Dampier, a mariner, whose scientific skill in his profession and power of literary composition were at that time rarely found in that profession, especially among those rough sons of the ocean who acknowledged no peace beyond the Line, and had as natural an enmity to a South-American Spaniard as a greyhound to a hare, and who, though distinguished by the somewhat milder term of buccaneer, were little better than absolute pirates. The English government, it is well known, were not, however, very active in destroying this class of adventurers, while they confined their depredations to the Dutch and Spaniards, and indeed seldom disturbed them if they returned from their roving life, and sat down to enjoy their ill-gotten gains. The courage of these men, the wonderful risks which they incurred, their hair-breadth escapes, and the romantic countries through which they travelled, seem to have had infinite charms for De Foe. All his works on this topic are entertaining in the highest degree, and remarkable for the accuracy with which he personates the character of a buccaneering adventurer. De Foe's general acquaintance with nautical affairs has not been doubted, as he is said never to misapply the various sea phrases, or show an ignorance unbecoming the character under which he wrote. He appears also to have been familiar with foreign countries, their produce, their manners, and government, and whatever rendered it easy or difficult to enter into trade with them. We may therefore conclude that Purchas's Pilgrim,' Hakluyt's 'Voyages,' and the other ancient authorities, had been curiously examined by him, as well as those of his friend Dampier, of Wafer, and others who had been in the South Seas, whether as privateers, or, as it was then called, upon the account. "Shylock observes, there are land thieves and water thieves; and as De Foc was familiar with the latter, so he was not without some knowledge of the practices and devices of the former. We are afraid we must impute to his long imprisonment the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the secrets of thieves and mendicants, their acts of plunder, concealment, and escape. But whatever way he acquired his knowledge of low life, De Foe certainly possessed it in the most extensive sense, and applied it in the composition of several works of fiction in the style termed by the Spaniards Gusto Picaresco, of which no man was ever a greater master. This class of fictitious narrative may be termed the Romance of Roguery, the subjects being the adventures of thieves, rogues, vagabonds, swindlers, viragoes, and courtezans. The strange and blackguard scenes which De Foe describes are fit to be compared to the 'Gipsy Boys' of Murillo, which are so justly admired as being, in truth of conception and spirit of execution, the very chef d'œuvre of art, however low and loathsome the originals from which they were taken. "A third species of composition, to which the author's active and vigorous genius was peculiarly adapted, was the account of great national convulsions, whether by war, or by the pestilence, or the tempest. These were tales which are sure, when even moderately well told, to arrest the attention, and which, narrated with that impression of reality which De Foe knew so well how to convey, make the hair bristle and the skin creep. In this manner he has written the 'Memoirs of a Cavalier,' which have been often read and quoted as a real production of a real personage. Born himself almost immediately after the Restoration, De Foe must have known many of those who had been engaged in the civil turmoils of 1642-6, to which the period of these memoirs refers. He must have lived among them at that age when boys, such as we conceive De Foe must necessarily have been, cling to the knees of those who can tell them of the darings and the dangers of their youth, at a period when their own passions and views of pressing forward in life have not begun to operate upon their minds, and while they are still pleased to listen to the adventures which others have encountered on that stage which they themselves have not yet entered upon. The Memoirs of a Cavalier' have certainly been enriched with some such anecdotes as were likely to fire De Foe's active and powerful imagination, and hint to him in what colours the subject ought to be treated. The contrast, for instance, between the soldiers of the celebrated Tilly and those of the illustrious Gustavus Adolphus almost seems too minutely drawn to have been executed from anything short of ocular testimony. But De Foe's genius has shown, in this and other instances, how completely he could assume the character he describes. "Another species of composition, for which this multifarious author showed a strong predilection, was that upon theurgy, magic, ghost-seeing, witchcraft, and the occult sciences. De Foe dwells on such subjects with so much unction as to leave as little doubt that he was to a certain point a believer in something resembling an immediate communication between the inhabitants of this world and of that which we shall in future inhabit. He is particularly strong on the subject of secret forebodings, mysterious impressions, bodements of good or evil, which arise in our own mind, but which yet seem impressed there by some external agent, and not to arise from the course of our natural reflections. * * The general charm attached to the romances of De Foe is chiefly to be ascribed to the unequalled dexterity with which he has given an appearance of REALITY to the incidents which he narrates. Even De Foe's deficiencies in style, his homeliness of language, his rusticity of thought, expressive of what is called the Crassa Minerva, seem to claim credit for him as one who speaks the truth, the rather that we suppose he wants the skill to conceal or disguise it. It is greatly to be doubted whether De Foe could have changed his colloquial, circuitous, and periphrastic style for any other, whether more coarse or more elegant. We have little doubt it was connected with his nature, and the particular turn of his thoughts and ordinary expressions, and that he did not succeed so much by writing in an assumed manner, as by giving full scope