se
disposition."

"Sufficient reason, I should say, for a year or so, but hardly one would
think, for a lifetime."

"Why not?"

"Because the novelty of adventure wears off in a little time. Good
health never gives us satisfaction, for we do not give it thought until
we lose it, so that can never be an impelling motive; and as for
independence, what is that, when one can never be freed from himself? In
short, I should say one so circumstanced as you are would die of ennui;
that his mind, constantly thrown back upon itself, must, sooner or
later, result in a weariness even worse than death itself. However, I am
only curious, not critical."

"But you forget these shelves. Those books are my friends; of them I
never grow weary, they never grow weary of me; we understand each other
perfectly,--they talk to me when I would listen, they sing to me when I
would be charmed, they play for me when I would be amused. Ah! my dear
sir, this country is great as all countries are great, each in its way;
and this is a great country to read books in. Upon my word, I wonder
everybody don't fill ships with books and come up here, burn the ships,
as did the great Spaniard, and each spend the remainder of his days in
devouring his ship-load of books."

"A pretty picture of the country, truly; but let me ask how often do
books reach you?"

"Once a year,--when the Danish ship comes out to bring us bread, sugar,
coffee, coal, and such-like things, and to take home the few little
trifles, such as furs, oil, and fish, which the natives have picked up
in the interval."

"Books to the contrary, I should say the ship would not return more than
once without me, were I in your situation."

"So you would think me a sensible fellow, no doubt, if I would pick up
this box and carry it off to Paris, or may be to New York?"

"That's exactly what I was thinking; or rather it would certainly have
appeared to me more reasonable if you had built it there in the first
instance."

"Quite the contrary, I do assure you,--quite the contrary. Indeed, I can
prove to your entire satisfaction that I am a very sensible man; but
wait until I have shown you all my possessions. Will you look at my
farm?"

Farm!--well, this was, after all, exhibiting some claims of the country
to the consideration of a civilized man. A farm in Greenland was
something I was hardly prepared for.

The Doctor now rose and led the way to the rear of the house, into a
yard about