Робинзон Крузо
A Cave Retreat
Indeed,afterseriousthinkingofthesethings,Ishouldbeverymelancholy,andsometimesitwouldlastagreatwhile; butIresolvedit,atlast,allintothankfulnesstothatProvidencewhichhaddeliveredmefromsomanyunseendangers,andhadkeptmefromthosemischiefswhichIcouldnowayhavebeentheagentindeliveringmyselffrom,becauseIhadnottheleastnotionofanysuchthingdepending,ortheleastsuppositionofitbeingpossible.
Thisrenewedacontemplationwhichoftenhadcometomythoughtsinformertime,whenfirstIbegantoseethemercifuldispositionsofHeaven,inthedangerswerunthroughinthislife. Howwonderfullywearedeliveredwhenweknownothingofit! How,whenweareinaquandary,aswecallit,adoubtorhesitation,whethertogothisway,orthatway,asecrethintshalldirectusthisway,whenweintendedtogothatway; nay,whensense,ourowninclination,andperhapsbusiness,hascalledtogotheotherway,yetastrangeimpressionuponthemind,fromweknownotwhatsprings,andbyweknownotwhatpower,shalloverruleustogothisway; anditshallafterwardsappearthathadwegonethatwaywhichweshouldhavegone,andeventoourimaginationoughttohavegone,weshouldhavebeenruinedandlost. UpontheseandmanylikereflectionsIafterwardsmadeitacertainrulewithme,thatwheneverIfoundthosesecrethintsorpressingsofmymindtodoing,ornotdoing,anythingthatpresented,ortogoingthiswayorthatway,Ineverfailedtoobeythesecretdictate,thoughIknewnootherreasonforitthanthatsuchapressure,orsuchahint,hunguponmymind. Icouldgivemanyexamplesofthesuccessofthisconductinthecourseofmylife,butmoreespeciallyinthelatterpartofmyinhabitingthisunhappyisland; besidesmanyoccasionswhichitisverylikelyImighthavetakennoticeof,ifIhadseenwiththesameeyesthatIsawwithnow.
