登陆注册
5380100000001

第1章

I was born in the Year 1632, in the City of York, of a good Family, tho' not of that Country, my Father being a Foreigner of Bremen, who settled first at Hull : He got a good Estate by Merchandise, and leaving off his Trade, lived afterward at York , from whence he had married my Mother, Relations were named Robinson , a very good Family at Country, and from whom I was called Robinson Keutznaer ; but by the usual Corruption of Words in England, we are now called, nay we call our Selves, and writer Name Crusoe, and so my Companions always call'd me.

I had two elder Brothers, one of which was Lieutenant Collonel to an English Regiment of Foot in Flanders, formerly commanded by the famous Coll.Lockhart , and was killed at the Battle near Dunkirk against the Spaniards : What became of my second Brother I never knew any more than Father or Mother did know what was become of me.

Being the third Son of the Family, and not bred to any Trade, my Head began to be fill'd very early with rambling Thoughts: My Father, who was very ancient, had given me competent Share of Learning, as far as House-Education, and a Country Free-School generally goes, and design'd for the Law; but I would be satisfied with nothing but go to Sea, and my inclination to this led me so strongly against the Will, nay the Commands of my Father, and against all the Entreaties and Perswasions of my Mother and other Friends, that there seem'd to be something fatal in Propension of Nature tending directly to the Life of Misery which was to befal me.

My Father, a wise and grave Man, gave me serious excellent Counsel against what he foresaw was my Design.He call'd me one Morning into his Chamber, where he confined by the Gout, and expostulated very warmly me upon this Subject: He ask'd me what Reasons more a meer wandring inclination I had for leaving my Father House and my native Country, where I might be well introduced, and had a Prospect of raising my Fortunes Application and Industry, with a Life of Ease and Pleasure He told me it was for Men of desperate Fortunes on one Hand, or of aspiring, Superior Fortunes on the other, who went abroad upon Adventures, to rise by Enterprize, and make themselves famous in Undertakings of a Nature out of the common Road; that these things were all either too far above me, or too far below me; that mine was the middle State, or what might be called the upper Station of Low Life , which he had found by long Experience was the best State in the World, the most suited to human Happiness, not exposed to the Miseries and Hardships, the Labour and Sufferings of the mechanick Part of Mankind, and not embarass'd with the Pride, Luxury, Ambition and Envy of the upper Part of Mankind.

He told me, I might judge of the Happiness of this State, by this one thing, viz.That this was the State of Life which all other People envied, that Kings have frequently lamented the miserable Consequences of being born to great things, and wish'd they had been placed in the Middle of the two Extremes, between Mean and the Great; that the wise Man gave his Testimony to this as the just Standard of true Felicity, when he pray to have neither Poverty or Riches.

He bid me observe it, and I should always find, that the Calamitles of Life were shared among the upper and lower Part of Mankind; but that the middle Station had the fewest Disasters, and was not expos'd to so many Vicisitudes as the higher or lower Part of Mankind; nay, they were not subjected to so many Distempers and Uneasiness either of Body or Mind, as those were who, by vicious Living, Luxury and Extravagancies on one Hand, or by hard Labour, Want of Necessaries, and mean or insufficient Diet on the other Hand, bring Distempers upon themselves by the natural Consequences of their Way of Living; That the middle Station of Life was calculated for, all kind of Vertues and all kinds of Enjoyments;

that Peace and Plenty were the Hand-maids of a middle Fortune; that Temperance, Moderation, Quietness, Health, Society, all agreeable Diversions, and all desirable Pleasures, were the Blessings attending the middle Station of Life; that this Way Men went silently and smoothly thro' the World, and comfortably out of it, not embarass'd with the Labours of the Hands or of the Head, not sold to the Life of Slavery for daily Bread, or harrast with perplex'd Circumstances, which rob the Soul of Peace, and the Body of Rest; not enrag'd with the Passion of Envy, or secret burning Lust of Ambition for great things; but in easy Circumstances sliding gently thro'

the World, and sensibly tasting the Sweets of living, without the bitter, feeling that they are happy, and learning by every Day's Experience to know it more sensibly.

