Books Should Be Free Loyal Books Free Public Domain Audiobooks & eBook Downloads |
|
The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801) By: Daniel Defoe (1661?-1731) |
---|
![]()
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 >>
|
Genres for this book |
---|
Adventure |
Fiction |
Literature |
eBook links |
---|
Wikipedia – Daniel Defoe |
Wikipedia – The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801) |
eBook Downloads | |
---|---|
ePUB eBook • iBooks for iPhone and iPad • Nook • Sony Reader |
Kindle eBook • Mobi file format for Kindle |
Read eBook • Load eBook in browser |
Text File eBook • Computers • Windows • Mac |
Review this book |
---|