES:” BY THE EARL OF PEMBROKE AND HIS DOCTOR.

(From the London Timex.)

(continued from our yrxterday'x ixxue.) scenes at Tahiti from which he, as a pureminded English gentleman, had to withdraw. “ It is not wise to hold conversation with an English-speaking native for more than ten minutes ; during that time he will talk Shakespeare and the musical glasses, so to speak, or discourse on any subject you please ; but in the end he invariably- comes round to proposals which arc apt to be offensive to one who is not completely- Society- Islandised. Tho natural, innocent, kind-hearted creaturo means nothing but hospitality.” The unutterable immorality- of Metz before the last war was, if we may use an Irish form of expression, tolerably- bad, but it seems innocence itself beside the immorality of the South Sea Islands under French influences. “ I remember,” says the author, “ seeing a fat, pallid, greasy Frenchman, clothed in nothing but the aforesaid garment (a kilt), a grass hat, and a pair of gold spectacles, looking like a study of Silenus in the 19th century.” Surely a Wesleyan Minister, white tie, tracts, and all, is a marvellous improvement on a half-naked libertine Frenchman in gold spectacles. Our authority may think that the savages of the South Seas have not been improved by- Christianity- : let him ask himself whether either Jesuit or Wesleyan tenets and teaching are not an enormous advance towards a higher life. Both Jesuits and Wcsleyans preach and practise a purity of living, the example of which will have its effect some day- even on the Tahitians. In taking leave of the book we are bound to say that there is much in it whiih is beautiful, much which is interesting, and much which is highly indiscreet. We may say, however, fail ly- and honestly, that the indiscretions are more in manner than in matter. There are certain subjects which may be spoken of—nay, which must be spoken of; but we do not like to hear them spoken of with levity. Our authors talk in a very jocular manner about matters which are generally treated, in England at all events, with extreme gravity. The neglect of this rule is the great fault of the book.