In the midst of that vast ocean, commonly called the South-Sea, lie the
islands of Solomon. In the centre of these lies one not only distant from
the rest, which are immensely scattered round it, but also larger beyond
proportion. An ancestor of the prince, who now reigns absolute in this
central island, has, through a long descent of ages, entailed the name of
Solomon’s Islands on the whole, by the effect of that wisdom wherewith he
polished the manners of his people.
A descendant of one of the great men of this happy island, becoming a
gentleman to so improved a degree as to despise the good qualities
which had originally ennobled his family, thought of nothing but how to
support and distinguish his dignity by the pride of an ignorant mind,
and a disposition abandoned to pleasure. He had a house on the sea-side,
where he spent great part of his time in hunting and fishing; but found
himself at a loss in pursuit of those important diversions, by means of
a long slip of marsh land, overgrown with high reeds, that lay between
his house and the sea. Resolving, at length, that it became not a man
of his quality to submit to a restraint in his pleasures, for the ease
and convenience of an obstinate mechanic; and having often endeavoured,
in vain, to buy out the owner, who was an honest poor basket-maker, and
whose livelihood depended on working up the flags of those reeds, in a
manner peculiar to himself, the gentleman took advantage of a very high
wind, and commanded his servants to burn down the barrier.
The basket-maker, who saw himself undone, complained of the oppression in
terms more suited to his sense of the injury, than the respect due to
the rank of the offender; and the reward this imprudence procured him,
was the additional injustice of blows and reproaches, and all kinds of
insult and indignity.
There was but one way to a remedy, and he took it: for going to the
capital, with the marks of his hard usage upon him, he threw himself
at the feet of the king, and procured a citation for his oppressor’s
appearance; who, confessing the charge, proceeded to justify his
behaviour by the poor man’s unmindfulness of the submission due from the
vulgar to gentlemen of rank and distinction.
“But pray,” replied the king, “what distinction of rank had the
grand-father of your father, when, being a cleaver of wood in the palace
of my ancestors, he was raised from among those vulgar you speak of with
such contempt, in reward for an instance he gave of his courage and
loyalty in defence of his master? Yet his distinction was nobler than
yours: it was the distinction of soul, not of birth; the superiority of
worth, not of fortune! I am sorry I have a gentleman in my kingdom who
is base enough to be ignorant that ease and distinction of fortune were
bestowed on him but to this end, that, being at rest from all cares of
providing for himself, he might apply his heart, head, and hand, for the
public advantage of others.”
Here the king, discontinuing his speech, fixed an eye of indignation on a
sullen resentment of mien which he observed in the haughty offender, who
muttered out his dislike of the encouragement this way of thinking must
give to the commonality, who, he said, were to be considered as persons
of no consequence, in comparison of men who were born to be honoured.
“Where reflection is wanting,” replied the king, with a smile of disdain,
“men must find their defects in the pain of their sufferings. Yanhuma,”
added he, turning to a captain of his gallies, “strip the injured and the
injurer; and, conveying them to one of the most barbarous and remote of
the islands, set them ashore in the night, and leave them both to their
fortune.”
The place in which they were landed was a marsh; under cover of those
flags the gentleman was in hopes of concealing himself, and giving the
slip to his companion, whom he thought it a disgrace to be found with:
but the lights in the galley having giving an alarm to the savages, a
considerable body of them came down, and discovered in the morning the
two strangers in their hiding-place. Setting up a dismal yell, they
surrounded them; and advancing nearer and nearer with a kind of clubs,
seemed determined to dispatch them, without sense of hospitality or mercy.
Here the gentleman began to discover that the superiority of his blood
was imaginary; for between the consciousness of shame and cold, under
the nakedness he had never been used to; a fear of the event from the
fierceness of the savages approach; and the want of an idea whereby to
soften or divert their asperity, he fell behind the poor sharer of his
calamity, and with an unsinewed, apprehensive, unmanly sneakingness of
mien, gave up the post of honour, and made a leader of the very man whom
he had thought it a disgrace to consider as a companion.
The basket-maker on the contrary, to whom the poverty of his condition
had made nakedness habitual, to whom a life of pain and mortification
represented death as not dreadful, and whose remembrance of his skill in
arts, of which these savages were ignorant, gave him hopes of becoming
safe, from demonstrating that he could be useful, moved with bolder and
more open freedom; and having plucked a handful of the flags, sat down
without emotion, and making signs that he would shew them something
worthy of their attention, fell to work with smiles and noddings; while
the savages drew near, and gazed with expectation of the consequence.
It was not long before he had wreathed a kind of coronet of pretty
workmanship; and rising with respect and fearfulness, approached the
savage who appeared the chief, and placed it gently on his head; whose
figure, under this new ornament, so charmed and struck his followers,
that they all threw down their clubs, and formed a dance of welcome and
congratulation round the author of so prized a favour.
There was not one but shewed the marks of his impatience to be as
fine as the captain: so the poor basket-maker had his hands full of
employment: and the savages, observing one quite idle, while the other
was so busy in their service, took up arms in behalf of natural justice,
and began to lay on arguments in favour of their purpose.
The basket-maker’s pity now effaced the remembrance of his sufferings; so
he arose and rescued his oppressor, by making signs that he was ignorant
of the art; but might, if they thought fit, be usefully employed in
waiting on the work, and fetching flags to his supply, as fast as he
should want them.
This proposition luckily fell in with a desire the savages expressed to
keep themselves at leisure, that they might crowd round, and mark the
progress of a work they took such pleasure in. They left the gentleman
therefore to his duty in the basket-maker’s service; and considered
him, from that time forward, as one who was, and ought to be treated as
inferior to their benefactor.
Men, women, and children, from all corners of the island, came in droves
for coronets; and, setting the gentleman to work to gather boughs and
poles, made a fine hut to lodge the basket-maker; and brought down daily
from the country such provisions as they lived upon themselves, taking
care to offer the imagined servant nothing till his master had done
eating.
Three months reflection, in this mortified condition, gave a new and just
turn to our gentleman’s improved ideas; insomuch that, lying weeping
and awake one night, he thus confessed his sentiments in favour of the
basket-maker. “I have been to blame, and wanted judgment to distinguish
between accident and excellence. When I should have measured nature,
I but looked to vanity. The preference which fortune gives, is empty
and imaginary; and I perceive, too late, that only things of use are
naturally honourable. I am ashamed, when I compare my malice, to remember
your humanity; but if the gods should please to call me to a repossession
of my rank and happiness, I would divide all with you, in atonement for
my justly punished arrogance.”
He promised, and performed his promise: for the king, soon after, sent
the captain who had landed them with presents to the savages, and ordered
him to bring both back again. And it continues to this day a custom in
that island, to degrade all gentlemen who cannot give a better reason for
their pride, than they were born to do nothing: and the word for this due
punishment is, send him to the basket-maker.