own day, but the part he played as a servant and spy of the government would have been an act of baseness in any age, and of this he seems to have been conscious.-DENNIS, JOHN, 1894, The Age of Pope, p. 181.

To narrate the career of Daniel Defoe

is to tell a tale of wonder and daring, of high endeavour and marvellous success. To dwell upon it is to take courage, and to praise God for the splendid possibilities of Defoe is always the hero;

life.

his career is as thick with events as a

cornfield with corn; his fortunes change as quickly and as completely as the shapes in a kaleidoscope-he is up, he is down, he is courted, he is spurned; it is shine, it is shower, it is couleur de rose, it is Stygian night. Thirteen times he was rich and poor. Achilles was not more audacious, Ulysses more subtle, Æneas more pious. Te Deum laudamus, that, as before intimated, is the key-note to Defoe's life, and no careful student thereof can help being struck with the frequency with which these three words occur. His whole life was one long cry, "We praise Thee, O Lord." There was nothing of the pessimist in Defoe; and optimism beatified, and that only, could have carried him safely, as it did, through the surges that unceasingly broke upon him. Defoe was temperate in his habits: unlike so many of his contemporaries, he never drank to excess. He did not smoke or take snuff. He considered smoking as "conducive to intemperate drinking;" and in his younger days, thanks to a fine constitution, he rarely troubled the doctor. The theatre, the ball-room, and the card-table were to him the very devil. In manly sports and athletic exercises he had always found an attraction; nor was there wanting in him the Puritan love of horse-play; and his reputation for swordsmanship was always a protection to him. In that "frenzy of the tongue," as he puts it, called swearing he could see "neither pleasure nor profit.' He loved a good tale and a merry jest; but "low-prised wit," indulged in at the expense of decency and morals, his soul abhorred. His talk, when he was excited, was pungent with witticisms; but he was in the habit of repeating favourite quotations with too great frequency.-WRIGHT, THOMAS, 1894, The Life of Daniel Defoe, pp. 1, 83, 316.

Most of the attacks upon Defoe published of late years have been based upon the work which he did for the Whigs under George I. in the guise of a Tory. But whatever view we may take of that matter, there are points which can be urged in Defoe's favour. There is no

reason to think that he wrote in these papers in a manner contrary to his principles; what he undertook, was to prevent others doing so, as far as might be. Neither did he betray the opponents among whom he found himself; on the contrary, he did his utmost to prevent them getting into trouble, or to shield them from punishment. The position was not altogether new to him, for he had been employed on secret services in the previous reign, and he had published ironical pamphlets which had misled members of both parties. It is impossible to believe that Defoe was not himself satisfied that the part he now played was consistent with honour. "No obligation," he says, "could excuse me in calling evil good, or good evil." This was written only a year before the compact with Townshend. The morality or immorality of "secret service" must depend upon the nature of the service required; and there can be no doubt that Defoe held that he could perform these duties without injuring his character. It should be remembered that he was in thorough sympathy with the statesmen by whom he was employed; that there was a real danger to the country in the sedition preached by the Jacobite papers which it was his business to render harm

less; and that opposition to the Pretender's cause was a leading principle throughout Defoe's career. His critics seem to forget that even in these easy days there are few public men against whom charges of inconsistency and departure from the literal truth are not brought, rightly or wrongly; and they do not realise the diffitend.-AITKEN, GEORGE A., 1895, ed. culties against which Defoe had to conDefoe's Romances and Narratives, General Introduction, vol. I, p. xxxiv.

It is not of much use to discuss Defoe's moral character, and it is sincerely to be hoped that no more revelations concerning it will turn up, inasmuch as each is more damaging than the last, except to those who have succeeded in taking his true measure once for all. It is that of a man

who, with no high, fine, or poetical sentiment to save him, shared to the full the partisan enthusiasm of his time, and its belief that all was fair in politics.SAINTSBURY, GEORGE, 1898, A Short History of English Literature, p. 547.

ESSAY UPON PROJECTS

1698

There was also a book of DeFoe's called an "Essay on Projects," and another of Dr. Mather's, called "Essays to do Good," which perhaps gave me a turn of thinking that had an influence on some of the principal future events of my life.FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN, 1771-89, Autobiography, ed. Bigelow.

It is questionable if there is any other book that has so much benefited mankind in the practical manner as this little essay by the author of "Robinson Crusoe. PARTON, JAMES, 1864, Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 1, p. 45.

It displays Defoe's lively and lucid style in full vigor, and abounds with ingenious thoughts and apt illustrations, though it illustrates also the unsystematic character of his mind. SAINTSBURY, GEORGE, 1877, Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition,

vol. VII.

