New-York tribune., 1841-11-25

author OF he l rue- Born EngllsnWan, ne eIludes
to tie report tina, the Tories had exerted them
selves in his favor. He says in answer
So !. By Wings abondoued, bear
The S.iyrs urjIst lash;
DYE with the -c-ndai OF their help,
But never sa" their cash.
1t appears that, in 1905. De Foe was employed
BY Harley to execute some mission Of a secret "a
,ure which required his presence upon she CONT
nent The mission whatever il was, appears to
have been atterded with some danger, and 10 have
required his absence for about TWO months. Har-
le, seems 10 have been we'll satisfied, that pom
De Fee's return, he was rewarded with az appoint
ment at home. In l706. De Foe wrote volumi-
lousy on the subject Of the union with Scotland;
which measure he advocated with all the strength
of his powers. This advocacy procured for him
a confidential mission to Scotland, where he was
received with great consideration. While in Ed
inburgh, he published mis- Caledonia, &c. po
EN- in honor of Scotland and the Scotch nation
OF the union. he says in his Review, 3" have
told Scotland of provcmenti in trade, wealth, and
Shipping, that shall accrue TO them NJ the happy
conclusion of this affair and am pleased doubly
with this tina; | am likely 10 be one Of the first
man, that shall give them the pleasure OF the ex
pertinent" In 1908. De Foe was rewarded with
an appointment and fixed salary. When the
union was completed ne published The UHion OF
Great Britain. In ITO, De Foe resided at Stoke
Newirgton, and appears 10 have been comfortable
in his circumstances. In 17ll was close! the last
volume Of the Review. In long preface TO this
volume, Dc Foe has most eloquent defence OF
this work. and Of the mode in which he had
Quoted it. Nothing can be finer, more manly, OF
more conclusive In alusiops to bis suferngs
during the progress of the work, he says. hive
gene through life OF Wonderland am the sub
ject OF vast variety of providences; have been
fed more b. miracle than Elijah when the raven,
we're his purveyors. have, some time ago, SUM
med UP my life in this distich:
No man hes tasted differing fortune more,
Aud thirteen times have ! been rich and poor.
In the school OF affection have learned more
than at the academy. and more divinity than from
The pulpit: in prison have learned TO know that
liberty does rot consist IN open doorf and the
free egrcss aad rcgre-s of locomotion. have seen
the rough side of the world as well "a the sr'oorh;
and have, in less than aalf year, tasted the dit
ference between the closet OF king and the dun
geon of Newgate,' This preface may be cansid.
cred as n review-a summing up of the events OF
De Fees political fe and, as such, is Of the high
value for the noble spirit of conscious ruth
breathing in and animating every Inc Of it. As
piece of English, it is exquisite for its innate
s,rength-the beauty of its simplicity. De Fee.
however, was again doomed to taste the dungeon
sweets of Newgate being committed there upon
the foolish charge Of writing libels in favor OF the
Prctender.
After the death of Queen Anne, De Foe, who
had been political writer for thirty years retired
from the thornv field, TO the more pleasant paths
of instructive fiction Whilst writing An Appeal
to Honor and Justice he struck with apo
plexy he, however, recovered, and in the early
part of us, committed to the press one OF his
most valuable treatses, The Family Instructor.
In II 10 appeared the immortal Robinson Crusoe.
Nearly the whole circle of booksellers had in vain
been canvassed for publisher. William Taylor,
the fortunate Spectator. is said have cleared
thousand pounds by the work, which rose into i'm
mediate popularity, despite Of the rancorous as
sau,s Of the petty, vulgar minds Astounding among
De Foes political enemies. There is no doubt,
that the idea OF the work was first suggested 70
De Foe by the story of Alexander S@lkirk. which
had been given to the public seven years before
The enemies o.. De Foe charged him with having
obtained this mans journal, and from its contents
producing Robinson Crusoe.' The truth Is, De
Foe was as much indebted 10 Selkirk, for the ma
terias used in his Immortal work, as was Vandyke
for his portraits, to the colorman who furnished
him with pigments. In number of The English
man. Sir Richard Steele gave the true and par
tcular history of Selkirk. The place in which
Robinson Crusoe was composed, has been va
riously contested. 1t seems most probable (says
MIR WILSON, that De Foe wrote it in his retire
ment, in Stoke-Newington, where ne resided during
the principal part of Queen Anne's reign, IN
large white house. rebuilt by himself, aud still
standing in Church-street The work has been
printed in almost every written anguage-has been
the delight Of men of all creeds and all dlstlnc-
tions-from the London apprentice in his garrett,
10 the Arab in his tent.
Robinson Crusoe' was speedily followed by the
Account of Dickory Crooke,' the Life and Pira-
cies of Captain Singleton the History OF Dun
can Campbell, the Fortunes and Mi.fortunes OF
Mol Flanders, the Life of Colonel Jacque, the
Memoir of a Cavalier and that extraordinary
work. the Account of the Plague We might
possibly have laid before the reader n correct list
of the mutifarious productions OF cur author, many
of them. until OF late most difficult be obtained,
had not the spirit of the times called for complete
editions of De Foes Works most welcome and
valuable offerings the reading part OF the nation.
The latter years of be Foe life must have been
those of competence most honorable cOmpe-
tance insured TO him by his works and the rapid
ity with which editions followed ed tons. There
is, however, too miserable proof OF his suffer
ings, inflicted upon him by the cruelty and unduti-
fitness of his son, who, to quote letter Of De
Foe, written in his anguish, g has both ruised nay
family and broken nay heart" De Foe adds-"l
depended upon him. trusted him, gave up my
two dear. unprovided children into his hands; but
he has no compassion, and suffers them and their
poor dying mother to beg their bread at his door,
and 10 crave, as if il were aims, what ne i
bound under hand and seal, besides the most sa-
cred promises, 10 supply them wiki hr.seit, at
the same time, living in profusion OF plenty 1t
is 700 much for me-.
For some years before his death, De Foe was
,ormented with those dreadful naladres, the govt