s so very vivid, that I am
inclined to think nothing but a good material dinner could have left
behind it impressions so lively, I have had many melancholy thoughts
on this subject, especially in November; but observing that men are
constantly devouring each other, in one shape or another, I endeavor to
make the best of it, and to persuade myself that a slight difference in
species may exonerate me from the imputation of cannibalism.

I often get letters from Captain Poke. He is not very explicit on the
subject of our voyage, it is true; but, on the whole, I have decided
that the little ship he constructed was built on the model of, and named
after, our own Walrus instead of our own Walrus being built on the model
of, and named after, the little ship constructed by Captain Poke. I
keep the latter, therefore, to show my friends as a proof of what I tell
them, knowing the importance of visible testimony with ordinary minds.

As for Bob and the mates, I never heard any more of them. The former
most probably continued a "kickee" until years and experience enabled
him to turn the tables on humanity, when, as is usually the case
with Christians, he would be very likely to take up the business of
a "kicker" with so much the greater zeal on account of his early
sufferings.

To conclude, my own adventures and observations lead to the following
inferences, viz.:

That every man loves liberty for his own sake and very few for the sake
of other people.

That moral saltation is very necessary to political success at Leaplow,
and quite probably in many other places.

That civilization is very arbitrary, meaning one thing in France,
another thing at Leaphigh, and still a third in Dorsetshire.

That there is no sensible difference between motives in the polar region
and motives anywhere else.

That truth is a comparative and local property, being much influenced by
circumstances; particularly by climate and by different public opinions.

That there is no portion of human wisdom so select and faultless that it
does not contain the seeds of its own refutation.

That of all the 'ocracies (aristocracy and democracy included) hypocrisy
is the most flourishing.

That he who is in the clutches of the law may think himself lucky if he
escape with the loss of his tail.

That liberty is a convertible term, which means exclusive privileges in
one country, no privileges in another, and inclusive privileges in all.

That religion is