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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/2051-h.zip b/2051-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d6af172 --- /dev/null +++ b/2051-h.zip diff --git a/2051-h/2051-h.htm b/2051-h/2051-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..df0aca0 --- /dev/null +++ b/2051-h/2051-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1380 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Dickory Cronke</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">Dickory Cronke, by Daniel Defoe</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Dickory Cronke, by Daniel Defoe + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Dickory Cronke + The Dumb Philosopher, or, Great Britain's Wonder + + +Author: Daniel Defoe + +Release Date: April 20, 2005 [eBook #2051] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICKORY CRONKE*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>Transcribed form the 1889 George Bell and Sons edition by David Price, +email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk</p> +<h1>DICKORY CRONKE</h1> +<p>THE<br /> +DUMB PHILOSOPHER,<br /> +OR,<br /> +GREAT BRITAIN’S WONDER;<br /> +CONTAINING:</p> +<p>I. A faithful and very surprising Account how Dickory Cronke, +a Tinner’s son, in the County of Cornwall, was born Dumb, and +continued so for Fifty-eight years; and how, some days before he died, +he came to his Speech; with Memoirs of his Life, and the Manner of his +Death.</p> +<p>II. A Declaration of his Faith and Principles in Religion; +with a Collection of Select Meditations, composed in his Retirement.</p> +<p>III. His Prophetical Observations upon the Affairs of Europe, +more particularly of Great Britain, from 1720 to 1729. The whole +extracted from his Original Papers, and confirmed by unquestionable +Authority.</p> +<p>TO WHICH IS ANNEXED HIS ELEGY,<br /> +WRITTEN BY A YOUNG CORNISH GENTLEMAN, OF<br /> +EXETER COLLEGE IN OXFORD.</p> +<p>WITH</p> +<p>AN EPITAPH BY ANOTHER HAND.</p> +<blockquote><p>“Non quis, sed quid.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>LONDON:<br /> +Printed for and Sold by THOMAS BICKERTON, at<br /> +the Crown, in Paternoster Row. 1719.</p> +<h2>PREFACE</h2> +<p>The formality of a preface to this little book might have been very +well omitted, if it were not to gratify the curiosity of some inquisitive +people, who, I foresee, will be apt to make objections against the reality +of the narrative.</p> +<p>Indeed the public has too often been imposed upon by fictitious stories, +and some of a very late date, so that I think myself obliged by the +usual respect which is paid to candid and impartial readers, to acquaint +them, by way of introduction, with what they are to expect, and what +they may depend upon, and yet with this caution too, that it is an indication +of ill nature or ill manners, if not both, to pry into a secret that +is industriously concealed.</p> +<p>However, that there may be nothing wanting on my part, I do hereby +assure the reader, that the papers from whence the following sheets +were extracted, are now in town, in the custody of a person of unquestionable +reputation, who, I will be bold to say, will not only be ready, but +proud, to produce them upon a good occasion, and that I think is as +much satisfaction as the nature of this case requires.</p> +<p>As to the performance, it can signify little now to make an apology +upon that account, any farther than this, that if the reader pleases +he may take notice that what he has now before him was collected from +a large bundle of papers, most of which were writ in shorthand, and +very ill-digested. However, this may be relied upon, that though +the language is something altered, and now and then a word thrown in +to help the expression, yet strict care has been taken to speak the +author’s mind, and keep as close as possible to the meaning of +the original. For the design, I think there is nothing need be +said in vindication of that. Here is a dumb philosopher introduced +to a wicked and degenerate generation, as a proper emblem of virtue +and morality; and if the world could be persuaded to look upon him with +candour and impartiality, and then to copy after him, the editor has +gained his end, and would think himself sufficiently recompensed for +his present trouble.</p> +<h2>PART I</h2> +<p>Among the many strange and surprising events that help to fill the +accounts of this last century, I know none that merit more an entire +credit, or are more fit to be preserved and handed to posterity than +those I am now going to lay before the public.</p> +<p>Dickory Cronke, the subject of the following narrative, was born +at a little hamlet, near St. Columb, in Cornwall, on the 29th of May, +1660, being the day and year in which King Charles the Second was restored. +His parents were of mean extraction, but honest, industrious people, +and well beloved in their neighbourhood. His father’s chief +business was to work at the tin mines; his mother stayed at home to +look after the children, of which they had several living at the same +time. Our Dickory was the youngest, and being but a sickly child, +had always a double portion of her care and tenderness.</p> +<p>It was upwards of three years before it was discovered that he was +born dumb, the knowledge of which at first gave his mother great uneasiness, +but finding soon after that he had his hearing, and all his other senses +to the greatest perfection, her grief began to abate, and she resolved +to have him brought up as well as their circumstances and his capacity +would permit.</p> +<p>As he grew, notwithstanding his want of speech, he every day gave +some instance of a ready genius, and a genius much superior to the country +children, insomuch that several gentlemen in the neighbourhood took +particular notice of him, and would often call him Restoration Dick, +and give him money, &c.</p> +<p>When he came to be eight years of age, his mother agreed with a person +in the next village, to teach him to read and write, both which, in +a very short time, he acquired to such perfection, especially the latter, +that he not only taught his own brothers and sisters, but likewise several +young men and women in the neighbourhood, which often brought him in +small sums, which he always laid out in such necessaries as he stood +most in need of.</p> +<p>In this state he continued till he was about twenty, and then he +began to reflect how scandalous it was for a young man of his age and +circumstances to live idle at home, and so resolves to go with his father +to the mines, to try if he could get something towards the support of +himself and the family; but being of a tender constitution, and often +sick, he soon perceived that sort of business was too hard for him, +so was forced to return home and continue in his former station; upon +which he grew exceeding melancholy, which his mother observing, she +comforted him in the best manner she could, telling him that if it should +please God to take her away, she had something left in store for him, +which would preserve him against public want.</p> +<p>This kind assurance from a mother whom he so dearly loved gave him +some, though not an entire satisfaction; however, he resolves to acquiesce +under it till Providence should order something for him more to his +content and advantage, which, in a short time happened according to +his wish. The manner was thus:—</p> +<p>One Mr. Owen Parry, a Welsh gentleman of good repute, coming from +Bristol to Padstow, a little seaport in the county of Cornwall, near +the place where Dickory dwelt, and hearing much of this dumb man’s +perfections, would needs have him sent for; and finding, by his significant +gestures and all outward appearances that he much exceeded the character +that the country gave of him, took a mighty liking to him, insomuch +that he told him, if he would go with him into Pembrokeshire, he would +be kind to him, and take care of him as long as he lived.</p> +<p>This kind and unexpected offer was so welcome to poor Dickory, that +without any farther consideration, he got a pen and ink and writ a note, +and in a very handsome and submissive manner returned him thanks for +his favour, assuring him he would do his best to continue and improve +it; and that he would be ready to wait upon him whenever he should be +pleased to command.</p> +<p>To shorten the account as much as possible, all things were concluded +to their mutual satisfaction, and in about a fortnight’s time +they set forward for Wales, where Dickory, notwithstanding his dumbness, +behaved himself with so much diligence and affability, that he not only +gained the love of the family where he lived, but of everybody round +him.</p> +<p>In this station he continued till the death of his master, which +happened about twenty years afterwards; in all which time, as has been +confirmed by several of the family, he was never observed to be any +ways disguised by drinking, or to be guilty of any of the follies and +irregularities incident to servants in gentlemen’s houses. +On the contrary, when he had any spare time, his constant custom was +to retire with some good book into a private place within call, and +there employ himself in reading, and then writing down his observations +upon what he read.</p> +<p>After the death of his master, whose loss afflicted him to the last +degree, one Mrs. Mary Mordant, a gentlewoman of great virtue and piety, +and a very good fortune, took him into her service, and carried him +with her, first to Bath, and then to Bristol, where, after a lingering +distemper, which continued for about four years, she died likewise.</p> +<p>Upon the loss of his mistress, Dickory grew again exceeding melancholy +and disconsolate; at length, reflecting that death is but a common debt +which all mortals owe to nature, and must be paid sooner or later, he +became a little better satisfied, and so determines to get together +what he had saved in his service, and then to return to his native country, +and there finish his life in privacy and retirement.</p> +<p>Having been, as has been mentioned, about twenty-four years a servant, +and having, in the interim, received two legacies, viz., one of thirty +pounds, left him by his master, and another of fifteen pounds by his +mistress, and being always very frugal, he had got by him in the whole +upwards of sixty pounds. This, thinks he, with prudent management, +will be enough to support me as long as I live, and so I’ll e’en +lay aside all thoughts of future business, and make the best of my way +to Cornwall, and there find out some safe and solitary retreat, where +I may have liberty to meditate and make my melancholy observations upon +the several occurrences of human life.