A First Year in Canterbury Settlement

The narrative offers a firsthand look into the challenges and lifestyle of sheep farming in New Zealand during the 19th century. Butler reflects on the landscape, the intricacies of rural life, and the socio-economic conditions of the time, which informed his philosophical ideas and inspired his later work, Erewhon. His observations provide a unique blend of personal memoir and social commentary, revealing the complexities of the human experience in a rapidly changing world.