THE PREFACE.. IF F 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 exceeds 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 modefty, with seriousness, and with a religious application of events to the uses to which wife men always apply them; viz. to the inftruction of others, by this example, and to juftify and honour the wisdom of Providence in all the variety of circumstances, let them happen how they will. The The Editor believes the thing to be a juft history of facts; neither is there any appearance of fiction in it: and however thinks, because all fuch things are difputed, that the improvement of it, as well to the diverfion, as to the inftruction of the Reader, will be the fame; and as fuch, he thinks, without farther compliment to the worid, he does them a great fervice in the publication. TITLE Page to Vol. I. with a beautiful Vignette, compofed of the Wreck of a Ship. SUBJECT OF PLATE II, FRONTISPIECE to Vol. I.-Robinson Crufoe taking leave of his Father and Mother. My father was a wife and grave man; gave me ferious and excellent counsel against what he forefaw was my defign. He called me one morning into his chamber, where he was confined by the gout, and expoftulated very warmly with me upon this fubject." See page 2. SUBJECT OF PLATE III. Robinson Crufoe fhipwrecked, and clinging to a Rock. "I recovered a little before the return of the waves; and feeing I fhould be covered again with the water, I refolved to hold faft by a piece of the rock." See page 56. SUBJECT OF PLATE IV, Robinson Crufoe upon his Raft. Having plundered the fhip of what was portable and fit to hand out, I began with the cables; and cutting the great cable in pieces, fuch as I could move, I got two cables and a hawfer on fhore, with all the iron-work I could get; and having cut down the sprit-fail yard, and the mizen-yard, and every thing I could to make a large raft, I loaded it with all the heavy goods, and came away." See page 69. A 2 SUBJECT SUBJECT OF PLATE V. Robinfon Crufoe at work in his Cave. "I made abundance of things even without tools, and fome with no more tools than an adze and a hatchet, which perhaps were never made before, and that with infinite labour." page 84. See SUBJECT OF PLATE VI. Robinfon Crufoe difcovers the Print of a Man's Foot. "I was exceedingly furprised with the print of a man's naked foot on the fhore, which was very plain to be seen in the fand. I flood like one thunderstruck, or as if I had feen an apparition; I liftened, I looked round me, I could hear nothing, nor fee any thing." See. page 194. SUBJECT OF PLATE VII. Robinson Crufoe first fees and rescues his man Friday. "Having knocked this fellow down, the other who pursued him ftopped, as if he had been frightened; and I advanced apace towards him; but, as I came nearer, I perceived presently he had a bow and arrow, and was fitting it to fhoot at me; fo I was then neceffitated to shoot at him firft, which I did, and killed him at the first shot." See page 256. SUBJECT OF PLATE VIII. Robinson Crufoe and Friday making a Boat. "I fhewed him how to cut it out with tools, which, after I had fhewed him how to ufe, he did very readily; and, in about a month's hard labour, we finished it, and made it very handfome." See page 287. SUBJECT OF PLATE IX. Robinson Crufoe and Friday making a Tent to lodge Friday's Father and the Spaniard. 66 Friday and I carried them up both together between us; but, when we got them to the outfide of our wall or fortification, we were at a worfe lofs than before, for it was impoffible to get them over; and I was refolved not to break it down, so I fet to work again, and Friday and I, in about two hours time, made a very handfome tent, covered with old fails, and above that, with boughs of trees." See page 304. A 3 VOL. |