There is more fervid imagination and daring ingenuity than business talent in Defoe's Essay; if his trading speculations were conducted with equal rashness, it is not difficult to understand their failure. The most notable of them are the schemes of a dictator, rather than of the adviser of a free Government. The essay is chiefly interesting as a monument of Defoe's marvellous force of mind, and the strange mixture of steady sense with incontinent flightiness. There are ebul

lient sallies in it which we generally find only in the productions of madmen and charlatans, and yet it abounds in suggestions which statesmen might profitably have set themselves with due adaptations to carry into effect. The "Essay on Projects" might alone be adduced in proof of Defoe's title to genius.-MINTO, WILLIAM, 1879, Daniel Defoe (English Men of Letters), p. 18.

TRUE-BORN ENGLISHMEN

1701

A satire which, if written in doggerel verse, and without the wit or pleasantry of Butler's "Hudibras," is a master-piece

of good sense and just reflection, and shows a thorough knowledge both of English history and of the English character. It is indeed a complete and unanswerable exposure of the pretence set up to a purer and loftier origin than all the rest of the world, instead of our being a mixed race from all parts of Europe, settling down into one common name and people. Defoe's satire was so just and true, that it drove the cant, to which it was meant to be an antidote, out of fashion; and it was this piece of service that procured the writer the good opinion and notice of equally recommend him to the public. If King William. It did not, however,

it silenced the idle and ill-natured clamours of a party, by telling the plain truth,

-that truth was not the more welcome for being plain or effectual.-HAZLITT, of Daniel Defoe, Edinburgh Review, vol. WILLIAM, 1830, Wilson's Life and Times 50, p. 413.

He lost a part of his strength, his facility, and his fancy, when he wrote in verse. Yet, even in verse, he made a lucky, nervous hit, now and then; and the best of his efforts was the "True-born

Englishman."-FORSTER, JOHN, 1845, Daniel De Foe, Edinburgh Review, vol. 82, p. 500.

SHORTEST WAY WITH THE DIS-
SENTERS
1702

On the 29th instant, Daniel Foe, alias, De Foe, stood in the pillory before the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, as he did yesterday near the Conduit in Cheapside, and this day at Temple Bar; in pursuance of his sentence given against him at the last sessions at the Old Bailey for writing and

publishing a seditious libel, entitled the "Shortest Way with the Dissenters.'' By which sentence he is also fined 200 iour for seven years; and to remain in marks, to find sureties for his good behavprison till all be performed.-LONDON GAZETTE, 1703, July 31.

Perhaps we might be allowed to ask, why De Foe, a thorough dissenter of the old Puritan school, should write a mad fire-and-faggot tract against the whole body of dissenters? De Foe's principles were not the ordinary sunshine principles of prosperous mace or sword bearing dissent; but were of the true old persecuted Puritan class a class doomed to conquest

or death in the combat. . . De Foe's tract has always been held up for a very witty performance; it might be witty, but I cannot see the wit of it, and I never could see the wit of it; but I can conceive a man of De Foe's power of discrimination perceiving the exact position of parties in England; and calculating the effect of a pushing the -High Church principles to their extreme length.-CHADWICK, WILLIAM, 1859, The Life and Times of Daniel De Foe, pp. 181, 182.

The traditional criticism of this remarkable pamphlet is a most curious example of the way in which thoroughly inappropriate descriptions of books pass from mouth to mouth. Every commentator (with the single exception of Mr. Chadwick) has dilated upon its "exquisite irony." Now, the fact of the matter is, that in "The Shortest Way" there is no irony at all, and, as Defoe's adversaries acutely remarked, irony would never have been pleaded had not the author got into trouble, when of course it suited him faire flèche de tout bois. The pamphlet is simply an exposition in the plainest and most forcible terms of the extreme "highflying" position, and every line of it might have been endorsed, and was endorsed, by consistent high-churchmen. The author's object clearly was by this naked presentation to awaken the dissenters to a sense of their danger, and to startle moderate churchmen by showing them to what end their favourite doctrines necessarily led. For neither of these purposes was irony necessary, and irony, we repeat, there is none. If any lingering doubt from the consensus of authority on the other side remain, let the student read "The Shortest Way" and then turn to Swift's "Modest Proposal" or his "Reasons against Abolishing the Church of England." He will soon see the difference.-SAINTSBURY, GEORGE, 1877, Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, vol. VII.

