f in the short,
monotonous phrases peculiar to his tongue, that is scarce of words and
verbs, we prepared to follow the example of the other members of my
host's family who had gone to sleep during our quiet chat. But before
closing my eyes I repassed in mind the theories expounded by the old
forester, and I found in them such a just expression of rectitude, of
simple but strong logic, of spirit and intelligence that I could not but
admire and agree.

[Illustration: A half-breed Sakai.

_p._ 103.]

I asked myself if the philosophy of the learned was not inferior to that
of this savage, who considered existence as limited to the satisfaction
of material wants, without torturing himself about imaginary need, and
without consuming nerves, muscles, heart and brain in a daily struggle
for what he could dispense with? And I asked myself if in that perfect
inertness, in that immunity from all feelings of sensuality, hatred,
ambition or rivalry must he not be a thousand times happier than we in
civilized society who seek fortune and satisfy our caprices, our
follies, in the midst of excitement and strong emotions, living in a
continual fever of suspicion, jealousy and envy, accumulating perhaps
riches but withering up the soul which cannot enjoy even for a day the
supreme blessing of serenity?

Which is nearer the truth (I argued to myself), he who places himself in
report with Nature as one of her offspring receiving all the necessities
of life straight from her never-failing stores and thereby lowering
himself to the state of the humblest of her creatures, or we who worry
ourselves in building up a model of perfection, a mannikin, that every
one wants to dress up in his own way--with his own virtues or his own
defects?

"A contented mind is a continual feast". This adage was verified in the
person of the old Sakai. An enemy to progress of any kind he logically
conformed himself to his surroundings, and limited his desires to what
he was sure of obtaining.

But we who in our civilization hunger and thirst after progress, why do
we continually preach this proverb to our young, and illustrate it to
them on every possible occasion?

It is, perhaps, because on every hand we come across harsh
contradictions presented by those who, with all their study, try to
reconcile the true with the absurd in order to get the latter accepted
in homage to the former, and they make use of this maxim for their own
ends and to take advant