naturally or not. I suggest this the more earnestly, though
humbly, because I have very frequently come to know that my
indifference to a thing has generally been caused by my ignorance
in regard to it.

We had much serious conversation on this subject of the tides; and
Jack told us, in his own quiet, philosophical way, that these tides
did great good to the world in many ways, particularly in the way
of cleansing the shores of the land, and carrying off the filth
that was constantly poured into the sea there-from; which, Peterkin
suggested, was remarkably TIDY of it to do. Poor Peterkin could
never let slip an opportunity to joke, however inopportune it might
be: which at first we found rather a disagreeable propensity, as
it often interrupted the flow of very agreeable conversation; and,
indeed, I cannot too strongly record my disapprobation of this
tendency in general: but we became so used to it at last that we
found it no interruption whatever; indeed, strange to say, we came
to feel that it was a necessary part of our enjoyment (such is the
force of habit), and found the sudden outbursts of mirth, resulting
from his humorous disposition, quite natural and refreshing to us
in the midst of our more serious conversations. But I must not
misrepresent Peterkin. We often found, to our surprise, that he
knew many things which we did not; and I also observed that those
things which he learned from experience were never forgotten. From
all these things I came at length to understand that things very
opposite and dissimilar in themselves, when united, do make an
agreeable whole; as, for example, we three on this our island,
although most unlike in many things, when united, made a trio so
harmonious that I question if there ever met before such an
agreeable triumvirate. There was, indeed, no note of discord