Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1830-04-19
From the london Tmcx.
ALEXANDER SELNIRN.

as Dr blair. by Rousseau as well as Marmontcl.-
has imPlrtrd SIN III degree of celebrity Ia is hcros
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., S2lkiik There can b. M
.dnub " says Mr.. Wilson, the biographcy of De Foo,
'that the idea OF Robinson CrUsJe suggested TO
author by the story of Alexander Sclk'rS which
had ccn given to the public IN various shapes seven
wears before, and for tmc excited considerable at
tcu,iou" But De Foe took from this story the mere
outline of his tale: the body Of it, rather the soul
!. ID shirt, was his own. As another writer has Oh
served, he too. no more OF Robinson Crusoe from
Se,kirk's story than Shakespeare did .uqc6eh and
Hamlet from the old Scotch and Danish Chronicles
or of Romeo and Juliet from the Italian ballad.
1t Is singular tia, many yours after the publication
Of Robinson Crvsoc report was propagatcd, and is
no. yet quite d,scredltcd, that De Foes compi-
led ont of dairy kept By Sslksk the Island Of Ju
un F. andcz which he put into the hands OF De Foe
20 be adapted publication, and that the latter, after
puT,onny the contents, returned 1t TO tho writer as
an uusaesbc commodity 1t isa sufficient answer to
this caiumny oH De Foe 10 stale, that Sckirk's cd
ventures were actually published by Rogers in l7l2,
whereas 10 Foes tale did not appear I'LL 1879 Sci
kirk himself could not write. Robinson CyUSos'S I'll
success amongst the booksellers is Of the most
striking illustrations of tic want of dlscenment of
that body at the period when it was written. Sin
culnr IT niny appear IN after tim"S, says Mr. Will
son. 'he manuscript passed through The whole circle
of the trade before ii could find purchaser" Will
liam Taylor, the person who vcnturCd upon the si;
OF publishing, cleared 1t is said, 0O0! by the work;
the sale OF which rapid that four editions
were published i'll many months, and several prin-
tcrs set TO work upon them 10 satisfy tic eager
rc5s of The demand
The account fSclkirt, by ar. Wilson, is intcrcs-
ting
10 that of Scikirk. when he went to sea. lie was
born ut largo, in the county OF Fife, in 1915, and
after common school education, put to his IA
theirs business, which that of a shoemaker.
Rclnr a spilled child, he soon discovered wayward-
ness of temper that gave much uucasness 10 his pa
rents whilst an car propensity TO the sea rendered
ITS employment i:ksomc. ~ myth an incident &C.
Cured that put him upon indul-in .s humour for
brin, brOu"ht under church cCnSurc for IRREGULAR
conduct, when he eighteen years of age rather
than submit he suddenly left home, and was never
heard OF for six years. 1T is supposed that he was
with the buccaneers IN the South Seas. In 1901 we
fnG him again II; Largo, out the same uu.ractaklc
person as being engaged in constant broils with
his family As the sea was his iavOurtc element,
he did not continue long in Scotland; but going TO
London engage with Captain Drapier upon cruis-
~ exped,tiCu 10 the South Seas. This was the vow
are That rendered. his subsequent history SD Interest
;ng 10 the lovers Of romance. Beng appointed sail
irg-Inaster OF the CaQue Ports Galley, companion
&; the 81. George commanded by Dampirr, he left
gland 10 Che spring Of 1908 and after various ad-
ventures, both vessels, reached the Island of Juan
Fernandez in the following February. After stavinr
some time to reft, they sailed again in quest of boo
Is; bat violout quarrel arising between Sclkirk and
hrs commander, Stradlng, which settled into rooted
amosity, the former resolved 10 take the first oppor
iuoty of leaving the vessel. THIS occurred at the
beginning CT September 1904, when her crazy state
uoiged SL.athg % return TO Juan Fernandez for
Jyesn repairs; which being completed, Sc!krh bade
1nal atlcu TO his comrades the end OF the same
month. Upon this island he lived by himself durinr
four years and four months, until he was reoased uv
Captain Wcodcs kogc.s, IN the month of February
1909. He vas Ilcn engaged rs a mate on boa rJ
Eorers's ship, the DHte und accompanied him duriur
the remainder OF his expedition, conducting himself
much to the satisfaction OF his employer. ~ lennth
after long and iatiguing cruise ScIkirk arrived in
England, in the month OF October, I7iI with boo
IS gnp NJ NF floy -.
eight years.
7Sclklrk no sooner made his appearance in London.
than the singuarity of his adventures accustomed
much conversations and being an obec. Of curiosity
MANY persons Tesoried TO him. Most of his visit
ers, OF whom there is any traditional remembrance
represent him an unsocable man, CT singular ha-
bis and far from communicative. As he spoke 10
broad Scotch dialect il with some difficulty that
ne could be understood. Amongst his visitors WINS
the celebrated Sir Richard Steele who collected
from him all The particulars he could remember of
his employment during his soiiude which, with his
own reflections upon his appearance and behaviour
Inc afterwards presented TO the world in the goth
number Of the EngilShnaa. His narrative, winch is
worth preserving, ls as follows
'Under the title Of thus paper do not think it 90
reign to my design to speak Of born ia her Ma
ies;y's dcunnlons, and relate adventure in his life
50 uncommon, that tie doubtful whether the like has
haype2ed to any othor Of human race. Tic person
[ sneak Of is AleZr Selkrk, whose name is familiar
10 men of curiosity from the fame Of his having liv
Juan Fernandez. had the pleasure frequently 10
converse with the after his arrival In Enr-
land, in the year I'LL. 1t matter ofgrcat curl
osity TO hear him. he is man of good sense, give
IN account of the different revolutions of his own
mind IN that long solitude. When we consider how
painful absence from company for the space of but
one evening is TO the generality of mankind, we
may have a sense how painful this necessary and
constant solitude to nan bred sailor, and ever
accustomed to enjoy, and suffer eat drink, aud sleep,
and perform ali Offices Of life in fellowship and com
pony. He was put ashore from leuky vessel, With
the captain Of which he had had irreconcilable |
difference; and he chose rather 10 take his fate in
this place. than in crazy vessel, under disagreea-
oic commander. Ills portion was a sea-chcst, his .
wearing clothes and bedding, pound Of gunpowder
q large quantity Of bullets, flint and steel a few
pounds OF tobacco, Ratchet, knife, kettle BIZ
ble and other books of DEVOTION together with pie
ces that concerned navigation, and his mathematical
Resentment against his officer, who |
had III used him, made him look forward on this |
~ IL IL.