But his most serious gratification of this period, was that of
receiving in safety and honour, James, his eldest son, the lieutenant
of Captain Cooke, on the return from his second voyage round the world,
of that super-eminent navigator.
The Admiralty immediately confirmed the nomination of Captain Cooke;
and further, in consideration of the character and services of the
young naval officer, promoted him to the rank of master and commander.
The voyagers were accompanied back by Omiah, a native of Ulitea, one of
the Otaheitean islands. Captain Burney, who had studied the language
of this stranger during the voyage home, and had become his particular
favourite, was anxious to introduce the young South-Sea islander to his
father and family; who were at least equally eager to behold a native
of a country so remote, and of such recent discovery.
A time was quickly fixed for his dining and spending the day in
Queen-Square; whither he was brought by Mr., afterwards Sir Joseph,
Bankes, and Dr. Solander; who presented him to Dr. Burney.
The behaviour of this young Otaheitean, whom it would be an abuse of
all the meaning annexed to the word, to call a savage, was gentle,
courteous, easy, and natural; and shewed so much desire to please, and
so much willingness to be pleased himself, that he astonished the whole
party assembled to receive him; particularly Sir Robert Strange and
Mr. Hayes; for he rather appeared capable to bestow, than requiring to
want, lessons of conduct and etiquette in civilized life.
He had a good figure, was tall and well-made; and though his complexion
was swarthy and dingy, it was by no means black; and though his
features partook far more of the African than of the European cast, his
eyes were lively and agreeable, and the general expression of his face
was good-humoured and pleasing.
He was full dressed on this day, in the English costume, having just
come from the House of Lords, whither he had been taken by Sir Joseph
Bankes, to see, rather than to hear, for he could not understand it,
the King deliver his speech from the throne. He had also been admitted
to a private audience of his Majesty, whom he had much entertained.
A bright Manchester velvet suit of clothes, lined with white satin,
in which he was attired, sat upon him with as much negligence of his
finery, as if it had been his customary dress from adolescence.
But the perfect ease with which he wore and managed a sword, which
he had had the honour to receive from the king, and which he had
that day put on for the first time, in order to go to the House of
Lords, had very much struck, Sir Joseph said, every man by whom it had
been observed; since, by almost every one, the first essay of that
accoutrement had been accompanied with an awkwardness and inconvenience
ludicrously risible; which this adroit Otaheitean had marvellously
escaped.
Captain Burney had acquired enough of the Otaheitean language to be
the ready interpreter of Omiah with others, and to keep him alive
and in spirits himself, by conversing with him in his own dialect.
Omiah understood a little English, when addressed in it slowly
and distinctly; but could speak it as yet very ill; and with the
peculiarity, whether adopted from the idiom of his own tongue, or from
the apprehension of not being clearly comprehended, of uttering first
affirmatively, and next negatively, all the little sentences that he
attempted to pronounce.
Thus, when asked how he did, he answered “Ver well; not ver ill.” Or
how he liked any thing, “Ver nice; not ver nasty.” Or what he thought
of such a one, “Ver dood; not ver bad.”
On being presented by Captain Burney to the several branches of the
family, when he came to this memorialist, who, from a bad cold, was
enveloped in muslin wrappings, he inquired into the cause of her
peculiar attire; and, upon hearing that she was indisposed, he looked
at her for a moment with concern, and then, recovering to a cheering
nod, said, “Ver well to-morrow morrow?”
There had been much variation, though no serious dissension, among
the circumnavigators during the voyage, upon the manner of naming
this stranger. Captain Burney joined those officers who called him
Omai; but Omiah was more general; and Omy was more common still. The
sailors, however, who brought him over, disdaining to scan the nicety
of these three modes of pronunciation, all, to a man, left each of them
unattempted and undiscussed, and, by universal, though ridiculous
agreement, gave him no other appellation than that of Jack.
His after visits to the house of Dr. Burney were frequent, and
evidently very agreeable to him. He was sure of a kind reception from
all the family, and he was sincerely attached to Captain Burney;
who was glad to continue with him the study of the Otaheitean
language, preparatory to accompanying Captain Cooke in his third
circumnavigation, when Omiah was to be restored to his own island and
friends.
In the currency of this intercourse, remarks were incessantly excited,
upon the powers of nature unassisted by art, compared with those of art
unassisted by nature; and of the equal necessity of some species of
innate aptness, in civilized as well as in savage life, for obtaining
success in personal acquirements.
The diserters on the instruction of youth were just then peculiarly
occupied by the letters of Lord Chesterfield; and Mr. Stanhope, their
object, was placed continually in a parallel line with Omiah: the
first, beginning his education at a great public school; taught from an
infant all attainable improvements; introduced, while yet a youth, at
foreign courts; and brought forward into high life with all the favour
that care, expense, information, and refinement could furnish; proved,
with all these benefits, a heavy, ungainly, unpleasing character:
while the second, with neither rank nor wealth, even in his own remote
island; and with no tutor but nature; changing, in full manhood, his
way of life, his dress, his country, and his friends; appeared, through
a natural facility of observation, not alone unlike a savage, but with
the air of a person who had devoted his youth to the practice of those
graces, which the most elaborately accomplished of noblemen had vainly
endeavoured to make the ornament of his son.