Robinson Crusoe (Penguin ed.) by Daniel Defoe

Author:Daniel Defoe [Defoe, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Classics
ISBN: 9780141901053
Publisher: Penguin UK
Published: 2003-03-27T05:00:00+00:00

It is as impossible, as needless, to set down the innumerable crowd of thoughts that whirl’d through that great thorow-fare of the brain, the memory, in this night’s time: I ran over the whole history of my life in miniature, or by abridgment, as I may call it, to my coming to this island; and also of the part of my life, since I came to this island. In my reflections upon the state of my case, since I came on shore on this island, I was comparing the happy posture of my affairs, in the first years of my habitation here, compar’d to the life of anxiety, fear, and care, which I had liv’d ever since I had seen the print of a foot in the sand; not that I did not believe the savages had frequented the island even all the while, and might have been several hundreds of them at times on shore there; but I had never known it, and was incapable of any apprehensions about it; my satisfaction was perfect, tho’ my danger was the same; and I was as happy in not knowing my danger, as if I had never really been expos’d to it. This furnish’d my thoughts with many very profitable reflections, and particularly this one, How infinitely good that Providence is, which has provided in its government of mankind, such narrow bounds to his sight and knowledge of things; and tho’ he walks in the midst of so many thousand dangers, the sight of which, if discover’d to him, would distract his mind, and sink his spirits; he is kept serene, and calm, by having the events of things hid from his eyes, and knowing nothing of the dangers which surround him.

After these thoughts had for some time entertain’d me, I came to reflect seriously upon the real danger I had been in, for so many years in this very island; and how I had walk’d about in the greatest security, and with all possible tranquillity; even when perhaps nothing but a brow of a hill, a great tree, or the casual approach of night, had been between me and the worst kind of destruction, viz. that of falling into the hands of cannibals, and savages, who would have seiz’d on me with the same view, as I did of a goat, or a turtle; and have thought it no more a crime to kill and devour me, than I did of a pidgeon, or a curlieu: I would unjustly slander my self, if I should say I was not sincerely thankful to my great preserver, to whose singular protection I acknowledg’d, with great humility, that all these unknown deliverances were due; and without which, I must inevitably have fallen into their merciless hands.

When these thoughts were over, my head was for some time taken up in considering the nature of these wretched creatures; I mean, the savages; and how it came to pass in the world, that the wise governour

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