Робинзон Крузо

           Icallhimmyneighbor,becausehisplantationlaynexttomine,andwewentonverysociablytogether. Mystockwasbutlow,aswellashis;andweratherplantedforfoodthananythingelse,forabouttwoyears. However,webegantoincrease,andourlandbegantocomeintoorder;sothatthethirdyearweplantedsometobacco,andmadeeachofusalargepieceofgroundreadyforplantingcanesintheyeartocome. Butwebothwantedhelp;andnowIfound,morethanbefore,IhaddonewronginpartingwithmyboyXury. 

           Butalas!formetodowrongthatneverdidrightwasnogreatwonder. Ihadnoremedybuttogoon. Iwasgottenintoanemploymentquiteremotetomygenius,anddirectlycontrarytothelifeIdelightedin,andforwhichIforsookmyfather’shouse,andbrokethroughallhisgoodadvice; nay,Iwascomingintotheverymiddlestation,orupperdegreeoflowlife,whichmyfatheradvisedmetobefore;andwhichifIresolvedtogoonwith,Imightaswellhavestayedathome,andneverhavefatiguedmyselfintheworldasIhaddone. AndIusedoftentosaytomyselfIcouldhavedonethisaswellinEnglandamongmyfriends,ashavegone5,000milesofftodoitamongstrangersandsavages,inawilderness,andatsuchadistanceasnevertohearfromanypartoftheworldthathadtheleastknowledgeofme. 

           InthismannerIusedtolookuponmyconditionwiththeutmostregret. Ihadnobodytoconversewith,butnowandthenthisneighbor; noworktobedone,butbythelaborofmyhands;andIusedtosay,Ilivedjustlikeamancastawayuponsomedesolateisland,thathadnobodytherebuthimself. Buthowjusthasitbeen!andhowshouldallmenreflect,thatwhentheycomparetheirpresentconditionswithothersthatareworse,Heavenmayobligethemtomaketheexchange,andbeconvincedoftheirformerfelicitybytheirexperience;