their cares and anxieties. It combines the rare advantages of a continuous narrative with those of natural and well sustained dialogue, a form of writing in which Defoe greatly excelled. Like his other works on religion and morality, it is based on the Bible alone, and is equally acceptable to all denominations of orthodox Protestants. It displays, throughout, the characteristics of his best style of writing, and is distinguished as much for its practical utility as for its ability.LEE, WILLIAM, 1869, Daniel Defoe: His Life and Recently Discovered Writings, vol. I, p. 357.

For this work both Mr. Wilson and Mr. Lee professed unbounded admiration. To say that I too enjoyed reading it would be untrue. A little of the powder of "admirable unsectarian morality," as Mr. Lee calls it, in a large spoonful of the preserve of fiction could be put up with; but when, as in the case of "Religious Courtship, there is a heaped-up spoonful of this "admirable unsectarian morality," relieved by only the thinnest streak of preserve, one makes wry faces.-WRIGHT, THOMAS, 1894, The Life of Daniel Defoe, p. 288.

JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR 1722

The "History of the Great Plague in London" is one of that particular class of compositions which hovers between romance and history. Undoubtedly De Foe embodied a number of traditions upon this subject with what he might actually have read, or of which he might otherwise have received direct evidence. The sub

ject is hideous almost to disgust, yet, even had he not been the author of "Robinson Crusoe," De Foe would have deserved immortality for the genius which he has displayed in this work, as well as in the "Memoirs of a Cavalier."-SCOTT, SIR WALTER, c 1821, Memoir of Daniel De Foe, Miscellaneous Works, vol. IV, p. 255.

Such is the veri-similitude of all the writings of Defoe, that unless we have had some other means of refuting their authenticity than internal evidence, it would be a very difficult task to dispute their claims. to credit. Such is the minuteness of detail; such a dwelling is there upon particular circumstances, which one is inclined to think would have struck no one but an

actual spectator; such, too, is the plainness and simplicity of style; such the ordinary and probable nature of his materials, as well as the air of conscientiousness thrown over the whole, that it is a much easier thing to say the narrative is tedious, prolix, or dull, than to entertain a doubt of its veracity. All these marks of genuineness distinguish the work before us perhaps more than any other compositions of the same author.-SOUTHERN, H., 1822, Defoe's History of the Plague, Retrospective Review, vol. 6, p. 2.

Who, in reading his thrilling "History of the Great Plague," would not be reconciled to a few little ones?-HOOD, THOMAS, 1843, Memorials, vol. II, p. 142.

For the grandeur of the theme and the profoundly affecting familiarity of its treatment, for the thrilling and homely touches which paint at once the moral and the physical terrors of a pestilence, is one of the noblest prose epics of the language. -FORSTER, JOHN, 1845-58, Daniel De Foe, Edinburgh Review; Historical and Biographical Essays, vol. II, p. 96.

The "Journal of the Plague Year" is in some respects Defoe's masterpiece. -AITKEN, GEORGE A., 1895, ed. Defoe's Romances and Narratives, A Journal of the Plague Year, vol. II, p. ix.

Of all the prolific Daniel's two hundred and fifty-odd works, none better exhibits his most striking features of style. The minute detail, the irresistible verisimilitude, the awful realism, are all there, and almost persuade us that he saw all that he describes, in spite of our knowledge that he was a boy-though a precocious. one of five, when the pestilence was raging. SMITH, JOSIAH RENICK, 1895, New Presentments of Defoe, The Dial, vol. 19, p. 16.

COLONEL JACK

1722

Every wicked reader will here be encouraged to a change, and it will appear that the best and only good end of a wicked and misspent life is repentance. That is this, there is comfort, peace, and oftentimes hope; and, that the penitent shall be returned like the prodigal, and his latter end be better than his beginning. -DE FOE, DANIEL, 1722, Colonel Jack, Preface.

The "Life of Colonel Jacque," is a

work excellent in its kind, although less known than some of the author's other performances. If it contains much manner of low-life, it aspires to an elevation of character; whilst the painting is that of nature, and the tendency stirctly virtuous. There is in truth but little that can associate it in character with Moll Flanders; for, if there is a correspondency in some of their actions, the principle that actuated them was widely different, and our hero appears through the greater part of the volume, a personage entitled to some respect. WILSON, WALTER, 1830, Memoirs of the Life and Times of Daniel De Foe, vol. III, p. 495.

The Life of Colonel Jack, like its predecessor, is a book that a religious, or even prudent father could not safely place in the hands of his children; yet is there much in the character of the hero that entitles him to respect. Notwithstanding the obvious objections of fastidious delicacy to this book, and paying due respect to the refinement of modern civilization, I venture to doubt whether more good was effected, at the time, even by our author's excellent work on "Religious Courtship," than by "Colonel Jack," remembering the different classes for whom they were respectively written.-LEE, WILLIAM, 1869, Daniel Defoe: His Life and Recently Discovered Writings, vol. I, pp. 366, 367.

