Important Quotations Explained
1. “O
drug!” said I aloud, “what art thou good for? Thou art not worth
to me, no, not the taking off of the ground; one of those knives
is worth all this heap; I have no manner of use for thee; e’en remain
where thou art and go to the bottom as a creature whose life is
not worth saving.” However, upon second thoughts, I took it away.
. . .
2. My
island was now peopled, and I thought myself very rich in subjects;
and it was a merry reflection, which I frequently made, how like
a king I looked. First of all, the whole country was my own mere
property, Baso that I had an undoubted right of dominion. Secondly,
my people were perfectly subjected. I was absolute lord and lawgiver,
they all owed their lives to me, and were ready to lay down their lives,
if there had been occasion of it, for me.
3. I
was born in the year
1632, in the city of
York, of a good family, though not of that country, my father being
a foreigner of Bremen who settled first at Hull. He got a good estate
by merchandise and, leaving off his trade, lived afterward at York,
from whence he had married my mother whose relations were named
Robinson, a very good family in that country, and from whom I was
called Robinson Kreutznaer; but by the usual corruption of words
in England we are called, nay, we call ourselves, and write our name
“Crusoe,” and so my companions always called me.
4. I
might well say now indeed, that the latter end of Job was better
than the beginning. It is impossible to express here the flutterings
of my very heart when I looked over these letters, and especially
when I found all my wealth about me; for as the Brazil ships come
all in fleets, the same ships which brought my letters brought my
goods. . . .
5. But
no sooner were my eyes open, but I saw my Poll sitting on top of
the hedge; and immediately knew that it was he that spoke to me;
for just in such bemoaning language I had used to talk to him, and
teach him; and he learned it so perfectly that he would sit upon
my finger and lay his bill close to my face, and cry, “Poor Robin
Crusoe! Where are you? Where have you been? How come you here?”
and such things as I had taught him.
