Robinson Crusoe | Page 4

to so many distempers and uneasinesses, either of
body or mind, as those were who, by vicious living, luxury, and
extravagances on the one hand, or by hard labour, want of necessaries,
and mean or insufficient diet on the other hand, bring distemper upon
themselves by the natural consequences of their way of living; that the
middle station of life was calculated for all kind of virtue and all kind
of enjoyments; that peace and plenty were the handmaids 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 through the world, and comfortably out of it, not embarrassed
with the labours of the hands or of the head, not sold to a life of slavery
for daily bread, nor harassed with perplexed circumstances, which rob
the soul of peace and the body of rest, nor enraged with the passion of
envy, or the secret burning lust of ambition for great things; but, in easy
circumstances, sliding gently through 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 pressed me earnestly, and in the most affectionate manner,
not to play the young man, nor to precipitate myself into miseries
which nature, and the station of life I was born in, seemed 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 just been recommending to me; and that if I
was not very easy and happy in the world, it must be my mere fate or
fault that must hinder it; and that he should have nothing to answer for,
having thus discharged his duty in warning me against measures which

he knew would be to my hurt; in a word, that as he would do very kind
things for me if I would stay and settle at home as he directed, so he
would not have so much hand in my misfortunes as to give me any
encouragement to go away; and to close all, he told me I had my elder
brother for an example, to whom he had used the same earnest
persuasions to keep him from going into the Low Country wars, but
could not prevail, his young desires prompting him to run into the army,
where he was killed; and though he said he would not cease to pray for
me, yet he would venture to say to me, that if I did take this foolish step,
God would not bless me, and I should have leisure hereafter to reflect
upon having neglected his counsel when there might be none to assist
in my recovery.
I observed in this last part of his discourse, which was truly prophetic,
though I suppose my father did not know it to be so himself - I say, I
observed the tears run down his face very plentifully, especially when
he spoke of my brother who was killed: and that when he spoke of my
having leisure to repent, and none to assist me, he was so moved that he
broke off the discourse, and told me his heart was so full he could say
no more to me.
I was sincerely affected with this discourse, and, indeed, who could be
otherwise? and I resolved not to think of going abroad any more, but to
settle at home according to my father's desire. But alas! a few days
wore it all off; and, in short, to prevent any of my father's further
importunities, in a few weeks after I resolved to run quite away from
him. However, I did not act quite so hastily as the first heat of my
resolution prompted; but I took my mother at a time when I thought her
a little more pleasant than ordinary, and told her that my thoughts were
so entirely bent upon seeing the world that I should never settle to
anything with resolution enough to go through with it, and my father
had better give me his consent than force me to go without it; that I was
now eighteen years old, which was too late to go apprentice to a trade
or clerk to an attorney; that I was sure if I did I should never serve out
my time, but I should certainly run away from my master before my
time was out, and go to sea; and if she would speak to my father to let
me go one voyage abroad, if I came home again,