CHAPTER XVII.

De Foe's merits as a writer of Fiction.-Estimate of them by Charles' Lamb. "Robinson Crusoe."—History of its Publication.-Its great success.- De Fae publishes a second volume.-Piracy of this Work.-Controversy concerning it.-Libel upon De Foe.-Blair's character of "Robinson Crusoe."Johnson's Eulogy.-De Foe publishes his "Serious Reflections."-Design of the Work. The Author's allusions to Himself.-Subjects discussed.-Popularity and character of "Robinson Crusoe."-Rousseau's commendation.—Judgment of Dr. Beattie.-Origin of the Work." Timothy Crusoe.”"Account of Alexander Selkirk.”—Works relating to him.—Steele's Paper in the "Englishman.”—How far De Foe was indebted to his story.—Idle tale of his Plagiarism discussed.—Writers for and against it.—The Work ascribed to Arbuthnot and Harley.-Various opinions upon the place of its birth.-Notice of its various editions.— French and Spanish translations.—A great favourite with the Arabs.—Imitations of the Work.-"Philip Quarll.” -Professor Campe's French Work-Spanish and Latin translations.— Edition of Mad. Montmorency Lavale.

1719.

WHATEVER fame De Foe had created for himself amongst his contemporaries by his previous writings, it has been eclipsed in the judgment of posterity, by the series of imaginative works which now fell from his pen with astonishing rapidity, and will entail honour upon his name so long as true genius, consecrated by moral worth, shall continue to be an object of estimation. There can be no doubt that long habit, urged on by necessity, contributed greatly to lessen the toils of composition; and that the readiness he had acquired, received an additional stimulus from the excitements of genius. Yet no

DE FOE'S MERITS AS A WRITER OF FICTION.

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man, without the resources of De Foe, could have combined, with the same rapidity, so much varied and useful information. To extensive reading upon almost every branch of literature, he united an intimate knowledge of the world; and his resources were so much at his command, that he appears have drawn upon them with little apparent labour. Accustomed to view mankind in all its gradations of station and character; conversing sometimes with the great, at other times with the low, he had stored his mind with an abundance of materials, which a lively fancy enabled him to turn to a good account. His commerce with the world had brought him acquainted with its habits and occupations, its business and amusements, and with all the forms in which society has developed the human passions. Engaged from his earliest years in active pursuits, and thrown by the accidents of life into almost every variety of situation, he had an opportunity of reading instructive lessons upon human nature, and furnished many scenes of real life from the storehouse of his own experience. A character formed in so extensive a school, acutely alive to passing events, and disciplined by correct habits of thinking, was at no loss for incidents to awaken the attention of mankind; whilst his habitual seriousness led him to improve every occasion for converting them into channels of instruction. Intimately acquainted with the whole circle of common life, he possessed the talent above most men, of seizing upon ordinary occurrences, and throwing over them a charm which they owe entirely to the force of his own fancy, But his genius was happily chastened by a correct and solid judgment. His mind was no less vigorous than acute, and being tempered by a high tone of moral feeling, he insinuates instruction insensibly upon his readers, whilst he administers to their amusement. If some of his fictions partake of less refinement than can be desired, he does not, like many of his contemporaries, disgust us with their sallies of vulgarity; he no where sacrifices decency to wit; nor does he offend by

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ESTIMATE OF THEM BY CHARLES LAMB.

the extravagancy of his descriptions. De Foe uniformly pays homage to virtue; and when he dives into the depravity of the human character, it is for the purpose of raising it to the standard of excellence. Whilst he wrote with an ease and fluency that communicated life and grace to his subject; it is more than probable that the enchantments of his pen yielded as much pleasure to him that wielded it, as they communicated to the mass of his admirers.