</p> +<p>This resolution prevailed so far, that no time was let slip to get +everything in readiness to go with the first ship. As to his money, +he always kept that locked up by him, unless he sometimes lent it to +a friend without interest, for he had a mortal hatred to all sorts of +usury or extortion. His books, of which he had a considerable +quantity, and some of them very good ones, together with his other equipage, +he got packed up, that nothing might be wanting against the first opportunity.</p> +<p>In a few days he heard of a vessel bound to Padstow, the very port +he wished to go to, being within four or five miles of the place where +he was born. When he came thither, which was in less than a week, +his first business was to inquire after the state of his family. +It was some time before he could get any information of them, until +an old man that knew his father and mother, and remembered they had +a son was born dumb, recollected him, and after a great deal of difficulty, +made him understand that all his family except his youngest sister were +dead, and that she was a widow, and lived at a little town called St. +Helen’s, about ten miles farther in the country.</p> +<p>This doleful news, we must imagine, must be extremely shocking, and +add a new sting to his former affliction; and here it was that he began +to exercise the philosopher, and to demonstrate himself both a wise +and a good man. All these things, thinks he, are the will of Providence, +and must not be disputed; and so he bore up under them with an entire +resignation, resolving that, as soon as he could find a place where +he might deposit his trunk and boxes with safety, he would go to St. +Helen’s in quest of his sister.</p> +<p>How his sister and he met, and how transported they were to see each +other after so long an interval, I think is not very material. +It is enough for the present purpose that Dickory soon recollected his +sister, and she him; and after a great many endearing tokens of love +and tenderness, he wrote to her, telling her that he believed Providence +had bestowed on him as much as would support him as long as he lived, +and that if she thought proper he would come and spend the remainder +of his days with her.</p> +<p>The good woman no sooner read his proposal than she accepted it, +adding, withal, that she could wish her entertainment was better; but +if he would accept of it as it was, she would do her best to make everything +easy, and that he should be welcome upon his own terms, to stay with +her as long as he pleased.</p> +<p>This affair being so happily settled to his full satisfaction, he +returns to Padstow to fetch the things he had left behind him, and the +next day came back to St. Helen’s, where, according to his own +proposal, he continued to the day of his death, which happened upon +the 29th of May, 1718, about the same hour in which he was born.</p> +<p>Having thus given a short detail of the several periods of his life, +extracted chiefly from the papers which he left behind him, I come in +the next place to make a few observations how he managed himself and +spent his time toward the latter part of it.</p> +<p>His constant practice, both winter and summer, was to rise and set +with the sun; and if the weather would permit, he never failed to walk +in some unfrequented place, for three hours, both morning and evening, +and there it is supposed he composed the following meditations. +The chief part of his sustenance was milk, with a little bread boiled +in it, of which in the morning, after his walk, he would eat the quantity +of a pint, and sometimes more. Dinners he never eat any; and at +night he would only have a pretty large piece of bread, and drink a +draught of good spring water; and after this method he lived during +the whole time he was at St. Helen’s. It is observed of +him that he never slept out of a bed, nor never lay awake in one; which +I take to be an argument, not only of a strong and healthful constitution, +but of a mind composed and calm, and entirely free from the ordinary +disturbances of human life. He never gave the least signs of complaint +or dissatisfaction at anything, unless it was when he heard the tinners +swear, or saw them drunk; and then, too, he would get out of the way +as soon as he had let them see, by some significant signs, how scandalous +and ridiculous they made themselves; and against the next time he met +them, would be sure to have a paper ready written, wherein he would +represent the folly of drunkenness, and the dangerous consequences that +generally attended it.</p> +<p>Idleness was his utter aversion, and if at any time he had finished +the business of the day, and was grown weary of reading and writing, +in which he daily spent six hours at least, he would certainly find +something either within doors or without, to employ himself.</p> +<p>Much might be said both with regard to the wise and regular management, +and the prudent methods he took to spend his time well towards the declension +of his life; but, as his history may perhaps be shortly published at +large by a better hand, I shall only observe in the general, that he +was a person of great wisdom and sagacity. He understood nature +beyond the ordinary capacity, and, if he had had a competency of learning +suitable to his genius, neither this nor the former ages would have +produced a better philosopher or a greater man.</p> +<p>I come next to speak of the manner of his death and the consequences +thereof, which are, indeed, very surprising, and, perhaps, not altogether +unworthy a general observation. I shall relate them as briefly +as I can, and leave every one to believe or disbelieve as he thinks +proper.</p> +<p>Upon the 26th of May, 1718, according to his usual method, about +four in the afternoon, he went out to take his evening walk; but before +he could reach the place he intended, he was siezed with an apoplectic +fit, which only gave him liberty to sit down under a tree, where, in +an instant, he was deprived of all manner of sense and motion, and so +he continued, as appears by his own confession afterwards, for more +than fourteen hours.</p> +<p>His sister, who knew how exact he was in all his methods, finding +him stay a considerable time beyond the usual hour, concludes that some +misfortune must needs have happened to him, or he would certainly have +been at home before. In short, she went immediately to all the +places he was wont to frequent, but nothing could be heard or seen of +him till the next morning, when a young man, as he was going to work, +discovered him, and went home and told his sister that her brother lay +in such a place, under a tree, and, as he believed had been robbed and +murdered.</p> +<p>The poor woman, who had all night been under the most dreadful apprehensions, +was now frightened and confounded to the last degree. However, +recollecting herself, and finding there was no remedy, she got two or +three of her neighbours to bear her company, and so hastened with the +young man to the tree, where she found her brother lying in the same +posture that he had described.</p> +<p>The dismal object at first view startled and surprised everybody +present, and filled them full of different notions and conjectures. +But some of the company going nearer to him, and finding that he had +lost nothing, and that there were no marks of any violence to be discovered +about him, they conclude that it must be an apoplectic or some other +sudden fit that had surprised him in his walk, upon which his sister +and the rest began to feel his hands and face, and observing that he +was still warm, and that there were some symptoms of life yet remaining, +they conclude that the best way was to carry him home to bed, which +was accordingly done with the utmost expedition.</p> +<p>When they had got him into the bed, nothing was omitted that they +could think of to bring him to himself, but still he continued utterly +insensible for about six hours. At the sixth hour’s end +he began to move a little, and in a very short time was so far recovered, +to the great astonishment of everybody about him, that he was able to +look up, and to make a sign to his sister to bring him a cup of water.</p> +<p>After he had drunk the water he soon perceived that all his faculties +were returned to their former stations, and though his strength was +very much abated by the length and rigour of the fit, yet his intellects +were as strong and vigorous as ever.</p> +<p>His sister observing him to look earnestly upon the company, as if +he had something extraordinary to communicate to them, fetched him a +pen and ink and a sheet of paper, which, after a short pause, he took, +and wrote as follows:—</p> +<blockquote><p>“Dear sister,</p> +<p>“I have now no need of pen, ink, and paper, to tell you my +meaning. I find the strings that bound up my tongue, and hindered +me from speaking, are unloosed, and I have words to express myself as +freely and distinctly as any other person. From whence this strange +and unexpected event should proceed, I must not pretend to say, any +farther than this, that it is doubtless the hand of Providence that +has done it, and in that I ought to acquiesce. Pray let me be +alone for two or three hours, that I may be at liberty to compose myself, +and put my thoughts in the best order I can before I leave them behind +me.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>The poor woman, though extremely startled at what her brother had +written, yet took care to conceal it from the neighbours, who, she knew, +as well as she, must be mightily surprised at a thing so utterly unexpected. +Says she, my brother desires to be alone; I believe he may have something +in his mind that disturbs him. Upon which the neighbours took +their leave and returned home, and his sister shut the door, and left +him alone to his private contemplations.</p> +<p>After the company were withdrawn he fell into a sound sleep, which +lasted from two till six, and his sister, being apprehensive of the +return of his fit, came to the bedside, and, asking softly if he wanted +anything, he turned about to her and spoke to this effect: Dear sister, +you see me not only recovered out of a terrible fit, but likewise that +I have the liberty of speech, a blessing that I have been deprived of +almost sixty years, and I am satisfied you are sincerely joyful to find +me in the state I now am in; but, alas! it is but a mistaken kindness. +These are things but of short duration, and if they were to continue +for a hundred years longer, I can’t see how I should be anyways +the better.