After this, he press'd me earnestly, and in the most affectionate manner, not to play the young Man, not to precipitate my self into Miseries which Nature and the Station of Life I was born in, seem'd to have provided against;

that I was under no Necessity of seeking my Bread; that he would do well for me, and endeavour to enter me fairly into the Station of Life which he had been just recommending to me; and that if I was not very easy and happy in the World, it must be my meer, Fate or Fault that must hinder it, and that he should have nothing to answer for, having thus discharg'd his Duty in warning me against Measures which he knew would be to my Hurt:

同类推荐
  • 韵语阳秋

    韵语阳秋

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 入幕须知

    入幕须知

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 广嗣五种备要

    广嗣五种备要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 绣鞋记

    绣鞋记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Faith of Men

    The Faith of Men

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 人间筑梦师

    人间筑梦师

    生前何必久睡死后自会长眠。在人的一生中有一半的时间在睡梦中度过,然而有这么一群极少数的人,他们会在梦中有自我意识,可以随意的构建属于自己的梦境,他们被称为筑梦师。有阳光的地方就会有黑暗,有那么一群人无视规则,随意侵入他人的梦中,试图在梦中侵入大脑而控制他人,他们被称为噬梦人。为了维护社会和平,心存责任和善良的筑梦师也组成不同的团队,和噬梦人在梦中和现实中展开了一场场惊心动魄的战斗。
  • 瀚海雄风

    瀚海雄风

    本书讲述了少年英雄李思南闯荡江湖时所发生的故事。少年英雄李思南艺成之后,遵老母之嘱,独身往蒙古寻找二十年前被蒙古兵掳去的父亲李希浩。大漠中遇蒙古金帐武士,一番恶斗,幸遇江南大侠孟少刚及其爱女孟明霞出手援救方得脱险,李思南与孟明霞一见钟情,但当孟少刚得知李思南父亲是李希浩之后,态度逐渐冷淡,乃至父女双双不辞而别,给李思南留下了一个难释的疑团。早期在台湾出版时改名为《大漠腾龙记》。
  • 我来自世界

    我来自世界

    黑历史,不想写了。就是这样。。。。。。。
  • 小盆栽成仙记

    小盆栽成仙记

    这是一个倒霉的小盆栽与腹黑魔君的孽缘故事。她的理想是成仙,期间找个书生谈谈恋爱,过着小清新的生活。现实是套路与绝路,原本理想的生活被某个男主毁得一塌糊涂,她不得不披荆斩棘砍出一条路,踏上世界的巅峰。最终她终于复仇成功,把官配男主踹了。
  • 佛说罗云忍辱经

    佛说罗云忍辱经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 听冯友兰讲中国哲学

    听冯友兰讲中国哲学

    本书稿是针对我国著名哲学大家冯友兰先生的哲学思想和著作,进行全方位解读分析的社科读本。作者将哲学通俗化的一种尝试,试图跟着冯友兰先生的思路,以中国哲学问题为核心,来讲哲学。本书系统地讲解了中国哲学的发展和演变,介绍了我国古代哲学中具有典型意义的思想及其代表人物。而且,本书对冯友兰有争议的思想,也试图根据自己的理解加以改造,并补充了一些新颖的内容,使本书增加了更多的哲学容量。
  • 乡村纪事

    乡村纪事

    通过对乡村风土人情的描写,特定生存状态下的人物特写,展示了八九十年代的乡村生活。
  • 这个游戏不简单

    这个游戏不简单

    新书《诡异流修仙游戏》堂堂连载,请求支持!……【2020最火爆创新的网游文】【吃鸡模式+狼人杀的创意网游文】夜黑风高,虚实杀。各位玩家,欢迎来到全息游戏《虚实幻境》。这个游戏不简单,专注互相对抗。普通群:471036516(已满)。2号普群:1054920035VIP群:488549049。(粉丝值5000,可入群,要验证。)
  • 撤村建镇

    撤村建镇

    开发商资金链断了,湖边400亩别墅群工程停建,临湖2个自然村已经完成了大部分征地工作,200多户800余位村民拆迁暴富梦,顿时烟消云散-----一切从零开始,村民们能走出困境吗?
  • 处世悬镜

    处世悬镜

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。