They seem artists in all, and above all.  They hold that every beautiful thing has a use, and they never make a useful thing without beauty.  Apart from portraits, their pictures and statuary are mostly historical, or else ideal representations.  Many of these are typical of life; for example, a boy at play, a pair of lovers, a mother weaning her child, and the parting of friends.  The ideal of art is to them not merely a show to please the eye for a while, but a model to be realised in their own lives; and I daresay it has helped to make them such a fine people.  They are clever architects and gardeners.  Indeed, the whole country may be described as a vast ornamental garden.  In the middle zone, which borders on the wilderness, their wonderful art of beautifying natural scenery is at its best.  They have a good many simple machines and implements, but I should not call them a scientific people.  Gazen, who enquired into the matter, was told by Otare, himself an artist, by the way, that science in their opinion had a tendency to destroy the illusion of Nature and impair the finer sentiments and spontaneity of the soul; hence they left the systematic study of it to the few who possess a decided bias for it.  As a rule they are content to admire.

They have many books of various kinds, either printed or finely written and illustrated by hand.  I should say their favourite reading was history and travels, or else poetry and fiction; anything having a human interest, more especially of a pathetic order.  Everyone is taught to read aloud, and if he possess the voice and talent, to recite.  Poets are highly esteemed, and not only read their poems to the people, but also teach elocution.  They have dramatic performances on certain days, and seem to prefer tragedies or affecting plays, perhaps because these awaken feelings which their happy lot in general permits to sleep.  They are very fond of music, and can all sing or play on some musical instrument.  Their favourite melodies are mostly in a minor key, and they dislike noisy music; indeed, noise of any sort.  Gesture and the dance are fine arts, and they can imitate almost any action without words.  A favourite amusement is to gather in the dusk of the evening, crowned with flowers, or wearing fanciful dresses, and sing or dance together by the light of the fire-flies.

The inhabitants of the whole island live as one happy family.  Recognising their kinship by intermarriage, and their isolation in the world, they never forget that the good or ill of a part is the good or ill of the whole, and their object is to secure the happiness of one and all.  It is considered right to help another in trouble before thinking of oneself.

When Gazen explained the doctrine of “the struggle for existence ending in the survival of the fittest” to Otare, he replied that it was an excellent principle for snakes; but he considered it beneath the dignity and wisdom of men to struggle for a life which could be maintained by the labour of love, and ought to be devoted to rational or spiritual enjoyment.