THROUGH LAPLAND. 
which dim ini flies or even deftroys its attractions. The long con¬ 
tinuance of the winter and its horrors; the oppreffive multitude 
of tormenting infedts in the fummer, would, in the opinion of 
moft men, counterbalance any advantages which the beauty of the 
fituation, or the allurements of rural life, could prefent. But, 
after all, where can the unhappy find peace and joy ; what region 
can fhelter him from the forrows that dwell in his wounded heart? 
If content be not the inmate of his bofom, it is in vain to feck 
for it in diftant countries: it is a phantom that will conftantly 
elude his grafp. A change of climate cannot relieve the conflict 
in his breafl; and why fliould he fight without, fince the battle 
rages w ithin ! Happinefs, like the fun’s rays, is difperfed over the 
whole earth : it is diftributed, though with apparent inequality, 
yet with impartial juftice. The Laplander is wdthout night in 
fummer; but he is alfo without day during his long winter. Na¬ 
ture balances all things. 
Muonionifca is a village compofed of fifteen or fixteen dwell- 
ing-houfes, irregularly placed on the left bank of the river Muo- 
nio. Eaftward it is bordered by a chain of mountains, of which 
Mount Pallas and Keimio-tunduri are the moft confiderable ; to¬ 
wards the north, and at a fhort diftance, the woods terminate 
the view T , which is the cafe alfo towards the w 7 eft and fouth, into 
which quarter the river holds its courfe. Muonio is the name of 
the river, nifca fignifies beginning ; and the village is fo called, 
becaufe it is the place where the river begins to aflume a regular 
form. At Muonionifca there is a church and a parfon, who, like 
that 