A work of high rhetorical art, modeled after the example set by him who imagined the speech of Antony over the dead body of Cæsar. The beginning is calm, gentle, charitable, with a touch of sadness over the fate of those steadfast clergymen who had either to sacrifice their worldly fortunes to their loyalty, or wrong their consciences by accepting the oath to the Revolution Settlement. There is a touch

of inevitable yet half-suppressed indignation when the case of the Church in Scotland is casually noticed.-BURTON, JOHN HILL, 1880, A History of the Reign of Queen Anne, vol. I, p. 94.

The reader will observe a curious resemblance between the style of argument in "Killing No Murder"-incitement to the assassination of a man-which was meant to be taken seriously, and that in "The Shortest Way with the Dissenters" -incitement to the assassination of a party-which was meant to be taken as satire.-MORLEY, HENRY, 1886, ed., Famous Pamphlets, Introduction, p. 7.

Defoe's immortal satire, "The Shortest Way with Dissenters," so subtle and restrained as to deceive its victims into the belief that it was written by one of themselves, is a worthy exposure of the narrowness and intolerance which were the curse of High Churchmen; though at the same time it helps one to understand the causes which led to that intolerance, so thoroughly does Defoe present his enemies' case.-DEARMER, PERCY, 1898, ed., Religious Pamphlets, Introduction, p. 36.

THE REVIEW

1704-1713

The poor "Review" is quite exhausted, and grown so very contemptible that, though he has provoked all his brothers of the quill, none will enter into a controversy with him. The fellow, who had excellent natural parts, but wanted a small foundation of learning, is a lively instance of those wits who, as an ingenious author says, will endure but one skimming.-GAY, JOHN, 1711, Present State of Wit.

One of the leading objects of the "Review," after the discussion of politics, was to correct the vices of the times. Throughout the work, the writer carries on an unsparing warfare against folly and vice, in all their forms and disguises. In forcible terms he inveighs against the fashionable practice of immoderate drinking, the idle propensity to swearing, the little regard that was paid to the marriage vow, and the loose conversation and habits of men in general. In well-pointed satire, he chastises the licentiousness of the . stage; and condemns, in strong language, the barbarous practice of duelling. He has also some just remarks upon the rage

for gambling speculations, which, in this reign, had risen to a great height. Upon all these subjects, he brings forth his capacious stores of wit and humour to the assistance of grave reasoning, adducing examples occasionally of the flagitious courses he condemns; but with sufficient delicacy to shew that his aim was the reformation, rather than the exposure, of the offender. No man paid a greater regard to those decencies of expression which have so much influence in regulating the intercourses of life; and although few individuals had greater provocation, from the coarse and illiberal writers of the day, yet he rarely suffers his temper to be disturbed, or departs from courtesy of language towards even his bitterest opponents.-WILSON, WALTER, 1830, Memoirs of the Life and Times of Daniel De Foe, vol. II, p. 201.

Defoe's greatest work, greatest undoubtedly, as to its magnitude, and perhaps, in value and importance; yet the least known of his multifarious writings.

When it is remembered, that no other pen was ever employed than that of Defoe, upon a work appearing at such frequent intervals, extending over more than nine years, and embracing, in more than five thousand printed pages, essays on almost every branch of human knowledge, the achievement must be pronounced a great one, even had he written nothing else. If we add that, between the dates of the first and last numbers of the "Review," he wrote and published no less than eighty other distinct works, containing 4727 pages, and perhaps more, not now known, the fertility of his genius must appear as astonishing as the greatness of his capacity for labour.

Only those who have read the "Review" can be thoroughly acquainted with Daniel Defoe.-LEE, WILLIAM, 1869, Daniel Defoe: His Life and Recently Discovered Writings, vol. 1, pp. 84, 85.

It is probable that if the five points of bulk, rapidity of production, variety of matter, originality of design, and excellence of style are taken together, hardly any author can show a work of equal magnitude. SAINTSBURY, GEORGE, 1877, Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, vol. VII.

While Defoe's "Review," with its invention of the leading article, its

splendid versatility, and its fearless criticism of topics of the day, must be granted an important place in the history of journalism; large reservation must be made when it is claimed that its author anticipated Steele. Few writers more than Defoe elude classification. He occupies a tantalizing position at the threshold of two great developments in prose literature, and it is as difficult to deny that the "Review" led the way to the "Tatler" as to maintain that "Pamela" was not influenced by "Crusoe" or "Roxana.

It is generally hazardous to appeal against any long-sustained verdict of public literary opinion, but it cannot be admitted that the oblivion into which the "Review" has fallen is a wholly merited one. LOBBAN, J. H., 1896, English Essays, Introduction, pp. xvi, xviii.

