New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-25

how an imaginative Investigator might construct
an attractive if entirely untrustworthy b.
ography Of Defoe by carefully applying the ce-
tails which follow each other in sucn protuslon
in Robinson Crusoe " to the life Of its author
in England. For example. Defoe made more than
one journey to Scotland and these answer to the
journeys which Crusoe made to the north SIDE OF
his island At one time Defoe thought Of re-
moving with his family to Edinburgh So Crusoe
gravely considered the question of fixing his
habtation on the north side OF his island, Dut
gave over the project because he found that SHIPS
more frequently passed the shore near which ne
had built his hut and stockade. Crusoe was
said to have left his island on December 10. 1857,
and on the same day of the same MONTH twenty
seven years later Defoe came to his reason and
repented Of his VOW Of silence HIS pentehce
was the result If severe Illness In the course OF
which he had time to think over his past lie
had no occasion TO regret his political acts up 10
that time. In business he might nave excused
himself on the ground that his nature was I'M
provident But he could hardly excuse himself
for his dumbncss in the presence OF those VINO
should have been dearest To him. Ihi', al
least is Mr. WriGhts explanation OF the matter.
1t fits closely into Defoe's own account OF the
silent man he had heard Of whose unjustihable
severity ruined MS ldllilE anu pioh' Wy "''
house His wife could not bear ii. and after
cndeavoring by all the ways possible to alter MS
rigid silence. went first away from him ana
afterward away from herself. turning melancholy
and distracted His children separated. some
one way and some another way. and only one
daughter who loved her father above all the rest
kept with him. tended him. talked to MN by
signs and lived almost dumb. Ike heI la'ne'
nearly twenty-nne years with him. I'LL. Delhs
very sick and IN high fever. delirous az we can
IT, or light headed he broke his silence not KNOW
ing when he did IT, and spoke. though "luiy
at first He recovered Of the illness afterwaru,
and frequently talked with his daughter pu' ho'
much. and very seldom To anybody else
In this love for mystiication can be iound
lame excuse for that incident In Defoes career
which brought much hatred upon him III ms
later years When he took pay from Nhle
Government for writing articles in Tory news.
uapers he only did what he had been doing an
his life He was spreading his views ana MS
nrinciples i'm a sIrreptitous and unexpected way.
But ne never gave up his principles. Tie earned
Them into the cncmy's camp ana mdlilldlh'"
them there. II the principles wer" right ne
thought he had a right To defend them 10y IN"
hest weapon I'm his hands namely. that irony
which carried 70 his readers meaning 'hat
was directly opposed to tn" apparent arm Oh
his words knowing Daniel D"fO". the Tories
had only themsrlV. = To- blame for putting th'ir
trust in hie invinciblc Whiggery. All thrsr
ur,blcms and many others ar" dealt with bN
Ar Wright in a lively. though too "Nclam major!
,r.v IIis narrative does not flow evenly. ana
II is not one ia which the reader can fecl un-
limited faith: but it makes the hgur" Of Iefoe
- living one The volume is illustrated with
,,u,n .r.us portrlits views and fac-siml"s rom