"The History of Colonel Jack" is an unequal book. There is hardly in "Robinson Crusoe" a scene equal, and there is consequently not in English literature a scene superior, to that praised by Lamb, and extracted in Knight's "Half Hours with the Best Authors, "-the scene where the youthful pickpocket first exercises his trade, and then for a time loses his illgotten (though for his part he knows not the meaning of the word ill-gotten) gains. But great part of the book, and especially the latter portion, is dull.SAINTSBURY, GEORGE, 1877, Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, vol. VII.

COMPLETE ENGLISH TRADESMAN 1725-27

I have now lying before me that curious book by Daniel Defoe, "The Complete English Tradesman." The pompous detail, the studied analysis of every little mean art, every sneaking address, every trick

and subterfuge, short of larceny, that is necessary to the tradesman's occupation, with the hundreds of anecdotes, dialogues (in Defoe's liveliest manner) interspersed, all tending to the same amiable purpose,

namely, the sacrificing of every honest emotion of the soul to what he calls the main chance, if you read it in an ironical sense, and as a piece of covered satire, make it one of the most amusing books which Defoe ever writ, as much so as any of his best novels. It is difficult to say what his intention was in writing it. It is almost impossible to suppose him in earnest. Yet such is the bent of the book to narrow and to degrade the heart, that if such maxims were as catching and infectious as those of a licentious cast, which happily is not the case, had I been living at that time, I certainly should have recommended to the Grand Jury of Middlesex, who presented "The Fable of the Bees, to have presented this book of Defoe's in preference, as of a far more vile and debasing tendency.-LAMB, CHARLES, 1830? The Good Clerk, a Character; The Reflector No. 4.

The plays of Heywood, Massinger, and Ben Jonson, do not give us the citizens of their time more vividly, nor better contrast the staidness and the follies of old and of young, than De Foe has here accomplished for the traders of William and Anne. We are surprised to be told that this book was less popular than others of others of its class; but perhaps a certain surly vein of satire which was in it, was the reason.-FORSTER, JOHN, 1845-58, Daniel De Foe, Edinburgh Review, Historical and Biographical Essays, vol. II, p. 92.

He did more by his pen for the benefit of mankind than almost any English author that ever lived; for his "Complete Tradesman" alone is, perhaps, one of the best books ever printed: a work which did much to form the character of the great American, Benjamin Franklin; and was the very work which Franklin might have been supposed to have written for it is characteristic of Franklin throughout--it is Franklin all over. This work alone ought to have handed down the name of Daniel De Foe with reverence, to the latest posterity of all true Englishmen.CHADWICK, WILLIAM, 1859, The Life and Times of Daniel De Foe, p. 198.

CAPTAIN CARLETON

1728

He put Lord Eliot in mind of Dr. Walter Harte. "I know, (said he,) Harte was your Lordship's tutor, and he was also tutor to the Peterborough family. Pray, my Lord, do you recollect any particulars that he told you of Lord Peterborough? He is a favourite of mine, and is not enough known; his character has been only ventilated in party pamphlets." Lord Eliot said, if Dr. Johnson would be so good as to ask him any questions, he would tell what he could recollect. Accordingly some things were mentioned. "But, (said his Lordship), the best account of Lord Peterborough that I have happened to meet with, is in 'Captain Carleton's Memoirs.' Carleton was descended of an ancestor who had distinguished himself at the siege of Derry. He was an officer; and, what was rare at that time, had some knowledge of engineering." Johnson said, he had never heard of the book. Lord Eliot had it at Port Eliot; but, after a good deal of enquiry, procured a copy in London, and sent it to Johnson, who told Sir Joshua Reynolds that he was going to bed when it came, but was so much pleased with it, that he sat up till he had read it through, and found in it such an air of truth, that he could not doubt of its authenticity; adding, with a smile, (in allusion to Lord Eliot's having recently been raised to the peerage) "I did not think young Lord could have mentioned to me a book in the English history that was not known to me."-JOHNSON, SAMUEL, 1784, Life by Boswell, June 27.

It seems to be now pretty generally believed that Carleton's "Memoirs" were among the numberless fabrications of De Foe; but in this case (if the fact indeed be so), as in that of his "Cavalier," he no doubt had before him the rude journal of some officer.-LOCKHART, JOHN GIBSON, 1832-37, Life of Scott, note.