</p> +<p>I know the world too well to be fond of it, and am fully satisfied +that the difference between a long and a short life is insignificant, +especially when I consider the accidents and company I am to encounter. +Do but look seriously and impartially upon the astonishing notion of +time and eternity, what an immense deal has run out already, and how +infinite it is still in the future; do but seriously and deliberately +consider this, and you will find, upon the whole, that three days and +three ages of life come much to the same measure and reckoning.</p> +<p>As soon as he had ended his discourse upon the vanity and uncertainty +of human life, he looked steadfastly upon her. Sister, says he, +I conjure you not to be disturbed at what I am going to tell you, which +you will undoubtedly find to be true in every particular. I perceive +my glass is run, and I have now no more to do in this world but to take +my leave of it; for to-morrow about this time my speech will be again +taken from me, and, in a short time, my fit will return; and the next +day, which I understand is the day on which I came into this troublesome +world, I shall exchange it for another, where, for the future, I shall +for ever be free from all manner of sin and sufferings.</p> +<p>The good woman would have made him a reply, but he prevented her +by telling her he had no time to hearken to unnecessary complaints or +animadversions. I have a great many things in my mind, says he, +that require a speedy and serious consideration. The time I have +to stay is but short, and I have a great deal of important business +to do in it. Time and death are both in my view, and seem both +to call aloud to me to make no delay. I beg of you, therefore, +not to disquiet yourself or me. What must be, must be. The +decrees of Providence are eternal and unalterable; why, then, should +we torment ourselves about that which we cannot remedy?</p> +<p>I must confess, my dear sister, I owe you many obligations for your +exemplary fondness to me, and do solemnly assure you I shall retain +the sense of them to the last moment. All that I have to request +of you is, that I may be alone for this night. I have it in my +thoughts to leave some short observations behind me, and likewise to +discover some things of great weight which have been revealed to me, +which may perhaps be of some use hereafter to you and your friends. +What credit they may meet with I cannot say, but depend the consequence, +according to their respective periods, will account for them, and vindicate +them against the supposition of falsity and mere suggestion.</p> +<p>Upon this, his sister left him till about four in the morning, when +coming to his bedside to know if he wanted anything, and how he had +rested, he made her this answer; I have been taking a cursory view of +my life, and though I find myself exceedingly deficient in several particulars, +yet I bless God I cannot find I have any just grounds to suspect my +pardon. In short, says he, I have spent this night with more inward +pleasure and true satisfaction than ever I spent a night through the +whole course of my life.</p> +<p>After he had concluded what he had to say upon the satisfaction that +attended an innocent and well-spent life, and observed what a mighty +consolation it was to persons, not only under the apprehension, but +even in the very agonies of death itself, he desired her to bring him +his usual cup of water, and then to help him on with his clothes, that +he might sit up, and so be in a better posture to take his leave of +her and her friends.</p> +<p>When she had taken him up, and placed him at a table where he usually +sat, he desired her to bring him his box of papers, and after he had +collected those he intended should be preserved, he ordered her to bring +a candle, that he might see the rest burnt. The good woman seemed +at first to oppose the burning of his papers, till he told her they +were only useless trifles, some unfinished observations which he had +made in his youthful days, and were not fit to be seen by her, or anybody +that should come after him.</p> +<p>After he had seen his papers burnt, and placed the rest in their +proper order, and had likewise settled all his other affairs, which +was only fit to be done between himself and his sister, he desired her +to call two or three of the most reputable neighbours, not only to be +witnesses of his will, but likewise to hear what he had farther to communicate +before the return of his fit, which he expected very speedily.</p> +<p>His sister, who had beforehand acquainted two or three of her confidants +with all that had happened, was very much rejoiced to hear her brother +make so unexpected a concession; and accordingly, without any delay +or hesitation, went directly into the neighbourhood, and brought home +her two select friends, upon whose secrecy and sincerity she knew she +might depend upon all accounts.</p> +<p>In her absence he felt several symptoms of the approach of his fit, +which made him a little uneasy, lest it should entirely seize him before +he had perfected his will, but that apprehension was quickly removed +by her speedy return. After she had introduced her friends into +his chamber, he proceeded to express himself in the following manner; +Dear sister, you now see your brother upon the brink of eternity; and +as the words of dying persons are commonly the most regarded, and make +deepest impressions, I cannot suspect but you will suffer the few I +am about to say to have always some place in your thoughts, that they +may be ready for you to make use of upon any occasion.</p> +<p>Do not be fond of anything on this side of eternity, or suffer your +interest to incline you to break your word, quit your modesty, or to +do anything that will not bear the light, and look the world in the +face. For be assured of this; the person that values the virtue +of his mind and the dignity of his reason, is always easy and well fortified +both against death and misfortune, and is perfectly indifferent about +the length or shortness of his life. Such a one is solicitous +about nothing but his own conduct, and for fear he should be deficient +in the duties of religion, and the respective functions of reason and +prudence.</p> +<p>Always go the nearest way to work. Now, the nearest way through +all the business of human life, are the paths of religion and honesty, +and keeping those as directly as you can, you avoid all the dangerous +precipices that often lie in the road, and sometimes block up the passage +entirely.</p> +<p>Remember that life was but lent at first, and that the remainder +is more than you have reason to expect, and consequently ought to be +managed with more than ordinary diligence. A wise man spends every +day as if it were his last; his hourglass is always in his hand, and +he is never guilty of sluggishness or insincerity.</p> +<p>He was about to proceed, when a sudden symptom of the return of his +fit put him in mind that it was time to get his will witnessed, which +was no sooner done but he took it up and gave it to his sister, telling +her that though all he had was hers of right, yet he thought it proper, +to prevent even a possibility of a dispute, to write down his mind in +the nature of a will, wherein I have given you, says he, the little +that I have left, except my books and papers, which, as soon as I am +dead, I desire may be delivered to Mr. Anthony Barlow, a near relation +of my worthy master, Mr. Owen Parry.</p> +<p>This Mr. Anthony Barlow was an old contemplative Welsh gentleman, +who, being under some difficulties in his own country, was forced to +come into Cornwall and take sanctuary among the tinners. Dickory, +though he kept himself as retired as possible, happened to meet him +one day upon his walks, and presently remembered that he was the very +person that used frequently to come to visit his master while he lived +in Pembrokeshire, and so went to him, and by signs made him understand +who he was.</p> +<p>The old gentleman, though at first surprised at this unexpected interview, +soon recollected that he had formerly seen at Mr. Parry’s a dumb +man, whom they used to call the dumb philosopher, so concludes immediately +that consequently this must be he. In short, they soon made themselves +known to each other; and from that time contracted a strict friendship +and a correspondence by letters, which for the future they mutually +managed with the greatest exactness and familiarity.</p> +<p>But to leave this as a matter not much material, and to return to +our narrative. By this time Dickory’s speech began to falter, +which his sister observing, put him in mind that he would do well to +make some declaration of his faith and principles of religion, because +some reflections had been made upon him upon the account of his neglect, +or rather his refusal, to appear at any place of public worship.</p> +<blockquote><p>“Dear sister,” says he, “you observe +very well, and I wish the continuance of my speech for a few moments, +that I might make an ample declaration upon that account. But +I find that cannot be; my speech is leaving me so fast that I can only +tell you that I have always lived, and now die, an unworthy member of +the ancient catholic and apostolic church; and as to my faith and principles, +I refer you to my papers, which, I hope, will in some measure vindicate +me against the reflections you mention.”</p> +</blockquote> +<p>He had hardly finished his discourse to his sister and her two friends, +and given some short directions relating to his burial, but his speech +left him; and what makes the thing the more remarkable, it went away, +in all appearance, without giving him any sort of pain or uneasiness.