APPARITION OF MRS VEAL

1706

An adventurous bookseller had ventured to print a considerable edition of a work by the Reverend Charles Drelincourt, minister of the Calvinist Church in Paris, and translated by M. D'Assigny, under the title of the "Christian's Defence against the Fear of Death, with several directions how to prepare ourselves to die well." But however certain the prospect of death, it is not so agreeable (unfortunately) as to invite the eager contemplation of the public; and Drelincourt's book, being neglected, lay a dead stock on the hands of the publisher. In this emergency he applied to De Foe to assist him (by dint of such means as were then, as well as now, pretty well understood in the literary world) in rescuing the unfortunate book from the literary death to which general neglect seemed about to consign it. De Foe's genius and audacity devised a plan which, for assurance and ingenuity, defied even the powers of Mr. Puff in the Critic; for who but himself would have thought of summoning up a ghost from the grave to bear witness in favour of a halting body of divinity? There is a matter-of-fact, businesslike style in the whole account of the transaction, which bespeaks ineffable powers of self-possession. The effect was most wonderful. "Drelincourt upon Death," attested by one who could speak from experience, took an unequalled run. The copies had hung on the book-seller's

hands as heavy as a pile of lead bullets. They now traversed the town in every direction, like the same balls discharged from a field-piece. In short, the object of Mrs. Veal's apparition was perfectly attained. SCOTT, SIR WALTER, c 1821, Memoir of Daniel De Foe, Miscellaneous Works, vol. IV, pp. 267, 273.

No English writer has ever excelled him in his power of painting fictitious events in the colours of truth. His simple and natural style has much to do with this. "The Relation of Mrs. Veal's Apparition," prefixed to "Drelincourt on Death,' affords, perhaps, the best specimen of Defoe's wonderful power of clothing fiction with the garb of truth.-COLLIER, WILLIAM FRANCIS, 1861, A History of English Literature, p. 250.

Never, perhaps, has a story been so misunderstood as this apparition of Mrs. Veal. The idle tradition that it was written to promote the sale of Drelincourt's work on "The Fear of Death," has been conclusively disposed of by Mr. Lee, who proves that when "Mrs. Veal" appeared "Drelincourt" was already a popular work in its third edition, and, furthermore, that Mrs. Veal's recommendation, contrary likewise to tradition, did not have any appreciable effect on the sale of "Drelincourt. These traditions, which arose from the fact that the printer of "Drelincourt" was permitted to reprint Defoe's pamphlet in the fourth edition of "Drelincourt,' deceived even so acute a critic as Sir

Walter Scott. "Drelincourt," which long continued popular, was subsequently printed sometimes with and sometimes without "Mrs. Veal." But there is another erroneous notion concerning "Mrs. Veal" that requires to be dealt with, and that is the assumption that the narrative is a fiction. Whoever will read the story, says Sir Walter Scott, "as told by Defoe himself will agree that, could the thing have happened in reality, so it would have been told. But the extraordinary thing is that nobody should have. inquired whether it was not true, that is to say, whether a lady of Defoe's acquaintance, to whom he gives the name of Mrs. Bargrave, did not tell him, and in good faith, this story; and that such was certainly the case, no one who reads carefully Defoe's works on "Magic and Apparitions," can possibly doubt. Defoe, as

we shall show, when dealing with those books, believed firmly in apparitions; he had had stories told him which there was no getting over, and this of Mrs. Bargrave's was one of them.--WRIGHT, THOMAS, 1894, The Life of Daniel Defoe, p. 131.

The fact that there is no record of Defoe's story being contradicted by contemporary writers might have suggested that it was at least based on fact; for enemies were not slow to blame Defoe for saying that "Robinson Crusoe" and other tales were true. It has become the fashion of late to assume that Defoe was romancing when he said that his narratives were true histories, and the more he has asserted it the more critics have laughed at his skill or abused him for the immorality of his devices, according to the way the matter struck them.

This

scepticism has been extended to matters relating to Defoe's own life and character, and the late Professor Minto went so far as to say that he was "perhaps the greatest liar that ever lived." The result of this attitude has been a marked change in the common estimate of Defoe, as shown by the chance notices of him in the newsBut does not the story told in this paper show that we should be at least as likely to arrive at the truth by believing what Defoe says, in the absence of proof to the contrary?—AITKEN, GEORGE A., 1895, Defoe's "Apparition of Mrs. Veal," The Nineteenth Century, vol. 37, pp. 99, 100.

papers.