Робінзон Крузо
A Dream Realised
SoIbegantoreposemyself,liveaftermyoldfashion,andtakecareofmyfamilyaffairs; and,forawhile,Ilivedeasyenough,onlythatIwasmorevigilantthanIusedtobe,lookedoutoftener,anddidnotgoabroadsomuch; andifatanytimeIdidstirwithanyfreedom,itwasalwaystotheeastpartoftheisland,whereIwasprettywellsatisfiedthesavagesnevercame,andwhereIcouldgowithoutsomanyprecautions,andsuchaloadofarmsandammunitionasIalwayscarriedwithmeifIwenttheotherway.
Ilivedinthisconditionneartwoyearsmore;butmyunluckyhead,thatwasalwaystoletmeknowifitwasborntomakemybodymiserable,wasallofthistwoyearsfilledwithprojectsanddesigns,how,ifitwerepossible,Imightgetawayfromthisisland; forsometimesIwasformakinganothervoyagetothewreck,thoughmyreasontoldmethattherewasnothingleftthereworththehazardofmyvoyage; sometimesforarambleoneway,sometimesanother; andIbelieveverily,ifIhadhadtheboatthatIwentfromSalleein,Ishouldhaveventuredtosea,boundanywhere,Iknewnotwhither.
Ihavebeen,inallmycircumstances,amementotothosewhoaretouchedwiththegeneralplagueofmankind,whence,foraughtIknow,one-halfoftheirmiseriesflow; Imean,thatofnotbeingsatisfiedwiththestationwhereinGodandNaturehadplacedthem; fornottolookbackuponmyprimitivecondition,andtheexcellentadviceofmyfather,theoppositiontowhichwas,asImaycallit,myoriginalsin,mysubsequentmistakesofthesamekindhadbeenthemeansofmycomingintothismiserablecondition;