his revenue, and they were consequently given up. Altogether, he lost by this affair, as he tells us, upwards of 3,500/., and was again reduced to ruin, having now a wife and six children depending on him, with no other means for their support than his pen. In this trying situation, the virtue of De Foe was put to a severe test. Had he chosen to desert his principles, and to enlist himself in the service of the government, he might have escaped with a slight punishment, and probably have enriched his family. Whilst his enemies, secretly mortified at the justice and severity of his sarcasm, were treating him with so much rigour, they had the highest opinion of his talents, of which they would have gladly availed themselves. We are told by Oldmixon, that the Earl of Nottingham sent, if he did not go, to him in Newgate, and offered him the mercy of the government, if he would discover who set him on to write his Shortest Way.' But this was needless; for all who were acquainted with De Foe, as the same writer observes, “know he needed no setting on to put such a trick upon a party, of whose understandings as well as principles he had no good opinion."

These particulars may serve to refute a calumny propagated against him by Leslie, in his Rehearsal ;'-that he would have made any submission to have been excused the pillory. “Which," says De Foe, "till he can tell the world what submissions they were he offered to make, must stand for one of the most scandalous slanders any man that pretends to truth can be guilty of."

CHAPTER VIII.

THE leisure of De Foe, in the time of his captivity, was not that of idleness or dissipation. Some of his subsequent writings show, that he now stored his mind with those facts relative to the habits and pursuits of the prisoners, which he has detailed with so much nature as well as interest. The low characters that form the subjects of some of his novels, were probably taken from real life, and the sketches drawn at this period of his history. But a part of his leisure was devoted to the composition of some political works, which it will be our business now to notice.

A little before his prosecution, De Foe had amused himself by composing a poem, entitled, Reformation of Manners; a Satire: 1702 ;'—and during his confinement, he pursued the same subject, in 'More Reformation; a Satire up on Himself; London, 1703.'

Whilst he was under prosecution, and still uncertain as to what might be its issue, our author sent forth The Shortest Way to Peace and Union. London, 1703;' wherein he lays aside the character of a partisan, and assumes that of a peace-maker; stimulated in part, no doubt, by the prospect of his impending trial, and no less by the ill effects that he-had witnessed from the intemperance of other writers.

During the early part of De Foe's confinement, some speculating printer or bookseller, taking advantage of his popularity, formed a scheme for collecting his pieces, and publishing them together in a volume for his own benefit. The work was but indifferently executed in every respect; being printed upon coarse paper, and abounding in typographical and other errors. Besides these defects, it comprised only a small portion of De Foe's writings, and included some pieces that he disclaimed. The piracy is thus noticed by Cibber:-"A printer of a bad reputation collected a spurious and erroneous copy of several pieces of De Foe, and entitled them 'The Works of the Author of the True Born Englishman;' and though he was then embroiled with the government for one of the pamphlets which this collection contained, yet had this man the face to print amongst them the same pamphlet, presuming so far upon the partiality of the public resentment, that he should pass with impunity for publishing that very thing for which the author was to be pursued with the utmost severity.

"This, however, was an irresistible testimony that the resentment shown to the author was on some other, and less justifiable account, than the publishing that book; so was it a severe satire on the unwariness of the ministry, who had not eyes to discern their injustice plainly exposed, and their general proceedings bantered by a printer, for publishing in defiance of them, that same book for which another man stood arraigned.”

Indignant at this barefaced imposition upon the public, and not less at the injury done to himself, De Foe prepared to defeat it, by publishing a genuine collection, with his own impress. This he gave to the world with the following title: 'A true Collection of the Writings of the Author of "The True-Born Englishman." Corrected by himself. London, 1703.' 8vo.

