Two Views of the Mississippi

I had to read this essay twice because the first time I read it, I didn't get it. On the second attempt, I realized Mark Twain was comparing the Mississippi River to a book. He noted that once he learned the river, the things that a spectator enjoys; he no longer found fascinating. He longed for the days when he could look at the river and love it for its beauty. The ending was fascinating where he compared it to a physician. Once a physician learns all about disease and decay, can he still see beauty in a human body? Very interesting.