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The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)   By: (1661?-1731)

Book cover

First Page:

THE

LIFE

AND MOST

SURPRISING ADVENTURES

OF

ROBINSON CRUSOE,

OF YORK, MARINER.

WHO LIVED EIGHT AND TWENTY YEARS IN AN UNINHABITED ISLAND, ON THE COAST OF AMERICA, NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE GREAT RIVER OROONOQUE,

Including an Account of

HIS DELIVERANCE THENCE, AND HIS AFTER SURPRISING ADVENTURES.

WITH

HIS VISION OF THE ANGELIC WORLD.

AN IMPROVED EDITION,

Illustrated with eight Engravings, from Original designs.

To which is annexed,

THE REMARKABLE HISTORY OF

ALEXANDER SELKIRK;

Who lived four years and four months in a state of Solitude, on the Island of Juan Fernandez, in the Pacific Ocean,

1801

FRONTISPIECE.

[Illustration: I Was Wrapt Up In Contemplation And Often Lifted Up My Hands, With The Profoundest Humility, To The Divine Powers, For Saving My Life, When The Rest Of My Companions Were All Drowned. Dr. and Eng. by A. Carse; Edin .]

PREFACE.

If ever the story of any private man's adventures in the world were worth making public, and were acceptable when published, the Editor of this account thinks this will be so.

The wonders of this man's life exceed all that (he thinks) is to be found extant; the life of one man being scarce capable of a greater variety.

The story is told with modesty, with seriousness, and with a religious application of events to the uses to which wise men always apply them, viz. to the instruction of others by this example, and to justify and honour the wisdom of Providence in all the variety of our circumstances, let them happen how they will.

The editor believes this narrative to be a just history of fact; neither is their any appearance of fiction in it: and though he is well aware there are many, who on account of the very singular preservations the author met with, will give it the name of romance; yet in which ever of these lights it shall be viewed, he imagines, that the improvement of it, as well as the diversion, as to the instruction of the reader, will be the same; and as such, he thinks, without farther compliment to the world, he does them a great service in the publication.

THE

LIFE AND ADVENTURES

OF

ROBINSON CRUSOE.

I was born at York, in the year 1632, of a reputable family. My father was a native of Bremen, who by merchandizing at Hull for some time, gained a very plentiful fortune. He married my mother at York, who received her first breath in that country: and as her maiden name was Robinson, I was called Robinson Kreutznaer : which not being easily pronounced in the English tongue, we are commonly known by the name of Crusoe.

I was the youngest of three brothers. The eldest was a lieutenant colonel in Lochart's regiment, but slain by the Spaniards: what became of the other, I could never learn.

No charge or pains were wanting in my education. My father designed me for the law; yet nothing would serve me but I must go to sea, both against the will of my father, the tears of my mother, and the entreaties of friends. One morning my father expostulated very warmly with me: What reason, says he, have you to leave your native country, where there must be a more certain prospect of content and happiness, to enter into a wandering condition of uneasiness and uncertainty? He recommended to me Augur's wish, "Neither to desire poverty nor riches:" that a middle state of life was the most happy, and that the high towering thoughts of raising our condition by wandering abroad, were surrounded with misery and danger, and often ended with confusion and disappointment. I entreat you, nay, I command you, (says he) to desist from these intentions. Consider your elder brother, who laid down his life for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will. If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for your preservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, or forsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father's counsel. He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternal eloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that it seemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions... Continue reading book >>




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