</p> +<p>When he perceived that his speech was entirely vanished, and that +he was again in his original state of dumbness, he took his pen as formerly +and wrote to his sister, signifying that whereas the sudden loss of +his speech had deprived him of the opportunity to speak to her and her +friends what he intended, he would leave it for them in writing, and +so desired he might not be disturbed till the return of his fit, which +he expected in six hours at farthest. According to his desire +they all left him, and then, with the greatest resignation imaginable, +he wrote down the meditations following:</p> +<h2>PART II</h2> +<p>An Abstract of his Faith, and the Principles of his Religion &c., +which begins thus:</p> +<p>Dear Sister; I thank you for putting me in mind to make a declaration +of my faith, and the principles of my religion. I find, as you +very well observe, I have been under some reflections upon that account, +and therefore I think it highly requisite that I set that matter right +in the first place. To begin, therefore, with my faith, in which +I intend to be as short and as comprehensive as I can:</p> +<p>1. I most firmly believe that it was the eternal will of God, +and the result of his infinite wisdom, to create a world, and for the +glory of his majesty to make several sorts of creatures in order and +degree one after another; that is to say, angels, or pure immortal spirits; +men, consisting of immortal spirits and matter, having rational and +sensitive souls; brutes, having mortal and sensitive souls; and mere +vegetatives, such as trees, plants, &c.; and these creatures so +made do, as it were, clasp the higher and lower world together.</p> +<p>2. I believe the holy Scriptures, and everything therein contained, +to be the pure and essential word of God; and that, according to these +sacred writings, man, the lord and prince of the creation, by his disobedience +in Paradise, forfeited his innocence and the dignity of his nature, +and subjected himself and all his posterity to sin and misery.</p> +<p>3. I believe and am fully and entirely satisfied, that God +the Father, out of his infinite goodness and compassion to mankind, +was pleased to send his only Son, the second person in the holy and +undivided Trinity, to meditate for him, and to procure his redemption +and eternal salvation.</p> +<p>4. I believe that God the Son, out of his infinite love, and +for the glory of the Deity, was pleased voluntarily and freely to descend +from heaven, and to take our nature upon him, and to lead an exemplary +life of purity, holiness, and perfect obedience, and at last to suffer +an ignominious death upon the cross, for the sins of the whole world, +and to rise again the third day for our justification.</p> +<p>5. I believe that the Holy Ghost out of his infinite goodness +was pleased to undertake the office of sanctifying us with his divine +grace, and thereby assisting us with faith to believe, will to desire, +and power to do all those things that are required of us in this world, +in order to entitle us to the blessings of just men made perfect in +the world to come.</p> +<p>6. I believe that these three persons are of equal power, majesty, +and duration, and that the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of +the Holy Ghost is all one, and that they are equally uncreate, incomprehensible, +eternal, and almighty; and that none is greater or less than the other, +but that every one hath one and the same divine nature and perfections.</p> +<p>These, sister, are the doctrines which have been received and practised +by the best men of every age, from the beginning of the Christian religion +to this day, and it is upon this I ground my faith and hopes of salvation, +not doubting but, if my life and practice have been answerable to them, +that I shall be quickly translated out of this kingdom of darkness, +out of this world of sorrow, vexation and confusion, into that blessed +kingdom, where I shall cease to grieve and to suffer, and shall be happy +to all eternity.</p> +<p>As to my principles in religion, to be as brief as I can, I declare +myself to be a member of Christ’s church, which I take to be a +universal society of all Christian people, distributed under lawful +governors and pastors into particular churches, holding communion with +each other in all the essentials of the Christian faith, worship, and +discipline; and among these I look upon the Church of England to be +the chief and best constituted.</p> +<p>The Church of England is doubtless the great bulwark of the ancient +Catholic or Apostolic faith all over the world; a church that has all +the spiritual advantages that the nature of a church is capable of. +From the doctrine and principles of the Church of England, we are taught +loyalty to our prince, fidelity to our country, and justice to all mankind; +and therefore, as I look upon this to be one of the most excellent branches +of the Church Universal, and stands, as it were, between superstition +and hypocrisy, I therefore declare, for the satisfaction of you and +your friends, as I have always lived so I now die, a true and sincere, +though a most unworthy member of it. And as to my discontinuance +of my attendance at the public worship, I refer you to my papers, which +I have left with my worthy friend, Mr. Barlow. And thus, my dear +sister, I have given you a short account of my faith, and the principles +of my religion. I come, in the next place, to lay before you a +few meditations and observations I have at several times collected together, +more particularly those since my retirement to St. Helen’s.</p> +<h3>Meditations and Observations relating to the Conduct of Human Life +in general.</h3> +<p>1. Remember how often you have neglected the great duties of +religion and virtue, and slighted the opportunities that Providence +has put into your hands; and, withal, that you have a set period assigned +you for the management of the affairs of human life; and then reflect +seriously that, unless you resolve immediately to improve the little +remains, the whole must necessarily slip away insensibly, and then you +are lost beyond recovery.</p> +<p>2. Let an unaffected gravity, freedom, justice, and sincerity +shine through all your actions, and let no fancies and chimeras give +the least check to those excellent qualities. This is an easy +task, if you will but suppose everything you do to be your last, and +if you can keep your passions and appetites from crossing your reason. +Stand clear of rashness, and have nothing of insincerity or self-love +to infect you.</p> +<p>3. Manage all your thoughts and actions with such prudence +and circumspection as if you were sensible you were just going to step +into the grave. A little thinking will show a man the vanity and +uncertainty of all sublunary things, and enable him to examine maturely +the manner of dying; which, if duly abstracted from the terror of the +idea, will appear nothing more than an unavoidable appendix of life +itself, and a pure natural action.</p> +<p>4. Consider that ill-usage from some sort of people is in a +manner necessary, and therefore do not be disquieted about it, but rather +conclude that you and your enemy are both marching off the stage together, +and that in a little time your very memories will be extinguished.</p> +<p>5. Among your principal observations upon human life, let it +be always one to take notice what a great deal both of time and ease +that man gains who is not troubled with the spirit of curiosity, who +lets his neighbours’ affairs alone, and confines his inspections +to himself, and only takes care of honesty and a good conscience.</p> +<p>6. If you would live at your ease, and as much as possible +be free from the incumbrances of life, manage but a few things at once, +and let those, too, be such as are absolutely necessary. By this +rule you will draw the bulk of your business into a narrow compass, +and have the double pleasure of making your actions good, and few into +the bargain.</p> +<p>7. He that torments himself because things do not happen just +as he would have them, is but a sort of ulcer in the world; and he that +is selfish, narrow-souled, and sets up for a separate interest, is a +kind of voluntary outlaw, and disincorporates himself from mankind.</p> +<p>8. Never think anything below you which reason and your own +circumstances require, and never suffer yourself to be deterred by the +ill-grounded notions of censure and reproach; but when honesty and conscience +prompt you to say or do anything, do it boldly; never balk your resolution +or start at the consequence.</p> +<p>9. If a man does me an injury, what is that to me? It +is his own action, and let him account for it. As for me, I am +in my proper station, and only doing the business that Providence has +allotted; and withal, I ought to consider that the best way to revenge, +is not to imitate the injury.</p> +<p>10. When you happen to be ruffled and put out of humour by +any cross accident, retire immediately into your reason, and do not +suffer your passion to overrule you a moment; for the sooner you recover +yourself now, the better you will be able to guard yourself for the +future.</p> +<p>11. Do not be like those ill-natured people that, though they +do not love to give a good word to their contemporaries, yet are mighty +fond of their own commendations. This argues a perverse and unjust +temper, and often exposes the authors to scorn and contempt.</p> +<p>12. If any one convinces you of an error, change your opinion +and thank him for it: truth and information are your business, and can +never hurt anybody. On the contrary, he that is proud and stubborn, +and wilfully continues in a mistake, it is he that receives the mischief.</p> +<p>13. Because you see a thing difficult, do not instantly conclude +it to be impossible to master it. Diligence and industry are seldom +defeated. Look, therefore, narrowly into the thing itself, and +what you observe proper and practicable in another, conclude likewise +within your own power.</p> +<p>14. The principal business of human life is run through within +the short compass of twenty-four hours; and when you have taken a deliberate +view of the present age, you have seen as much as if you had begun with +the world, the rest being nothing else but an endless round of the same +thing over and over again.</p> +<p>15. Bring your will to your fate, and suit your mind to your +circumstances. Love your friends and forgive your enemies, and +do justice to all mankind, and you will be secure to make your passage +easy, and enjoy most of the comforts human life is capable to afford +you.</p> +<p>16. When you have a mind to entertain yourself in your retirements, +let it be with the good qualifications of your friends and acquaintance. +Think with pleasure and satisfaction upon the honour and bravery of +one, the modesty of another, the generosity of a third, and so on; there +being nothing more pleasant and diverting than the lively images and +the advantages of those we love and converse with.