to his own. The air of writing with all the plausibility of truth must, in almost every case, have its own peculiar value; as we admire the paintings of some Flemish artists, where, though the subjects drawn are mean and disagreeable, and such as in nature we would not wish to study or look close upon, yet the skill with which they are represented by the painter gives an interest to the imitation upon canvass which the original entirely wants. But, on the other hand, when the power of exact and circumstantial delineation is applied to objects which we are anxiously desirous to see in their proper shape and colours, we have a double source of pleasure, both in the art of the painter and in the interest which we take in the subject represented. Thus the style of probability with which De Foe invested his narratives was perhaps ill-bestowed, or rather wasted, upon some of the works which he thought proper to produce; but, on the other hand, the same talent throws an air of truth about the delightful history of Robinson Crusoe,' which we never could have believed it possible to have united with so extraordinary a situation as is assigned to the hero. All the usual scaffolding and machinery employed in composing fictitious history are carefully discarded. The early incidents of the tale, which in ordinary works of invention are usually thrown out as pegs to hang the conclusion upon, are in this work only touched upon, and suffered to drop out of sight. Robinson, for example, never hears anything more of his elder brother, who enters Lockhart's Dragoons in the beginning of the work, and who, in any common romance, would certainly have appeared before the conclusion. We lose sight at once and for ever of the interesting Xury; and the whole earlier adventures of our voyager vanish, not to be recalled to our recollection by the subsequent course of the story. His father-the good old merchant of Hull-all the other persons who have been originally active in the drama, vanish from the scene, and appear not again. This is not the case in the ordinary romance, where the author, however luxuriant his invention, does not willingly quit possession of the creatures of his imagination till they have rendered him some services upon the scene; whereas in common life it rarely happens that our early acquaintances exercise much influence upon the fortunes of our future life." De Foe was twice married; the name of his first wife was Mary, that of his second Susannah, but their maiden names are not known. In 1706 he appears to have had seven children, but of these one, Martha, died in 1707 at Hackney, and was carried out of the parish to be buried, probably in Bunhill Fields, the common receptacle for Dissenters. The other six children survived their father. The eldest, Daniel, who married early in life, and had several children, emigrated to Carolina between the years 1725 and 1730, and died there at an advanced age. De Foe's second son, Bernard (or, as Mr Chalmers calls him, Benjamin) assumed, for some reason or other with which we are not acquainted, the name of Norton, and followed his father's profession of a writer. He is introduced in the Dunciad' as "Norton, from Daniel and Ostræa sprung, Bless'd with his father's front and mother's tongue." The imputation rests upon no better evidence than this, and may be safely dismissed as nothing more than a random shot of the petulant poet, who spared no man in his anger. This Norton De Foe, however, appears to have been a very inferior scribe. He succeeded Ridpath, who died in 1726, as editor of 'The Flying Post,' and is, besides, author of A Compleat English Dictionary, by B. N. De Foe, Gent., 1735;' Memoirs of the House of Orange;' and 'The Life of Alderman Barber.' 6 De Foe's eldest daughter, Maria, married a person of the name of Langley; Hannah, the second daughter, remained single, and after her father's death, went to reside at Winborne Minster, in Dorsetshire. As she lived upon her own property, which afterwards passed to a nephew, it may be concluded that De Foe's daughters succeeded in recovering their estates out of the hands of their brother. From a document in the hands of Mr Upcott, it seems that Hannah De Foe was possessed of property in the books of the South Sea Company during her father's lifetime. She died 25th April, 1759, and was buried at Winborne.† Henrietta, the third daughter, married Mr John Boston, of Much-Hadham, a man of good family and estate at Boston, in Lincolnshire. He was appointed supervisor of excise at Winborne, and died there. His widow died March 5, 1760, and was buried in the same vault with her husband and sister. Sophia, De Foe's youngest daughter, married Mr Henry Baker, the celebrated natural philosopher, and dying 4th January, 1762, was buried in the churchyard of St Mary-le-Strand. Her husband departed this life 25th November, 1774, in his 77th year. Their son, David Erskine, so named after his godfather, the Earl of Buchan, was the author of 'The Companion to the Playhouse.' A great grandson of De Foe (it is not known from which of our author's sons he was descended) was hanged at Tyburn, Jan. 2, 1771, for a highway robbery, and a brother of his, named Daniel, who was apprenticed to a watchmaker, ran away and went to sea. He afterwards became cook on board the Savage sloop of war, and was living in that employment in 1787. The circumstance is thus mentioned by a * Pope had collected this scandal from Savage, who says, in the preface to his Author to be Let'" Had it not been an honester livelihood for Mr Norton (Daniel De Foe's son of love by a lady who vended oysters) to have dealt in a fish-market, than to be dealing out the dialect of Billingsgate in The Flying Post."" · The late Mr Duncan, formerly Dissenting minister at Winborne, drew up a history of his church, in which he says-"The celebrated Daniel De Foe was here frequently." He adds"I am in possession of two manuscript volumes of Daniel De Foe's; one is corrected for the press, with a dedication. He wrote a neat, fair hand. He entitles the book thus: Historical Collections; or, Memoirs of Passages collected from several Authors. 