Робінзон Крузо
A Cave Retreat
ButItisnevertoolatetobewise;andIcannotbutadviseallconsideringmen,whoselivesareattendedwithsuchextraordinaryincidentsasmine,oreventhoughnotsoextraordinary,nottoslightsuchsecretintimationsofProvidence,letthemcomefromwhatinvisibleintelligencetheywill. ThatIshallnotdiscuss,andperhapscannotaccountfor;butcertainlytheyareaproofoftheconverseofspirits,andthesecretcommunicationbetweenthoseembodiedandthoseunembodied, andsuchaproofascanneverbewithstood,ofwhichIshallhaveoccasiontogivesomeveryremarkableinstancesintheremainderofmysolitaryresidenceinthisdismalplace.
IbelievethereaderofthiswillnotthinkstrangeifIconfessthattheseanxieties,theseconstantdangersIlivedin,andtheconcernthatwasnowuponme,putanendtoallinvention,andtoallthecontrivancesthatIhadlaidformyfutureaccommodationsandconveniences. Ihadthecareofmysafetymorenowuponmyhandsthanthatofmyfood. Icarednottodriveanail,orchopastickofwoodnow,forfearthenoiseIshouldmakeshouldbeheard; muchlesswouldIfireagun,forthesamereason; and,aboveall,Iwasintolerablyuneasyatmakinganyfire,lestthesmoke,whichisvisibleatagreatdistanceintheday,shouldbetrayme; andforthisreasonIremovedthatpartofmybusinesswhichrequiredfire,suchasburningofpotsandpipes,etc.,intomynewapartmentinthewoods; where,afterIhadbeensometime,Ifound,tomyunspeakableconsolation,amorenaturalcaveintheearth,whichwentinavastway,andwhere,Idaresay,nosavage,hadhebeenatthemouthofit,wouldbesohardyastoventurein; nor,indeed,wouldanymanelse,butonewho,likeme,wantednothingsomuchasasaferetreat.