</p> +<p>17. As nothing can deprive you of the privileges of your nature, +or compel you to act counter to your reason, so nothing can happen to +you but what comes from Providence, and consists with the interest of +the universe.</p> +<p>18. Let people’s tongues and actions be what they will, +your business is to have honour and honesty in your view. Let +them rail, revile, censure, and condemn, or make you the subject of +their scorn and ridicule, what does it all signify? You have one +certain remedy against all their malice and folly, and that is, to live +so that nobody shall believe them.</p> +<p>19. Alas, poor mortals! did we rightly consider our own state +and condition, we should find it would not be long before we have forgot +all the world, and to be even, that all the world will have forgot us +likewise.</p> +<p>20. He that would recommend himself to the public, let him +do it by the candour and modesty of his behaviour, and by a generous +indifference to external advantages. Let him love mankind, and +resign to Providence, and then his works will follow him, and his good +actions will praise him in the gate.</p> +<p>21. When you hear a discourse, let your understanding, as far +as possible, keep pace with it, and lead you forward to those things +which fall most within the compass of your own observations.</p> +<p>22. When vice and treachery shall be rewarded, and virtue and +ability slighted and discountenanced; when ministers of state shall +rather fear man than God, and to screen themselves run into parties +and factions; when noise and clamour, and scandalous reports shall carry +everything before them, it is natural to conclude that a nation in such +a state of infatuation stands upon the brink of destruction, and without +the intervention of some unforeseen accident, must be inevitably ruined.</p> +<p>23. When a prince is guarded by wise and honest men, and when +all public officers are sure to be rewarded if they do well, and punished +if they do evil, the consequence is plain; justice and honesty will +flourish, and men will be always contriving, not for themselves, but +for the honour and interest of their king and country.</p> +<p>24. Wicked men may sometimes go unpunished in this world, but +wicked nations never do; because this world is the only place of punishment +of wicked nations, though not for private and particular persons.</p> +<p>25. An administration that is merely founded upon human policy +must be always subject to human chance; but that which is founded on +the divine wisdom can no more miscarry than the government of heaven. +To govern by parties and factions is the advice of an atheist, and sets +up a government by the spirit of Satan. In such a government the +prince can never be secure under the greatest promises, since, as men’s +interest changes, so will their duty and affections likewise.</p> +<p>26. It is a very ancient observation, and a very true one, +that people generally despise where they flatter, and cringe to those +they design to betray; so that truth and ceremony are, and always will +be, two distinct things.</p> +<p>27. When you find your friend in an error, undeceive him with +secrecy and civility, and let him see his oversight first by hints and +glances; and if you cannot convince him, leave him with respect, and +lay the fault upon your own management.</p> +<p>28. When you are under the greatest vexations, then consider +that human life lasts but for a moment; and do not forget but that you +are like the rest of the world, and faulty yourself in many instances; +and withal, remember that anger and impatience often prove more mischievous +than the provocation.</p> +<p>29. Gentleness and good humour are invincible, provided they +are without hypocrisy and design; they disarm the most barbarous and +savage tempers, and make even malice ashamed of itself.</p> +<p>30. In all the actions of life let it be your first and principal +care to guard against anger on the one hand, and flattery on the other, +for they are both unserviceable qualities, and do a great deal of mischief +in the government of human life.</p> +<p>31. When a man turns knave or libertine, and gives way to fear, +jealousy, and fits of the spleen; when his mind complains of his fortune, +and he quits the station in which Providence has placed him, he acts +perfectly counter to humanity, deserts his own nature, and, as it were, +runs away from himself.</p> +<p>32. Be not heavy in business, disturbed in conversation, nor +impertinent in your thoughts. Let your judgment be right, your +actions friendly, and your mind contented; let them curse you, threaten +you, or despise you; let them go on; they can never injure your reason +or your virtue, and then all the rest that they can do to you signifies +nothing.</p> +<p>33. The only pleasure of human life is doing the business of +the creation; and which way is that to be compassed very easily? +Most certainly by the practice of general kindness, by rejecting the +importunity of our senses, by distinguishing truth from falsehood, and +by contemplating the works of the Almighty.</p> +<p>34. Be sure to mind that which lies before you, whether it +be thought, word, or action; and never postpone an opportunity, or make +virtue wait for you till to-morrow.</p> +<p>35. Whatever tends neither to the improvement of your reason +nor the benefit of society, think it below you; and when you have done +any considerable service to mankind, do not lessen it by your folly +in gaping after reputation and requital.</p> +<p>36. When you find yourself sleepy in a morning, rouse yourself, +and consider that you are born to business, and that in doing good in +your generation, you answer your character and act like a man; whereas +sleep and idleness do but degrade you, and sink you down to a brute.</p> +<p>37. A mind that has nothing of hope, or fear, or aversion, +or desire, to weaken and disturb it, is the most impregnable security. +Hither we may with safety retire and defy our enemies; and he that sees +not this advantage must be extremely ignorant, and he that forgets it +unhappy.</p> +<p>38. Do not disturb yourself about the faults of other people, +but let everybody’s crimes be at their own door. Have always +this great maxim in your remembrance, that to play the knave is to rebel +against religion; all sorts of injustice being no less than high treason +against Heaven itself.</p> +<p>39. Do not contemn death, but meet it with a decent and religious +fortitude, and look upon it as one of those things which Providence +has ordered. If you want a cordial to make the apprehensions of +dying go down a little the more easily, consider what sort of world +and what sort of company you will part with. To conclude, do but +look seriously into the world, and there you will see multitudes of +people preparing for funerals, and mourning for their friends and acquaintances; +and look out again a little afterwards, and you will see others doing +the very same thing for them.</p> +<p>40. In short, men are but poor transitory things. To-day +they are busy and harassed with the affairs of human life; and to-morrow +life itself is taken from them, and they are returned to their original +dust and ashes.</p> +<h2>PART III</h2> +<p>Containing prophetic observations relating to the affairs of Europe +and of Great Britain, more particularly from 1720 to 1729.</p> +<p>1. In the latter end of 1720, an eminent old lady shall bring +forth five sons at a birth; the youngest shall live and grow up to maturity, +but the four eldest shall either die in the nursery, or be all carried +off by one sudden and unexpected accident.</p> +<p>2. About this time a man with a double head shall arrive in +Britain from the south. One of these heads shall deliver messages +of great importance to the governing party, and the other to the party +that is opposite to them. The first shall believe the monster, +but the last shall discover the impostor, and so happily disengage themselves +from a snare that was laid to destroy them and their posterity. +After this the two heads shall unite, and the monster shall appear in +his proper shape.</p> +<p>3. In the year 1721, a philosopher from Lower Germany shall +come, first to Amsterdam in Holland, and afterwards to London. +He will bring with him a world of curiosities, and among them a pretended +secret for the transmutation of metals. Under the umbrage of this +mighty secret he shall pass upon the world for some time; but at length +he shall be detected, and proved to be nothing but an empiric and a +cheat, and so forced to sneak off, and leave the people he has deluded, +either to bemoan their loss, or laugh at their own folly. N.B.—This +will be the last of his sect that will ever venture in this part of +the world upon the same errand.</p> +<p>4. In this year great endeavours will be used for procuring +a general peace, which shall be so near a conclusion that public rejoicings +shall be made at the courts of several great potentates upon that account; +but just in the critical juncture, a certain neighbouring prince shall +come to a violent death, which shall occasion new war and commotion +all over Europe; but these shall continue but for a short time, and +at last terminate in the utter destruction of the first aggressors.</p> +<p>5. Towards the close of this year of mysteries, a person that +was born blind shall have his sight restored, and shall see ravens perch +upon the heads of traitors, among which the head of a notorious prelate +shall stand upon the highest pole.</p> +<p>6. In the year 1722, there shall be a grand congress, and new +overtures of peace offered by most of the principal parties concerned +in the war, which shall have so good effect that a cessation of arms +shall be agreed upon for six months, which shall be kept inviolable +till a certain general, either through treachery or inadvertency, shall +begin hostilities before the expiration of the term; upon which the +injured prince shall draw his sword, and throw the scabbard into the +sea, vowing never to return it till he shall obtain satisfaction for +himself, and done justice to all that were oppressed.</p> +<p>7. At the close of this year, a famous bridge shall be broken +down, and the water that runs under it shall be tinctured with the blood +of two notorious malefactors, whose unexpected death shall make mighty +alterations in the present state of affairs, and put a stop to the ruin +of a nation, which must otherwise have been unavoidable.</p> +<p>8. 