I have abstained from stating why I have rejected a multitude of books that have been erroneously attributed to Defoe. My reason for so doing, after conviction that he was not their author, has been that the explanations would have occupied much space, and have added nothing of value to the memoirs of his life. I must, however, briefly notice an important work

assigned to him by no less authority thar Sir Walter Scott, Walter Wilson, William Hazlitt, Sir G. C. Lewis, and others; and placed conspicuously in all Lists of his writings. I allude to "The Military Memoirs of Captain George Carleton," a volume published on the 27th of July 1728. It was with great misgivings that I first began to entertain doubts as to its paternity; but in order to remove all possible doubt, I read through it, carefully and critically, several times, until, contrary to my inclination, the conviction was forced upon me that Defoe had nothing whatever to do with any part of the work. I found, however, that the same research which overturned its genuineness, furnished much internal and other evidence. in favour of its authenticity. Upon this I was led to a further investigation, which admitted no other conclusion than that Captain George Carleton was a real personage, and himself wrote this true and historical account of his own adventures.-LEE, WILLIAM, 1869, Daniel Defoe: his Life and Recently Discovered Writings, vol. 1, p. 438.

On

That men of the calibre of Lord Stanhope and Lord Macaulay-who were actually trustees of the British Museum, and moreover could probably have obtained ready access to every other collection of erately abstained from making proper MSS. in the kingdom-should have delibinvestigations into a matter on which they so unhesitatingly and decidedly published their ideas is, I think, one of the curiosities of modern English literature. the other hand, though the Defoeists had as little solid grounds for denying altogether the personality of Capt. Carleton, yet there is no doubt that they were infinitely nearer the truth; for my researches have made it absolutely certain that in point of history the "Memoirs" of this officer are sheer fiction. . . . The broad outcome of my own scrutiny into the Carleton question lies, I think, in an establishment of the two great facts that the professed author of the "Memoirs" was a living, cashiered officer who actually was personally engaged (though wholly as a volunteer) in some of the operations in which he professes to have taken part; and secondly, that the general accounts of all these actions, together with some vital statements as to his own career, are intentionally untrue.-PARNELL, ARTHUR,

1889, Defoe and the "Memoirs of Captain Carleton," The Athenæum, March 2, pp. 279, 280.

GENERAL

This paper--"Mercator"

was,

soon after, discovered to be the production of an ambidextrous mercenary scribbler, employed . . . by the Earl of Oxford, who . . . for this present dirty work allowed him a considerable weekly salary.-BOYER, ABEL, 1735, History of Queen Anne, p. 633.

Foe, as well as the Lord Treasurer, had been a rank Presbyterian, and their genius was so near akin that Harley could not but take him into his confidence as soon as he got acquainted with him. He was adored and caressed by that mighty statesman, who gave him, as that mercenary said himself, to the value of one thousand pounds in one year. Foe's business was only to puzzle the cause by mercantile cant and bold sophistry.-OLDMIXON, JOHN, 1739, History of England, vol. III, p. 519.

none

The first part of "Robinson Crusoe" is very good. De Foe wrote a vast many things; and none bad, though excellent, except this. There is something. good in all he has written.-POPE, ALEXANDER, 1742-43, Spence's Anecdotes, ed. Singer, p. 196.

Poetry was far from being the talent of De Foe. He wrote with more perspicuity and strength in prose, and he seems to have understood, as well as any man, the civil constitution of the kingdom, which indeed was his chief study.

Considered as a poet, Daniel De Foe is not so eminent, as in a political light he has taken no pains in versification; his ideas are masculine, his expressions coarse, and his numbers generally rough. He seems rather to have studied to speak truth by probing wounds to the bottom, than, by embellishing his versification, to give it a more elegant keenness. This, however, seems to have proceeded more from carelessness in that particular, than want of ability.-CIBBER, THEOPHILUS, 1753, Lives of the Poets, vol. IV, pp. 315, 324.

De Foe has not yet outlived his century, though he has outlived most of his contemporaries. Yet the time is come, when he must be acknowledged as one of the ablest, as he is one of the most captivating, writers of which this island can

boast. Before he can be admitted to this pre-eminence, he must be considered distinctly, as a poet, as a novelist, as a polemic, as a commercial writer, and as a grave historian. As a poet, we must look to the end of his effusions rather than to his execution, ere we can allow him considerable praise. . . As a novelist, every one will place him in the foremost rank, who considers his originality, his performance, and his purpose.

As a polemic, I fear we must regard our author with less kindness, though it must be recollected, that he lived during a contentious period, when two parties distracted the nation, and writers indulged in great asperities. As a commercial writer, De Foe is fairly entitled to stand in the foremost rank among his contemporaries, whatever may be their performances or their fame. As

an historian, it will be found, that our author had but few equals in the English language, when he wrote. His "Memoirs of a Cavalier'' show how well he could execute the lighter narratives. His "History of the Union" evinces that he was equal to the higher department of historic composition.-CHALMERS, GEORGE, 1786-1841, The Life of Daniel De Foe, pp. 94, 95, 96, 97.