The following remarks upon De Foe's works of genuis, are from the pen of the Author's highly esteemed friend, Charles Lamb, and are original. "In the appearances of truth, in all the incidents and conversations that occur in them, they exceed any works of fiction that I am acquainted with. It is perfect illusion. The author never appears in these self-narratives (for so they ought to be called, or rather auto-biographies) but the narrator chains us down to an implicit belief in every thing he says. There is all the minute detail of a log-book in it. Dates are painfully pressed upon the memory. Facts are repeated over and over in varying phrases, till you cannot chuse but believe them. It is like reading evidence in a court of Justice. So anxious the storyteller seems that the truth should be clearly comprehended, that when he has told us a matter of fact, or a motive, in a line or two farther down he repeats it, with his favourite figure of speech, I say, so and so, though he had made it abundantly plain before. This is in imitation of the common people's way of speaking, or rather of the way in which they are addressed by a master or mistress, who wishes to impress something upon their memories, and has a wonderful effect upon matter-of-fact readers. Indeed, it is to such principally that he writes. His style is every where beautiful, but plain and homely. Robinson Crusoe is delightful to all ranks and classes; but it is easy to see, that it is written in a phraseology peculiarly adapted to the lower conditions of readers. Hence, it is an especial favourite with sea-faring men, poor boys,

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servant-maids, &c. His novels are capital kitchen-reading, while they are worthy, from their interest, to find a shelf in the libraries of the wealthiest and the most learned. His passion for matter-of-fact narrative, sometimes betrayed him into a long relation of common incidents, which might happen to any man, and have no interest beyond the intense appearance of truth in them, to recommend them. The whole latter half, or two thirds, of Colonel Jack' is of this description. The beginning of Colonel Jack is the most affecting natural picture of a young thief, that was ever drawn. His losing the stolen money in the hollow tree, and finding it again when in despair; and then being in equal distress at not knowing how to dispose of it, and several similar touches in the early history of the Colonel, evince a deep knowledge of human nature; and putting out of question the superior romantic interest of the latter, in my mind very much exceeds Crusoe. Roxana (first edition) is the next in interest, though he left out the best part of it in subsequent editions, from a foolish hyper-criticism of his friend Southerne. But Moll Flanders, the account of the Plague, &c. &c. are all of one family, and have the same stamp of character."

The first, and by far the most celebrated, of those works of imagination, which have conferred immortality upon the name of De Foe, appeared in 1719, under the title of "The Life and Strange Surprizing adventures of ROBINSON CRUSOE, of York, Mariner: who lived eight and twenty years all alone in an uninhabited Island on the Coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River Oroonoque; having been cast on shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the men perished but himself. With an Account how he was at last strangely delivered by Pirates. Written by Himself. London: printed for W. Taylor, at the Ship, in Paternoster-Row, 1719." 8vo. pp. 364 (z).

In a preface remarkable for its brevity and simplicity, De

(z) It was entered at Stationers' Hall, for William Taylor, the 23rd of April, 1719.

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ITS GREAT SUCCESS.

Foe thus introduces this enchanting narrative to his readers. "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 are to be found extant; the life of one man being scarce capable of 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 instructions of others by example, and to justify and honour the wisdom of Providence in all the variety of their circumstances, let them happen how they will. The Editor believes the thing to be a just history of fact; neither is there any appearance of fiction in it. However this may be, for all such things are disputed, he is of opinion that the improvement of it, as well to 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." Singular as it may have appeared in after times, the manuscript of "Robinson Crusoe" passed through the whole circle of the trade before it could find a purchaser. A circumstance so discreditable to the judgment of the booksellers, can only be referred to that class of unaccountables, which, for want of a better solution, we resolve into caprice. The great mind that conceived the matchless poem of "Paradise Lost," had presented many years before a striking instance of this waywardness of taste: but De Foe's bookseller had greater reason to congratulate himself upon the success of his speculation. This was so immediate, and so rapid, that less no than four editions were published in as many months; and several printers were set to work upon them, in order to satisfy the eager demands of the public (A). William Taylor, the

(A) Mr. Dibdin, in his "Library Companion," states "That 'Robinson Crusoe' first greeted the public eye in the sorrily printed pages of 'The Original London Post, or Heathcote's Intelligence,' from No. 125 to No. 289,