Typee (1846)

Summary

Athenæum [London], 956 (21 February 1846), 189–91.

“Sailors,” says the lively American to whom we are indebted for this insight into one of the strange corners of the earth, “are the only class of men who now-a-days see anything like stirring adventure,”—and he adds, that the incidents here recorded “have often served, when spun as a yarn, not only to relieve the weariness of many a night-watch at sea, but to excite the warmest sympathies of the author's shipmates.” These frank prefatory avowals, as indicating exactness, may be taken by every reader for what they are worth. Be that more or be that less, we are sure no one will refuse thanks to the contributor of a book so full of fresh andrichly-coloured matter. Mr. Melville's manner is New World all over; and we need merely advert to the name of Stephens, the foremost among American pilgrims, to explain our epithet.

Two centuries and a half ago, the learned Doctor Christoval Suaverde de Figuerroa, while chronicling the discoveries of Mendanna, said many handsome things in praise of the Marquesas Islands, breaking out into raptures at the wonderful beauty of the younger part of the population. More recently Cook, the Rev. Mr. Stewart, chaplain to the American frigate Vincennes, and Commodore David Porter of the U. S. frigate Essex, have severally borne testimony to the truth of the Don's portraits, sinking the tattooing, of which more anon.