Робінзон Крузо
Wreck of a Spanish Ship
Ifeltinmysouluponthissight,breakingoutsometimesthus: "Ohthattherehadbeenbutoneortwo,nay,orbutonesoul,savedoutofthisship,tohaveescapedtome, thatImightbuthavehadonecompanion,onefellow-creature,tohavespokentome,andtohaveconversedwith!" InallthetimeofmysolitarylifeIneverfeltsoearnest,sostrongadesireafterthesocietyofmyfellow-creatures,orsodeeparegretatthewantofit.
Therearesomesecretmovingspringsintheaffectionswhich,whentheyaresetagoingbysomeobjectinview,orbeitsomeobject,thoughnotinview,yetrenderedpresenttothemindbythepowerofimagination,thatmotioncarriesoutthesoulbyitsimpetuositytosuchviolent,eagerembracingsoftheobject,thattheabsenceofitisinsupportable.
Suchweretheseearnestwishingsthatbutonemanhadbeensaved! "Ohthatithadbeenbutone!"IbelieveIrepeatedthewords,"Ohthatithadbeenone!"athousandtimes; andthedesiresweresomovedbyit,thatwhenIspokethewordsmyhandswouldclinchtogether,andmyfingerspressthepalmsofmyhands,thatifIhadhadanysoftthinginmyhand,itwouldhavecrusheditinvoluntarily; andmyteethinmyheadwouldstriketogether,andsetagainstoneanothersostrongthatforsometimeIcouldnotpartthemagain.
Letthenaturalistsexplainthesethingsandthereasonandmannerofthem. AllIcansaytothemistodescribethefact,whichwasevensurprisingtomewhenIfoundit,thoughIknewnotfromwhatitshouldproceed. Itwasdoubtlesstheeffectofardentwishes,andofstrongideasformedinmymind,realizingthecomfortwhichtheconversationofoneofmyfellow–Christianswouldhavebeentome.
