Робінзон Крузо

           Hecalledmeonemorningintohischamber, wherehewasconfinedbythegout, andexpostulatedverywarmlywithmeuponthissubject. Heaskedmewhatreasons,morethanamerewanderinginclination,Ihadforleavingfather’shouse andmynativecountry,whereImightbewellintroduced, andhadaprospectofraisingmyfortunebyapplicationandindustry,withalifeofeaseandpleasure. Hetoldmeitwasmenofdesperatefortunesononehand, orofaspiring,superiorfortunesontheother, whowentabroaduponadventures,torisebyenterprise,andmakethemselvesfamousinundertakingsofanatureoutofthecommonroad; thatthesethingswerealleithertoofarabovemeortoofarbelowme; thatminewasthemiddlestate,orwhatmightbecalledtheupperstationoflowlife, whichhehadfound,bylongexperience,wasthebeststateintheworld, themostsuitedtohumanhappiness,notexposedtothemiseriesandhardships,thelabourandsufferingsofthemechanicpartofmankind, andnotembarrassedwiththepride,luxury,ambition,andenvyoftheupperpartofmankind. HetoldmeImightjudgeofthehappinessofthisstatebythisonething -viz.thatthiswasthestateoflifewhichallotherpeopleenvied; thatkingshavefrequentlylamentedthemiserableconsequenceofbeingborntogreatthings, andwishedtheyhadbeenplacedinthemiddleofthetwoextremes,betweenthemeanandthegreat; thatthewisemangavehistestimonytothis,asthestandardoffelicity, whenheprayedtohaveneitherpovertynorriches. 

           Hebademeobserveit, andIshouldalwaysfindthatthecalamitiesoflifeweresharedamongtheupper andlowerpartofmankind,butthatthemiddlestationhadthefewestdisasters, andwasnotexposedtosomanyvicissitudesasthehigherorlowerpartofmankind;