Thus in the last twelve months our European rulers have drawn a picture of themselves, as bearded like the pard, full of strange oaths, and gesticulating like semaphores; while over against them Mataafa reposes smilingly obstinate, and their own retainers surround them, frowningly inert.

Into the question of motive I refuse to enter; but if we come to war in these islands, and with no fresh occasion, it will be a manufactured war, and one that has been manufactured, against the grain of opinion, by two foreigners.
For the last and worst of the mistakes on the Laupepa side it would be unfair to blame any but the king himself.

Capable both of virtuous resolutions and of fits of apathetic obstinacy, His Majesty is usually the whip-top of competitive advisers; and his conduct is so unstable as to wear at times an appearance of treachery which would surprise himself if he could see it.

Take, for example, the experience of Lieutenant Ulfsparre, late chief of police, and (so to speak) commander of the forces.

His men were under orders for a certain hour; he found himself almost alone at the place of muster, and learned the king had sent the soldiery on errands.