THE TONGA ISLANDS. 415 in this way was sometimes wreaked upon chiefs, who, as he imagined, did not pay him so much tribute as their plantations could have afforded; at least such was supposed to be his motive, by those who knew him best. In describing the character of an extraordi- nary man, the picture is unfinished unless we furnish also a portraiture of his person, and of his personal manners ; otherwise the imagina- tion of the reader is sure to describe for itself a body, as a substratum on which all these mental qualifications are superinduced; and hence, incongruities are mingled together; the harmony of the picture weakened, if not quite destroyed ; and an imperfect artificial con- struction is substituted for a perfect natural production. To give an example of the pro- priety, if not the necessity of this, — one might imagine from the character above given of Fi- now that he was of a very vindictive and cruel disposition, because we have given a few in- stances in confirmation of it: one might be- lieve him therefore to have a countenance harsh and severe, a lowering, sullen brow, a haughty deportment, &c. — But nothing can be more re- mote from his true personal character; — and we are surprised to hear that his countenance was indeed energetic, yet mild ; his brow pro- minent and bold, without suUenness; his d6-
