Part 1 (1/2)

The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

by Daniel Defoe

CHAPTER I--REVISITS ISLAND

That holand, viz ”That what is bred in the bone will not go out of the flesh,” was never more verified than in the story of my Life Any one would think that after thirty-five years' affliction, and a variety of unhappy circuh before, and after near seven years of peace and enjoyrown old, and when, if ever, it ht be allowed me to have had experience of every state of middle life, and to knohich was most adapted to make a man completely happy; I say, after all this, any one would have thought that the native propensity to ra out in the world to have been so predoht, at sixty one years of age, have been a little inclined to stay at ho life and fortune any n adventures was taken away into seek: if I had gained ten thousand pounds I had been no richer; for I had already sufficient for me, and for those I had to leave it to; and what I had was visibly increasing; for, having no great family, I could not spend the income of what I had unless I would set up for an expensive way of living, such as a great faaiety, and the like, which were things I had no notion of, or inclination to; so that I had nothing, indeed, to do but to sit still, and fully enjoy what I had got, and see it increase daily upon s had no effect uponinclination I had to go abroad again, which hung about me like a chronic diste my new plantation in the island, and the colony I left there, ran in ination ran upon it all day: it was upperhts, and ly upon it that I talked of it incould remove it out of my mind: it even broke so violently into all my discourses that itelse; all my discourse ran into it, even to impertinence; and I saw it ment say that all the stir that peopleto the strength of iination, and the powerful operation of fancy in their , or a ghost walking; that people's poring affectionately upon the past conversation of their deceased friends so realises it to the, upon some extraordinary circumstances, that they see them, talk to the but shadow and vapour in the thing, and they really know nothing of the matter

For my part, I know not to this hour whether there are any such things as real apparitions, spectres, or walking of people after they are dead; or whether there is anything in the stories they tell us of that kindfancies: but this I know, that ht me into such excess of vapours, or what else I may call it, that I actually supposed myself often upon the spot, at my old castle, behind the trees; saw my old Spaniard, Friday's father, and the reprobate sailors I left upon the island; nay, I fancied I talked with theh I was broad awake, as at persons just before htened es my fancy represented to me One time, in my sleep, I had the villainy of the three pirate sailors so lively related to me by the first Spaniard, and Friday's father, that it was surprising: they told me how they barbarously attempted to murder all the Spaniards, and that they set fire to the provisions they had laid up, on purpose to distress and starve thes that I had never heard of, and that, indeed, were never all of theination, and so realised to me, that, to the hour I saw them, I could not be persuaded but that it was or would be true; also how I resented it, when the Spaniard coht them to justice, tried theed What there was really in this shall be seen in its place; for however I cas in my dream, and what secret converse of spirits injected it, yet there was, I say,in it literally and specifically true; but the general part was so true--the base; villainous behaviour of these three hardened rogues was such, and had been so much worse than all I can describe, that the dream had too much similitude of the fact; and as I would afterwards have punished theed theht, and even should have been justified both by the laws of God and man

But to return to my story In this kind of temper I lived some years; I had no enjoyreeable diversion but what had so or other of this in it; so that my wife, who saw ht that she believed there was some secret, powerful io thither again; and that she found nothing hindered ed to a wife and children She toldwith me: but as she was assured that if she was dead it would be the first thing I would do, so, as it see was determined above, she would not be the only obstruction; for, if I thought fit and resolved to go--[Here she found me very intent upon her words, and that I looked very earnestly at her, so that it a little disordered her, and she stopped I asked her why she did not go on, and say out what she was going to say?

But I perceived that her heart was too full, and some tears stood in her eyes] ”Speak out, o?”--”No,” says she, very affectionately, ”I ao,” says she, ”rather than I would be the only hindrance, I will go with you: for though I think it afor one of your years, and in your condition, yet, if it , ”I would not leave you; for if it be of Heaven youit; and if Heaven o with you, or otherwise dispose of me, that I may not obstruct it”

This affectionate behaviour of an to consider what I was doing; I corrected ue with myself sedately what business I had after threescore years, and after such a life of tedious sufferings and disasters, and closed in so happy and easy a manner; I, say, what business had I to rush into new hazards, and put myself upon adventures fit only for youth and poverty to run into?

With those thoughts I considered ereat with child of another; that I had all the world could give ain; that I was declining in years, and ought to think rather of leaving what I had gained than of seeking to increase it; that as to whatan io, I had no notion of that; so, after led with the power of ination, reasoned myself out of it, as I believe people may always do in like cases if they will: in a word, I conquered it, cohts, and which my present condition furnished me plentifully with; and particularly, as the most effectual s, and to engage in soht effectually tie me up fro return uponto do, nor anything of ht a little farm in the county of Bedford, and resolved to remove myself thither I had a little convenient house upon it, and the land about it, I found, was capable of great improvement; and it was hted in cultivating,of land; and particularly, being an inland country, I was re to the remote parts of the world I went down to hs, harrows, a cart, waggon-horses, cows, and sheep, and, setting seriously to work, becahts were entirely taken up in , planting, &c; and I lived, as I thought, the , or that ato