The volume comprises twenty-two treatises in prose and verse, being most of the pieces he had formerly published; but some few are omitted for reasons that he has not assigned. A likeness of the author, engraved by M. Vandergucht, from a painting by Taverner, is prefixed. It is the first portrait of De Foe, and probably the most like hin. No portrait can have more verisimilitude, to say the least of it. It exhibits a set of features rather regular than otherwise, very determined in their outlines, more particularly the mouth, which expresses great firmness and resolution of character. The eyes are full, black, and grave-looking; but the impression of the whole countenance is rather a striking than a pleasing one. Daniel is here set forth in a most lordly and fullbottomed wig, which flows down lower than his elbow, and rises above his forehead with great amplitude of curl. A richly laced cravat, and fine loose flowing cloak, complete his attire, and preserve, we may suppose, the likeness of that civic " gallantry," which Oldmixon ascribes to Daniel, on the occasion of his escorting King William to the Lord Mayor's feast. It is altogether more like the picture of a substantial citizen of the "surly breed" De Foe himself has so often satirized, than that of a poor pamphleteer languishing in jail after the terrors of the pillory. It is the portrait prefixed to the present edition.

This collection of his works De Foe introduces to the world with great modesty, in the following 'Preface to the whole.' ""Tis not from any opinion I have of the value of my own performances," says he, "nor from the fondness of appearing in print, having so lately and so unjustly suffered for it, that I have consented to this publication. But it is owing to a certain printer, who had forged a surreptitious collection of several tracts; in which he had the face to put several things which I had no hand in, and vilely to dismember and mangle those I had, giving the whole a title of collection of my writings; and his publisher, of the same kidney, to put my name to it, and all this to get a penny, at the price of exposing me and the book in a most uncivil as well as dishonest manner. I have consented there.ore to this publication, in order to do myself justice to the world, and that I may not be imposed upon, nor the world abused, by a spurious collection of what I have no legitimate claim to, and an erroneous copy of what I have.

"Before I resolved on this course, I set about correcting the mistakes of the book they have published, till I came to above three hundred errors; and then being weary of amendment, I resolved to disabuse the world with a corrected copy. Nor is this all the injury done me by this piratical printer, as such are very rightly called who unjustly print other men's copies; but I think it is a most unaccountable piece of boldness in him, to print that particular book called, The Shortest Way with the Dissenters,' while I lay under the public resentment for the same fact. And though the government, indeed, may punish one criminal and let another go free; yet, it seems a little hard, that I should suffer for printing a book, and another print it in the face of government to get money by it.

"I have no reason to be glad, though it is too true I am a large sufferer for writing

that book, though the government were to quit me to-morrow, which I see no reason to expect; and it cannot correspond with my sense of justice, that another should have a tacit allowance to repeat the crime. The honesty of the matter I shall not meddle with, because I find it is what the person does not concern himself about, but justifies; which he can do upon no other foundation than he may the taking my hat from my head, or my purse on the road. These, in short, are the true causes of this publication; but since it is thus ushered into the world, I must ask leave to make some further use of the book itself.

“First, with submission to a judgment of charity, I cannot pass for an incendiary. Of all the writers of this age, I have, I am satisfied, the most industriously avoided writing with want of temper; and I appeal to what is now published, whether there is not rather a spirit of healing than of sedition runs through the whole collection, one misunderstood article excepted. And as to the excepted piece, since the general vogue has condemned it, I submit to censure, but must enter a protestation that my intention was not seditious. I avoid vindicating the measures I took in the method of the argument, and rather acknowledge myself in the wrong than dispute it; but, however, I might by my ill conduct draw a picture which showed a face, I did not design to paint; yet, I never designed such a face as should scare mankind, and make the world think me mad. I have been a man of peace and charity, and in all the tracts of this volume I think it will appear; if I have offended in rhyme, I am ready to own my error when convinced of it. The enemy I have pursued is so, both to God and man. If I have run down vice with too full a cry, still it is as vice, and I am persuaded none but the vicious will be angry; and for them, like acids in physic, I hope the more it disturbs them the better it will work.

