Робінзон Крузо
A Cave Retreat
andsuch,asforwhichtheverynameofaSpaniardisreckonedtobefrightfulandterribletoallpeopleofhumanity,orofChristiancompassion; asifthekingdomofSpainwereparticularlyeminentfortheproductofaraceofmenwhowerewithoutprinciplesoftenderness,orthecommonbowelsofpitytothemiserable,whichisreckonedtobeamarkofgeneroustemperinthemind.
Theseconsiderationsreallyputmetoapause,andtoakindofafullstop;andIbegan,bylittleandlittle,tobeoffofmydesign,andtoconcludeIhadtakenwrongmeasuresinmyresolutionstoattackthesavages; thatitwasnotmybusinesstomeddlewiththem,unlesstheyfirstattackedme; andthisitwasmybusiness,ifpossible,toprevent;butthatifIwerediscoveredandattacked,thenIknewmyduty.
Ontheotherhand,Iarguedwithmyselfthatthisreallywasthewaynottodelivermyself,butentirelytoruinanddestroymyself; forunlessIwassuretokilleveryonethatnotonlyshouldbeonshoreatthattime,butthatshouldevercomeonshoreafterwards, ifbutoneofthemescapedtotelltheircountrypeoplewhathadhappened,theywouldcomeoveragainbythousandstorevengethedeathoftheirfellows, andIshouldonlybringuponmyselfacertaindestruction,which,atpresent,Ihadnomannerofoccasionfor.
Uponthewhole,IconcludedthatneitherinprinciplesnorinpolicyIought,onewayorother,toconcernmyselfinthisaffair. Thatmybusinesswas,byallpossiblemeans,toconcealmyselffromthem,andnottoleavethelastsignaltothemtoguessbythattherewereanylivingcreaturesupontheisland;Imeanofhumanshape.