1723 begins with plots, conspiracies, and intestine commotions +in several countries; nor shall Great Britain itself be free from the +calamity. These shall continue till a certain young prince shall +take the reins of government into his own hands; and after that, a marriage +shall be proposed, and an alliance concluded between two great potentates, +who shall join their forces, and endeavour, in good earnest, to set +all matters upon a right foundation.</p> +<p>9. This year several cardinals and prelates shall be publicly +censured for heretical principles, and shall narrowly escape from being +torn to pieces by the common people, who still look upon them as the +grand disturbers of public tranquillity, perfect incendiaries, and the +chief promoters of their former, present, and future calamities.</p> +<p>10. In 1724-5 there will be many treaties and negociations, +and Great Britain, particularly, will be crowded with foreign ministers +and ambassadors from remote princes and states. Trade and commerce +will begin to flourish and revive, and everything will have a comfortable +prospect, until some desperadoes, assisted by a monster with many heads, +shall start new difficulties, and put the world again into a flame; +but these shall be but of short duration.</p> +<p>11. Before the expiration of 1725, an eagle from the north +shall fly directly to the south, and perch upon the palace of a prince, +and first unravel the bloody projects and designs of a wicked set of +people, and then publicly discover the murder of a great king, and the +intended assassination of another greater than he.</p> +<p>12. In 1726, three princes will be born that will grow up to +be men, and inherit the crowns of three of the greatest monarchies in +Europe.</p> +<p>13. About this time the pope will die, and after a great many +intrigues and struggles, a Spanish cardinal shall be elected, who shall +decline the dignity, and declare his marriage with a great lady, heiress +of one of the chief principalities in Italy, which may occasion new +troubles in Europe, if not timely prevented.</p> +<p>14. In 1727, new troubles shall break out in the north, occasioned +by the sudden death of a certain prince, and the avarice and ambition +of another. Poor Poland seems to be pointed at; but the princes +of the south shall enter into a confederacy to preserve her, and shall +at length restore her peace, and prevent the perpetual ruin of her constitution.</p> +<p>15. Great endeavours will be used about this time for a comprehension +in religion, supported by crafty and designing men, and a party of mistaken +zealots, which they shall artfully draw in to join with them; but as +the project is ill-concerted, and will be worse managed, it will come +to nothing; and soon afterwards an effectual mode will be taken to prevent +the like attempt for the future.</p> +<p>16. 1728 will be a year of inquiry and retrospection. Many +exorbitant grants will be reassumed, and several persons who thought +themselves secure will be called before the senate, and compelled to +disgorge what they have unjustly pillaged either from the crown or the +public.</p> +<p>17. About this time a new scaffold will be erected upon the +confines of a certain great city, where an old count of a new extraction, +that has been of all parties and true to none, will be doomed by his +peers to make his first appearance. After this an old lady who +has often been exposed to danger and disgrace, and sometimes brought +to the very brink of destruction, will be brought to bed of three daughters +at once, which they shall call Plenty, Peace, and Union; and these three +shall live and grow up together, be the glory of their mother, and the +comfort of posterity for many generations.</p> +<p>* * * * *</p> +<p>This is the substance of what he either writ or extracted from his +papers in the interval between the loss of his speech and the return +of his fit, which happened exactly at the time he had computed.</p> +<p>Upon the approach of his fit, he made signs to be put to bed, which +was no sooner done but he was seized with extreme agonies, which he +bore up under with the greatest steadfastness, and after a severe conflict, +that lasted near eight hours, he expired.</p> +<p>Thus lived and thus died this extraordinary person; a person, though +of mean extraction and obscure life, yet when his character comes to +be fully and truly known, it will be read with pleasure, profit, and +admiration.</p> +<p>His perfections at large would be the work of a volume, and inconsistent +with the intention of these papers. I will, therefore, only add, +for a conclusion, that he was a man of uncommon thought and judgment, +and always kept his appetites and inclinations within their just limits.</p> +<p>His reason was strong and manly, his understanding sound and active, +and his temper so easy, equal, and complaisant, that he never fell out, +either with men or accidents. He bore all things with the highest +affability, and computed justly upon their value and consequence, and +then applied them to their proper uses.</p> +<h2>A LETTER FROM OXFORD</h2> +<p>Sir,</p> +<p>Being informed that you speedily intend to publish some memoirs relating +to our dumb countryman, Dickory Cronke, I send you herewith a few lines, +in the nature of an elegy, which I leave you to dispose of as you think +fit. I knew and admired the man; and if I were capable, his character +should be the first thing I would attempt.</p> +<p>Yours. &c.</p> +<h3>AN ELEGY,<br /> +IN MEMORY OF DICKORY CRONKE,<br /> +THE DUMB PHILOSOPHER.</h3> +<blockquote><p>Vitiis nemo sine nascitur; optimus ille est,<br /> +Qui minimus urgetur.—HORACE.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>If virtuous actions emulation raise,<br /> +Then this good man deserves immortal praise.<br /> +When nature such extensive wisdom lent,<br /> +She sure designed him for our precedent.<br /> +Such great endowments in a man unknown,<br /> +Declare the blessings were not all his own;<br /> +But rather granted for a time to show<br /> +What the wise hand of Providence can do.<br /> +In him we may a bright example see<br /> +Of nature, justice, and morality;<br /> +A mind not subject to the frowns of fate,<br /> +But calm and easy in a servile state.<br /> +He always kept a guard upon his will<br /> +And feared no harm because he knew no ill.<br /> +A decent posture and an humble mien,<br /> +In every action of his life were seen.<br /> +Through all the different stages that he went,<br /> +He still appeared both wise and diligent:<br /> +Firm to his word, and punctual to his trust,<br /> +Sagacious, frugal, arable, and just.<br /> +No gainful views his bounded hopes could sway,<br /> +No wanton thought led his chaste soul astray.<br /> +In short, his thoughts and actions both declare,<br /> +Nature designed him her philosopher;<br /> +That all mankind, by his example taught,<br /> +Might learn to live, and manage every thought.<br /> +Oh! could my muse the wondrous subject grace,<br /> +And, from his youth, his virtuous actions trace;<br /> +Could I in just and equal numbers tell<br /> +How well he lived, and how devoutly fell,<br /> +I boldly might your strict attention claim,<br /> +And bid you learn, and copy out the man.</p> +<p>J. P.</p> +<p>Exeter College, August 25th, 1719.</p> +<h2>EPITAPH</h2> +<p>The occasion of this epitaph was briefly thus:—A gentleman, +who had heard much in commendation of this dumb man, going accidentally +to the churchyard where he was buried, and finding his grave without +a tombstone, or any manner of memorandum of his death, he pulled out +his pencil, and writ as follows:—</p> +<blockquote><p>PAUPER UBIQUE JACET.</p> +<p>Near to this lonely unfrequented place,<br /> +Mixed with the common dust, neglected lies<br /> +The man that every muse should strive to grace,<br /> +And all the world should for his virtue prize.<br /> +Stop, gentle passenger, and drop a tear,<br /> +Truth, justice, wisdom, all lie buried here.</p> +<p>What, though he wants a monumental stone,<br /> +The common pomp of every fool or knave,<br /> +Those virtues which through all his actions shone<br /> +Proclaim his worth, and praise him in the grave.<br /> +His merits will a bright example give,<br /> +Which shall both time and envy too outlive.</p> +<p>Oh, had I power but equal to my mind,<br /> +A decent tomb should soon this place adorn,<br /> +With this inscription: Lo, here lies confined<br /> +A wondrous man, although obscurely born;<br /> +A man, though dumb, yet he was nature’s care,<br /> +Who marked him out her own philosopher.</p> +</blockquote> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICKORY CRONKE***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 2051-h.htm or 2051-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/5/2051 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Dickory Cronke + The Dumb Philosopher, or, Great Britain's Wonder + + +Author: Daniel Defoe + +Release Date: April 20, 2005 [eBook #2051] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICKORY CRONKE*** + + + + + + +Transcribed form the 1889 George Bell and Sons edition by David Price, +email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk + + + + + +DICKORY CRONKE + + +THE +DUMB PHILOSOPHER, +OR, +GREAT BRITAIN'S WONDER; +CONTAINING: + +I. A faithful and very surprising Account how Dickory Cronke, a Tinner's +son, in the County of Cornwall, was born Dumb, and continued so for Fifty- +eight years; and how, some days before he died, he came to his Speech; +with Memoirs of his Life, and the Manner of his Death. + +II. A Declaration of his Faith and Principles in Religion; with a +Collection of Select Meditations, composed in his Retirement. + +III. His Prophetical Observations upon the Affairs of Europe, more +particularly of Great Britain, from 1720 to 1729. The whole extracted +from his Original Papers, and confirmed by unquestionable Authority. + +TO WHICH IS ANNEXED HIS ELEGY, +WRITTEN BY A YOUNG CORNISH GENTLEMAN, OF +EXETER COLLEGE IN OXFORD. + +WITH + +AN EPITAPH BY ANOTHER HAND. + + "Non quis, sed quid." + +LONDON: +Printed for and Sold by THOMAS BICKERTON, at +the Crown, in Paternoster Row. 1719. + + + + +PREFACE + + +The formality of a preface to this little book might have been very well +omitted, if it were not to gratify the curiosity of some inquisitive +people, who, I foresee, will be apt to make objections against the +reality of the narrative. + +Indeed the public has too often been imposed upon by fictitious stories, +and some of a very late date, so that I think myself obliged by the usual +respect which is paid to candid and impartial readers, to acquaint them, +by way of introduction, with what they are to expect, and what they may +depend upon, and yet with this caution too, that it is an indication of +ill nature or ill manners, if not both, to pry into a secret that is +industriously concealed. + +However, that there may be nothing wanting on my part, I do hereby assure +the reader, that the papers from whence the following sheets were +extracted, are now in town, in the custody of a person of unquestionable +reputation, who, I will be bold to say, will not only be ready, but +proud, to produce them upon a good occasion, and that I think is as much +satisfaction as the nature of this case requires. + +As to the performance, it can signify little now to make an apology upon +that account, any farther than this, that if the reader pleases he may +take notice that what he has now before him was collected from a large +bundle of papers, most of which were writ in shorthand, and very +ill-digested. However, this may be relied upon, that though the language +is something altered, and now and then a word thrown in to help the +expression, yet strict care has been taken to speak the author's mind, +and keep as close as possible to the meaning of the original. For the +design, I think there is nothing need be said in vindication of that. +Here is a dumb philosopher introduced to a wicked and degenerate +generation, as a proper emblem of virtue and morality; and if the world +could be persuaded to look upon him with candour and impartiality, and +then to copy after him, the editor has gained his end, and would think +himself sufficiently recompensed for his present trouble. + + + + +PART I + + +Among the many strange and surprising events that help to fill the +accounts of this last century, I know none that merit more an entire +credit, or are more fit to be preserved and handed to posterity than +those I am now going to lay before the public. + +Dickory Cronke, the subject of the following narrative, was born at a +little hamlet, near St. Columb, in Cornwall, on the 29th of May, 1660, +being the day and year in which King Charles the Second was restored. His +parents were of mean extraction, but honest, industrious people, and well +beloved in their neighbourhood. His father's chief business was to work +at the tin mines; his mother stayed at home to look after the children, +of which they had several living at the same time. Our Dickory was the +youngest, and being but a sickly child, had always a double portion of +her care and tenderness. + +It was upwards of three years before it was discovered that he was born +dumb, the knowledge of which at first gave his mother great uneasiness, +but finding soon after that he had his hearing, and all his other senses +to the greatest perfection, her grief began to abate, and she resolved to +have him brought up as well as their circumstances and his capacity would +permit. + +As he grew, notwithstanding his want of speech, he every day gave some +instance of a ready genius, and a genius much superior to the country +children, insomuch that several gentlemen in the neighbourhood took +particular notice of him, and would often call him Restoration Dick, and +give him money, &c. + +When he came to be eight years of age, his mother agreed with a person in +the next village, to teach him to read and write, both which, in a very +short time, he acquired to such perfection, especially the latter, that +he not only taught his own brothers and sisters, but likewise several +young men and women in the neighbourhood, which often brought him in +small sums, which he always laid out in such necessaries as he stood most +in need of. + +In this state he continued till he was about twenty, and then he began to +reflect how scandalous it was for a young man of his age and +circumstances to live idle at home, and so resolves to go with his father +to the mines, to try if he could get something towards the support of +himself and the family; but being of a tender constitution, and often +sick, he soon perceived that sort of business was too hard for him, so +was forced to return home and continue in his former station; upon which +he grew exceeding melancholy, which his mother observing, she comforted +him in the best manner she could, telling him that if it should please +God to take her away, she had something left in store for him, which +would preserve him against public want. + +This kind assurance from a mother whom he so dearly loved gave him some, +though not an entire satisfaction; however, he resolves to acquiesce +under it till Providence should order something for him more to his +content and advantage, which, in a short time happened according to his +wish. The manner was thus:-- + +One Mr. Owen Parry, a Welsh gentleman of good repute, coming from Bristol +to Padstow, a little seaport in the county of Cornwall, near the place +where Dickory dwelt, and hearing much of this dumb man's perfections, +would needs have him sent for; and finding, by his significant gestures +and all outward appearances that he much exceeded the character that the +country gave of him, took a mighty liking to him, insomuch that he told +him, if he would go with him into Pembrokeshire, he would be kind to him, +and take care of him as long as he lived. + +This kind and unexpected offer was so welcome to poor Dickory, that +without any farther consideration, he got a pen and ink and writ a note, +and in a very handsome and submissive manner returned him thanks for his +favour, assuring him he would do his best to continue and improve it; and +that he would be ready to wait upon him whenever he should be pleased to +command. + +To shorten the account as much as possible, all things were concluded to +their mutual satisfaction, and in about a fortnight's time they set +forward for Wales, where Dickory, notwithstanding his dumbness, behaved +himself with so much diligence and affability, that he not only gained +the love of the family where he lived, but of everybody round him. + +In this station he continued till the death of his master, which happened +about twenty years afterwards; in all which time, as has been confirmed +by several of the family, he was never observed to be any ways disguised +by drinking, or to be guilty of any of the follies and irregularities +incident to servants in gentlemen's houses. On the contrary, when he had +any spare time, his constant custom was to retire with some good book +into a private place within call, and there employ himself in reading, +and then writing down his observations upon what he read. + +After the death of his master, whose loss afflicted him to the last +degree, one Mrs. Mary Mordant, a gentlewoman of great virtue and piety, +and a very good fortune, took him into her service, and carried him with +her, first to Bath, and then to Bristol, where, after a lingering +distemper, which continued for about four years, she died likewise. + +Upon the loss of his mistress, Dickory grew again exceeding melancholy +and disconsolate; at length, reflecting that death is but a common debt +which all mortals owe to nature, and must be paid sooner or later, he +became a little better satisfied, and so determines to get together what +he had saved in his service, and then to return to his native country, +and there finish his life in privacy and retirement. + +Having been, as has been mentioned, about twenty-four years a servant, +and having, in the interim, received two legacies, viz., one of thirty +pounds, left him by his master, and another of fifteen pounds by his +mistress, and being always very frugal, he had got by him in the whole +upwards of sixty pounds. This, thinks he, with prudent management, will +be enough to support me as long as I live, and so I'll e'en lay aside all +thoughts of future business, and make the best of my way to Cornwall, and +there find out some safe and solitary retreat, where I may have liberty +to meditate and make my melancholy observations upon the several +occurrences of human life. + +This resolution prevailed so far, that no time was let slip to get +everything in readiness to go with the first ship. As to his money, he +always kept that locked up by him, unless he sometimes lent it to a +friend without interest, for he had a mortal hatred to all sorts of usury +or extortion. His books, of which he had a considerable quantity, and +some of them very good ones, together with his other equipage, he got +packed up, that nothing might be wanting against the first opportunity. + +In a few days he heard of a vessel bound to Padstow, the very port he +wished to go to, being within four or five miles of the place where he +was born. When he came thither, which was in less than a week, his first +business was to inquire after the state of his family. It was some time +before he could get any information of them, until an old man that knew +his father and mother, and remembered they had a son was born dumb, +recollected him, and after a great deal of difficulty, made him +understand that all his family except his youngest sister were dead, and +that she was a widow, and lived at a little town called St. Helen's, +about ten miles farther in the country. + +This doleful news, we must imagine, must be extremely shocking, and add a +new sting to his former affliction; and here it was that he began to +exercise the philosopher, and to demonstrate himself both a wise and a +good man. All these things, thinks he, are the will of Providence, and +must not be disputed; and so he bore up under them with an entire +resignation, resolving that, as soon as he could find a place where he +might deposit his trunk and boxes with safety, he would go to St. Helen's +in quest of his sister. + +How his sister and he met, and how transported they were to see each +other after so long an interval, I think is not very material. It is +enough for the present purpose that Dickory soon recollected his sister, +and she him; and after a great many endearing tokens of love and +tenderness, he wrote to her, telling her that he believed Providence had +bestowed on him as much as would support him as long as he lived, and +that if she thought proper he would come and spend the remainder of his +days with her. + +The good woman no sooner read his proposal than she accepted it, adding, +withal, that she could wish her entertainment was better; but if he would +accept of it as it was, she would do her best to make everything easy, +and that he should be welcome upon his