"I am very sorry to find some gentlemen angry at me for a fault wholly their own, and which, I could not have thought would ever happen. The case is this: they fancy themselves lampooned and exposed, in some characters which were never designed for them; and so take a coat which never was cut out for that use. The truth is, these gentlemen are satires upon themselves, by fixing the characters, as things which must be suitable, since the likeness was such they could not know themselves from a stranger. I am rather sorry the coat fits them, than that they have called it their own, since their persons were never known to me, before they described themselves in this accident.

"I am assaulted by two or three gentlemen of another sort, and of no mean quality, who are angry that they are left out in some characters in the satire called 'Reformation of Manners;' the gentlemen are displeased, thinking I did not suppose them bad enough to be lampooned, in which I must do myself this justice to let them know they were mistaken; for, indeed, I thought them too bad to meddle with, but that being hardened in all manner of vice, beyond reclaiming, I thought satire, whose end is reformation, had no business with them; therefore, as it is feared their Maker has done before me, I left them to themselves, that whenever Heaven shall think fit to recover them, they may stand as monuments of wonder, and serve to convince the world that miracles are not ceased.

"This collection also may disabuse the world, who tacitly charge me with writing disrespectfully of the Queen. I appeal to the book itself; and as I really never did publish the least clause that way, so I think I never failed, either in verse or prose, to address her Majesty with all the deference of a dutiful subject, and to add so much of the debt due to her exalted merit as I was capable of; and if I have ever failed, in cases less public, though it can never admit of a proof, I shall not fail of such humble acknowledgments as become me.

"The vicious party, who are touched too warmly in some of the satires, are most industriously ransacking my character, to make it, if possible, look like themselves; the meaning is, that being as bad myself, I have really no right to find fault with them. Of

C

this I might say much, but shall contract it to this short hint-I never pretended to want either sins or misfortunes, and no man is more willing to acknowledge his mistakes, both to God and man, than myself. But I make the complainants this fair challenge, if it can be made appear that I am guilty of any of the crimes for which I have reproved, satirized, and animadverted upon others, so far my satire is unjust, and I am an improper person to write it.

“I shall say nothing to the particular subjects treated of in this book, let them answer for themselves; only I think myself obliged to take notice of a clamour raised by some uncharitable people, about my writing against Occasional Conformity,' and ill treating Mr How.

"As to the first, it has ever been my declared principles, I have endeavoured with a constant diligent inquiry into truth, to come to a true understanding in that case; and, after all, it remains clear to me, that a Dissenter conforming merely to qualify himself for an office, is sinful against God, scandalous to the Dissenters, and will be fatal to their interest, and in all three, I thought myself concerned to bring it upon the stage. They who tax me with being the author of persecution by it, I think deserve no answer ; for since occasional communion with the church is their opinion, they are in no danger of persecution: persecution, if ever it happen, as I see no prospect of it, must not be for occasional compliance, but for not complying at all.

"As for my ill-treating a certain gentleman, to whom I wrote a short preface on this head, I appeal to all impartial unbiassed judgments in the world, if there is any just occasion given by me in the said preface for such a reply as that learned gentleman gave me, and I refer to the preface itself; and I farther appeal, if my reply be in anything indecent, or unsuitable to the necessity of my argument, and the respect due to a man of his merit.

"I see nothing remains to say of me, or of my book; they that search for faults may find them plenty, and they that will mend them for me shall always have my acknowledgment for the kindness; but he that would make faults when there is none, has little charity and less honesty.

"But since the world has been pleased to ruffle me a little too severely concerning my own errors, I purpose to visit them shortly with a state of the case between my errors and theirs; not at all to lessen my own, but settle matters between vice and repentance a little; and that they may have no excuse to reject the admonition, because the reprover is not an angel; and if all men would but acknowledge their faults as freely as I shall do mine, amendment would certainly follow;

"For crimes confess'd are more than half reform'd.'

"D. F."

Our author's next production, like his 'Shortest Way,' was couched in an ironical style. It is entitled 'King William's Affection to the Church of England Examined.' London, 1703. Behind a masked battery, he points his ridicule at the high party, with whom the reign of William was a sore subject; nor did the government concern itself in the vindication of his character. Upon this account the writer had nothing to fear, even if he had been ever so serious.