I farmed upon my own land; I had no rent to pay, was limited by no articles; I could pull up or cut down as I pleased; what I planted was forthus left off the thoughts of wandering, I had not the least discoht, indeed, that I enjoyed the middle state of life which my father so earnestly reco like what is described by the poet, upon the subject of a country life:--

”Free froe has no pain, and youth no snare”

But in the middle of all this felicity, one blow froed me at once; and not only made a breach upon me inevitable and incurable, but drovedisposition, which, as Iborn in my very blood, soon recovered its hold of me; and, like the returns of a violent distemper, came on with an irresistible force upon me This bloas the loss of y upon ive a character of her particular virtues, and make my court to the sex by the flattery of a funeral sermon She was, in a feords, the stay of all ine that, by her prudence, reduced ant and ruinous project that filled enius than a mother's tears, a father's instructions, a friend's counsel, or allto her, and in being ree desolate and dislocated in the world by the loss of her

When she was gone, the world looked aardly round hts, as I was in the Brazils, when I first went on shore there; and as much alone, except for the assistance of servants, as I was in my island I knew neither what to think nor what to do I saw the world busy aroundin vile excesses or empty pleasures, but equally miserable because the end they proposed still fled from them; for the men of pleasure every day surfeited of their vice, and heaped up work for sorrow and repentance; and thefor bread toin a daily circulation of sorrow, living but to work, and working but to live, as if daily bread were the only end of wearisome life, and a wearisome life the only occasion of daily bread

This put dorow, because I did not want it; and bred no oats, because I had no rew mouldy, and had scarce the favour to be looked upon in twenty years All these things, had I iion had dictated to ht me to search farther than human enjoy which certainly was the reason and end of life superior to all these things, and which was either to be possessed, or at least hoped for, on this side of the grave

But one; I was like a shi+p without a pilot, that could only run afore the wind My thoughts ran all away again into the old affair; n adventures; and all the pleasant, innocent aarden, my cattle, andto me, had no relish, and were like music to one that has no ear, or food to one that has no taste In a word, I resolved to leave off housekeeping, let my farm, and return to London; and in a few months after I did so

When I came to London, I was still as uneasy as I was before; I had no relish for the place, no e to do but to saunter about like an idle person, of whom it may be said he is perfectly useless in God's creation, and it is not one farthing's matter to the rest of his kind whether he be dead or alive This also was the thing which, of all circumstances of life, was the most my aversion, who had been all my days used to an active life; and I would often say to s of life;” and, indeed, I thought I wasa deal board

It was now the beginning of the year 1693, when ht up to the sea, and had made hie to Bilbao, being the first he had made He came to me, and toldto hie for them to the East Indies, and to China, as private traders ”And now, uncle,” says he, ”if you will go to sea with e to land you upon your old habitation in the island; for we are to touch at the Brazils”

Nothing can be a greater demonstration of a future state, and of the existence of an invisible world, than the concurrence of second causes with the idea of things which we form in our minds, perfectly reserved, and not co how farwas returned upon ht to say, when that very reat deal of confusion of thought, and revolving every part of my circuo to Lisbon, and consult with my old sea-captain; and if it was rational and practicable, I would go and see the island again, and as becohts of peopling the place, and carrying inhabitants fro a patent for the possession and I know not what; when, in the middle of all this, in co me thither in his way to the East Indies

I paused a while at his words, and looking steadily at him, ”What devil,”

said I, ”sent you on this unlucky errand?” My nephew stared as if he had been frightened at first; but perceiving that I was not much displeased at the proposal, he recovered himself ”I hope it may not be an unlucky proposal, sir,” says he ”I daresay you would be pleased to see your new colony there, where you once reigned with more felicity than most of your brother monarchs in the world” In a word, the scheme hit so exactly with my temper, that is to say, the prepossession I was under, and of which I have said so reed with the o with hio any further than my own island ”Why, sir,” says he, ”you don't want to be left there again, I hope?” ”But,” said I, ”can you not take ain on your return?” He told me it would not be possible to do so; that the merchants would never allow him to co a ht be three or four ”Besides, sir, if I should miscarry,” said he, ”and not return at all, then you would be just reduced to the condition you were in before”

This was very rational; but we both found out a remedy for it, which was to carry a fra taken in pieces, reed to carry with us, be set up again in the island, and finished fit to go to sea in a few days I was not long resolving, for indeed the importunities of my nephew joined so effectually withcould opposedead, none concerned themselves so much for ood friend the ho earnestly struggled with me to consider my years,voyage; and above all,children But it was all to no purpose, I had an irresistible desire for the voyage; and I told her I thought there was so so uncommon in the impressions I had uponProvidence if I should attempt to stay at home; after which she ceased her expostulations, and joined with e, but also in settlingfor the education of my children In order to do this, I made my will, and settled the estate I had in such a manner for my children, and placed in such hands, that I was perfectly easy and satisfied they would have justice done theht befall me; and for their education, I left it wholly to the ith a sufficient maintenance to herself for her care: all which she richly deserved; for no mother could have taken more care in their education, or understood it better; and as she lived till I came home, I also lived to thank her for it