1682.' I think it would be well if it were published. I have also some original poems of his in his own handwriting. He was truly a great man, and I much wonder that he is so little known in the world at this day, either by men of letters, politics, or religion; for he certainly had his share of all these, particularly the two latter." Mr Wilson adds, that he had made careful inquiry for these MSS., but without success. hint to him in what colours the subject ought to be treated. The between the soldiers of the celebrated Tilly and those of the Adolphus almost seems too minutely drawn to have been execut of ocular testimony. But De Foe's genius has shown, in this an completely he could assume the character he describes. geaking of © so do the gentlemen &o of his that vessel, Te being so He told me this grand ‚ I felt myself murthy a situa tention of the tive of the ord street, "Another species of composition, for which this multifarious a predilection, was that upon theurgy, magic, ghost-seeing, witch sciences. De Foe dwells on such subjects with so much unction doubt that he was to a certain point a believer in something reser communication between the inhabitants of this world and of that wh inhabit. He is particularly strong on the subject of secret forebod pressions, bodements of good or evil, which arise in our own mind, impressed there by some external agent, and not to arise from the co reflections. * # * The general charm attached to the romances to be ascribed to the unequalled dexterity with which he has gi of REALITY to the incidents which he narrates. Even De Foe's de his homeliness of language, his rusticity of thought, expressive of Crassa Minerva, seem to claim credit for him as one who speaks the that we suppose he wants the skill to conceal or disguise it. It is gre whether De Foe could have changed his colloquial, circuitous, and per any other, whether more coarse or more elegant. We have little d nected with his nature, and the particular turn of his thoughts and ordi and that he did not succeed so much by writing in an assumed manner, scope to his own. The air of writing with all the plausibility of truth every case, have its own peculiar value; as we admire the paintings o - artists, where, though the subjects drawn are mean and disagreeable, nature we would not wish to study or look close upon, yet the skill with represented by the painter gives an interest to the imitation upon cam - f original entirely wants. But, on the other hand, when the power of exact stantial delineation is applied to objects which we are anxiously desirous proper shape and colours, we have a double source of pleasure, both in painter and in the interest which we take in the subject represented. probability with which De Foe invested his narratives was perhaps ill-:- Lư rather wasted, upon some of the works which he thought proper to produce other hand, the same talent throws an air of truth about the delightfu 'Robinson Crusoe,' which we never could have believed it possible to have so extraordinary a situation as is assigned to the hero. All the usual sca machinery employed in composing fictitious history are carefully discarded. incidents of the tale, which in ordinary works of invention are usually thrown the have to hang the conclusion upon, are in this work only touched upon, and suffered of sight. Robinson, for example, never hears anything more of his elder b enters Lockhart's Dragoons in the beginning of the work, and who, in a romance, would certainly have appeared before the conclusion. We lose sige Norton Danie and for ever of the interesting Xury; and the whole earlier adventures of o vanish, not to be recalled to our recollection by the subsequent course of the s father—the good old merchant of Hull-all the other persons who have been sea active in the drama, vanish from the scene, and appear not again. This is not in the ordinary romance, where the author, however luxuriant his invention, willingly quit possession of the creatures of his imagination till they have reno some services upon the scene; whereas in common life it rarely happens that acquaintances exercise much influence upon the fortunes of our future life." Th in the pr ms than to be Je De F to have had wren was cared out of the Comptage for Dissenters. A marred early in and 1700, or, as Mr Chalmers en we are not acquainted, introduced ALOGUE DE FOE. 그 may be safely dismissed the name of Langley; Hannah, ided there. His widow died March 5, a-penter the Earl of Buchan, was the author of The Com- lume of oxer Daniel, who was apprenticed to a watchinaker, ran ns on a Pamphlet, lately pubed An Argument, showing g Army is inconsistent with a nt, and absolutely destructive ion of the English Monarchy. hed for E. Whitlock, near 1697. 4to. pp. 28. howing that a Standing tent of Parliament, is not free Government, and ab to the Constitution of the 2 Chronic. ix. 25. LonWhitlock, near Stationto. pp. 26. beats became cook on board the Savage sloop of war, 4 in 1787. The circumstance is thus mentioned by a Pasis to a from Savage, who says, in the preface to his Author to bo cater Ivelihood for Mr Norton (Daniel De Foe's son of love by # e dealt in a fish-market, than to be dealing out the dialect of In inmerly Dissenting minister at Winborne, drew up a history of his He vote a neat, fair band. He entitles the book thus: Historical Collections! The celebrated Daniel De Foe was here frequently." He add script volumes of Daniel De Foe's; one is corrected for the pres e any Home original poems of his in his own handwriting. He was truly a great cllected from several Authors. 1682' I think it would be well if it were Fath that he had made careful inquiry for these MSS., but without suc sign; for he certainly had his share of all these, particularly the two latter wer that he is so little known in the world at this day, either by men f Annesley, by way of old Intrigue, a Satyr: and Ambition. Calty of the Rapparee y of the Jacobite ay of Conviction to and for the Benefit City Mathematics. relation to all the as, Acts of Pareen, or shall be Reformation of imorality in the the year 1698. ndon: printed utt, near Sta asidered:-1. with respect What Mea >? London: 1, at the Bed1700. 4to. considered: irks. Non London. from r in lia |