If the design of the writer is not so artfully concealed as in "The Shortest Way,' his sarcasm is sufficiently pointed to convey the bitterest reproach; and the present work must have been an useful auxiliary to that performance, in unmasking the real designs of the party in power. De Foe next published The Sincerity of the Dissenters Vindicated from the Scandal of Occasional Conformity.' London, 1703. This, the best pamphlet he wrote in this controversy, was in reply to a treatise by Mr James Owen, a learned Dissenting minister, under the title of Moderation, a Virtue; or, the Occasional Conformity justified from the Imputation of Hypocrisy.'

Upon the meeting of Parliament, Nov. 9, 1703, the Queen in her speech earnestly desired them to cultivate peace and union, and to avoid heats and divisions which would give encouragement to the common enemies of church and state. The Commons promised obedience; but the Lords engaged, not only to avoid, but to oppose whatever might tend to create contention amongst her subjects.

The pacific tendency of the Queen's speech presented to De Foe an opportunity for enforcing it, that was not to be resisted. He therefore seized the occasion for publishing A Challenge of Peace, addressed to the whole Nation. 1703.

De Foe's next pamphlet was entitled 'Peace without Union: by way of Reply to Sir Henry Mackworth's Peace at Home. London, 1703;' which, in 1704, was followed by Original Right; or the Reasonableness of Appeals to the People.' Next came 'The Dissenters' Answer to the High Church Challenge. 1704;' a masterly correction of Leslie, who had just outraged all sense and decency in a virulent pamphlet, entitled 'The Wolf stripped of his Shepherd's Clothing,' which contained much severe animadversions upon our author. This was followed by The Christianity of the High Church considered,'—and next came 'Royal Religion; being some Enquiry after the Piety of Princes.' As notices of the circumstances under which all these works were written precede them in the body of the work, it is not necessary to enter into any description of them here.

In the same year, 1704, our author's prolific pen indited 'An Essay upon the Regulation of the Press,' a subject which had now begun to excite considerable attention, and upon which De Foe also wrote largely in his 'Review.' While fully alive to the abuses of the press, especially the continual practice then in use of pirating popular works, he protested against the revival of a state licenser, which would throw the press into the hands of one party, and place it at the mercy of a hireling, who would be the creature of those who paid him.

The subject which next engaged our author's attention was the aggressions of the Scottish Episcopalian Dissenters on the Presbyterians in that country; and, besides writing largely upon the controversy in his Reviews, De Foe sent forth a separate pamphlet, entitled 'The Liberty of Episcopal Dissenters in Scotland truly stated. London: 1703.' Our author, who spent much of his time in Scotland, was an eye-witness to the disorders which took placé, and the accounts published by him from time to time are deserving the attention of all who are desirous of gaining an accurate acquaintance with the politics of the period.

From Scotland De Foe turned his attention to the state of the Protestants, and more particularly, of the Dissenters, in Ireland, where the same game of high church politics was in play, and with somewhat better success than in the sister kingdom, and upon this subject he now published 'The Parallel; or Persecution of Protestants the shortest Way to prevent the Growth of Popery in Ireland.' Here, though De Foe's propensity to satire led him to prefix an ironical title to his work, yet it is written with great gravity and force of argument.

The distressed state of his circumstances it is probable made our prisoner soon feel it necessary to undertake some regular work, by which he might support himself during his confinement; and the plan which he accordingly laid down for himself, and the manner in which he carried it on for a great number of years, are alike honourable to his judgment and his perseverance.

"The Review,' which he now started, is one of the most remarkable features in the history of literature. Of the nine quarto volumes which constitute this work, De Foe was the sole writer, an unparalleled effort of combined intellect and industry; especially when it is considered that the publication was issued three times a week without intermission, despite of difficulties and impediments of every description, and amid innume