The genius of De Foe has never been questioned, but his sphere of information was narrow; and hence his capacity of fictitious invention was limited to one or two characters. A plain sailor, as Robinson Crusoe, a blunt soldier, as his supposed Cavalier, a sharper in low life, like some of his other fictitious personages, were the only disguises which the extent of his information permitted him to assume. In this respect he is limited, like the sorcerer in the Indian tale, whose powers of transformation were confined to assuming the likeness of two or three animals only. SCOTT, SIR WALTER, 1814, Memoirs of Jonathan Swift.

After a vain attempt to apply those laws which hold in ordinary cases, we are compelled to regard him as a phenomenon; and to consider his genius as something rare and curious, which it is impossible to assign to any class whatever. Throughout the ample stores of fiction, in which our literature abounds more than that of any other people, there are no works which at all resemble his, either in the design

or execution. Without any precursor in the strange and unwonted path he chose, and without a follower, he spun his web of coarse but original materials, which no mortal had ever thought of using before; and when he had done, it seems as though he had snapped the thread, and conveyed it beyond the reach of imitation. -BARKER, C., 1821, De Foe's Memoirs of a Cavalier, Retrospective Review, vol. 3, p. 355.

The works of De Foe seemed alternately to delight and disgust. His "Robinson Crusoe" is the most enchanting domestic Romance in the world: but his "Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders," and his "Life of Col. Jaque," are such lowbred productions, as to induce us to put an instantaneous negative on their admission into our Cabinets. -DIBDIN, THOMAS FROGNALL, 1824, The Library Companion, p. 607.

While all ages and descriptions of people hang delighted over the "Adventures of Robinson Crusoe," and shall continue to do so, we trust, while the world lasts, how few comparatively will bear to be told that there exist other fictitious narratives by the same writer.

The narrative manner of Defoe has a naturalness about it beyond that of any other novel or romance writer. His fictions have all the air of true stories. It is impossible to believe, while you are reading them, that a real person is not narrating to you everywhere nothing but what really happened to himself. To this the extreme homeliness of their style mainly contributes. We use the word in its best and heartiest sense, that which comes home to the reader. . The heroes and heroines of Defoe can never again hope to be popular with a much higher class of readers than that of the servant-maid or the sailor. Crusoe keeps its rank only by tough prescription. Singleton, the pirate; Colonel Jack, the thief; Moll Flanders, both thief and harlot; Roxana, harlot and something worse, -would be startling ingredients in the bill of fare of modern literary delicacies. But, then, what pirates, what thieves, and what harlots, are the thief, the harlot, and the pirate of Defoe! We would not hesitate to say, that in no other book of fiction, where the lives of such characters are described, is guilt and delinquency

made less seductive, or the suffering made more closely to follow the commission, or the penitence more earnest or more bleeding, or the intervening flashes of religious visitation upon the rude and uninstructed soul more meltingly and fearfully painted. They, in this, come near to the tenderness of Bunyan; while the livelier pictures and incidents in them, as in Hogarth or in Fielding, tend to diminish that fastidiousness to the concerns

and pursuits of common life which an unrestrained passion for the ideal and the sentimental is in danger of producing.LAMB, CHARLES, 1830, Defoe's Secondary Novels.

One of the most original writers of the English nation. -MACKINTOSH, SIR JAMES 1832-34, History of the Revolution in England in 1688, p. 178.

The "Plan of the English Commerce" is full of information; and, though desultory, is ably written, and contains sundry passages in which the influence of trade and industry in promoting the well-being of the labouring classes and the public wealth is set in the most striking point of view. . . . “Giving Alms no Charity" is written with considerable cleverness. . But these arguments are not so conclusive as some have supposed.

The truth is, that in matters of this sort De Foe was quite as prejudiced and purblind as the bulk of those around him. He had not read, or if he had read, he had plainly, at all events, profited nothing by, the conclusive reasonings in the Tract on the East India Trade, previously referred to.-MCCULLOCH, JOHN RAMSAY, 1845, Literature of Political Economy.

De Foe is our only famous politician and man of letters, who represented, in its inflexible constancy, sturdy dogged resolution, unwearied perseverance, and obstinate contempt of danger and of tyranny, the great Middle-class English character. We believe it to be no mere national pride to say, that, whether in its defects or its surpassing merits, the world has had none other to compare with it. . . He was too much in the constant heat of the battle, to see all that we see now. He was not a philosopher himself, but he helped philosophy to some wise conclusions. He did not stand at the highest point of toleration, or of moral wisdom; but, with