own terms, to stay with her as +long as he pleased. + +This affair being so happily settled to his full satisfaction, he returns +to Padstow to fetch the things he had left behind him, and the next day +came back to St. Helen's, where, according to his own proposal, he +continued to the day of his death, which happened upon the 29th of May, +1718, about the same hour in which he was born. + +Having thus given a short detail of the several periods of his life, +extracted chiefly from the papers which he left behind him, I come in the +next place to make a few observations how he managed himself and spent +his time toward the latter part of it. + +His constant practice, both winter and summer, was to rise and set with +the sun; and if the weather would permit, he never failed to walk in some +unfrequented place, for three hours, both morning and evening, and there +it is supposed he composed the following meditations. The chief part of +his sustenance was milk, with a little bread boiled in it, of which in +the morning, after his walk, he would eat the quantity of a pint, and +sometimes more. Dinners he never eat any; and at night he would only +have a pretty large piece of bread, and drink a draught of good spring +water; and after this method he lived during the whole time he was at St. +Helen's. It is observed of him that he never slept out of a bed, nor +never lay awake in one; which I take to be an argument, not only of a +strong and healthful constitution, but of a mind composed and calm, and +entirely free from the ordinary disturbances of human life. He never +gave the least signs of complaint or dissatisfaction at anything, unless +it was when he heard the tinners swear, or saw them drunk; and then, too, +he would get out of the way as soon as he had let them see, by some +significant signs, how scandalous and ridiculous they made themselves; +and against the next time he met them, would be sure to have a paper +ready written, wherein he would represent the folly of drunkenness, and +the dangerous consequences that generally attended it. + +Idleness was his utter aversion, and if at any time he had finished the +business of the day, and was grown weary of reading and writing, in which +he daily spent six hours at least, he would certainly find something +either within doors or without, to employ himself. + +Much might be said both with regard to the wise and regular management, +and the prudent methods he took to spend his time well towards the +declension of his life; but, as his history may perhaps be shortly +published at large by a better hand, I shall only observe in the general, +that he was a person of great wisdom and sagacity. He understood nature +beyond the ordinary capacity, and, if he had had a competency of learning +suitable to his genius, neither this nor the former ages would have +produced a better philosopher or a greater man. + +I come next to speak of the manner of his death and the consequences +thereof, which are, indeed, very surprising, and, perhaps, not altogether +unworthy a general observation. I shall relate them as briefly as I can, +and leave every one to believe or disbelieve as he thinks proper. + +Upon the 26th of May, 1718, according to his usual method, about four in +the afternoon, he went out to take his evening walk; but before he could +reach the place he intended, he was siezed with an apoplectic fit, which +only gave him liberty to sit down under a tree, where, in an instant, he +was deprived of all manner of sense and motion, and so he continued, as +appears by his own confession afterwards, for more than fourteen hours. + +His sister, who knew how exact he was in all his methods, finding him +stay a considerable time beyond the usual hour, concludes that some +misfortune must needs have happened to him, or he would certainly have +been at home before. In short, she went immediately to all the places he +was wont to frequent, but nothing could be heard or seen of him till the +next morning, when a young man, as he was going to work, discovered him, +and went home and told his sister that her brother lay in such a place, +under a tree, and, as he believed had been robbed and murdered. + +The poor woman, who had all night been under the most dreadful +apprehensions, was now frightened and confounded to the last degree. +However, recollecting herself, and finding there was no remedy, she got +two or three of her neighbours to bear her company, and so hastened with +the young man to the tree, where she found her brother lying in the same +posture that he had described. + +The dismal object at first view startled and surprised everybody present, +and filled them full of different notions and conjectures. But some of +the company going nearer to him, and finding that he had lost nothing, +and that there were no marks of any violence to be discovered about him, +they conclude that it must be an apoplectic or some other sudden fit that +had surprised him in his walk, upon which his sister and the rest began +to feel his hands and face, and observing that he was still warm, and +that there were some symptoms of life yet remaining, they conclude that +the best way was to carry him home to bed, which was accordingly done +with the utmost expedition. + +When they had got him into the bed, nothing was omitted that they could +think of to bring him to himself, but still he continued utterly +insensible for about six hours. At the sixth hour's end he began to move +a little, and in a very short time was so far recovered, to the great +astonishment of everybody about him, that he was able to look up, and to +make a sign to his sister to bring him a cup of water. + +After he had drunk the water he soon perceived that all his faculties +were returned to their former stations, and though his strength was very +much abated by the length and rigour of the fit, yet his intellects were +as strong and vigorous as ever. + +His sister observing him to look earnestly upon the company, as if he had +something extraordinary to communicate to them, fetched him a pen and ink +and a sheet of paper, which, after a short pause, he took, and wrote as +follows:-- + + "Dear sister, + + "I have now no need of pen, ink, and paper, to tell you my meaning. I + find the strings that bound up my tongue, and hindered me from + speaking, are unloosed, and I have words to express myself as freely + and distinctly as any other person. From whence this strange and + unexpected event should proceed, I must not pretend to say, any + farther than this, that it is doubtless the hand of Providence that + has done it, and in that I ought to acquiesce. Pray let me be alone + for two or three hours, that I may be at liberty to compose myself, + and put my thoughts in the best order I can before I leave them behind + me." + +The poor woman, though extremely startled at what her brother had +written, yet took care to conceal it from the neighbours, who, she knew, +as well as she, must be mightily surprised at a thing so utterly +unexpected. Says she, my brother desires to be alone; I believe he may +have something in his mind that disturbs him. Upon which the neighbours +took their leave and returned home, and his sister shut the door, and +left him alone to his private contemplations. + +After the company were withdrawn he fell into a sound sleep, which lasted +from two till six, and his sister, being apprehensive of the return of +his fit, came to the bedside, and, asking softly if he wanted anything, +he turned about to her and spoke to this effect: Dear sister, you see me +not only recovered out of a terrible fit, but likewise that I have the +liberty of speech, a blessing that I have been deprived of almost sixty +years, and I am satisfied you are sincerely joyful to find me in the +state I now am in; but, alas! it is but a mistaken kindness. These are +things but of short duration, and if they were to continue for a hundred +years longer, I can't see how I should be anyways the better. + +I know the world too well to be fond of it, and am fully satisfied that +the difference between a long and a short life is insignificant, +especially when I consider the accidents and company I am to encounter. +Do but look seriously and impartially upon the astonishing notion of time +and eternity, what an immense deal has run out already, and how infinite +it is still in the future; do but seriously and deliberately consider +this, and you will find, upon the whole, that three days and three ages +of life come much to the same measure and reckoning. + +As soon as he had ended his discourse upon the vanity and uncertainty of +human life, he looked steadfastly upon her. Sister, says he, I conjure +you not to be disturbed at what I am going to tell you, which you will +undoubtedly find to be true in every particular. I perceive my glass is +run, and I have now no more to do in this world but to take my leave of +it; for to-morrow about this time my speech will be again taken from me, +and, in a short time, my fit will return; and the next day, which I +understand is the day on which I came into this troublesome world, I +shall exchange it for another, where, for the future, I shall for ever be +free from all manner of sin and sufferings. + +The good woman would have made him a reply, but he prevented her by +telling her he had no time to hearken to unnecessary complaints or +animadversions. I have a great many things in my mind, says he, that +require a speedy and serious consideration. The time I have to stay is +but short, and I have a great deal of important business to do in it. +Time and death are both in my view, and seem both to call aloud to me to +make no delay. I beg of you, therefore, not to disquiet yourself or me. +What must be, must be. The decrees of Providence are eternal and +unalterable; why, then, should we torment ourselves about that which we +cannot remedy? + +I must confess, my dear sister, I owe you many obligations for your +exemplary fondness to me, and do solemnly assure you I shall retain the +sense of them to the last moment. All that I have to request of you is, +that I may be alone for this night. I have it in my thoughts to leave +some short observations behind me, and likewise to discover some things +of great weight which have been revealed to me, which may perhaps be of +some use hereafter to you and your friends. What credit they may meet +with I cannot say, but depend the consequence, according to their +respective periods, will account for them, and vindicate them against the +supposition of falsity and mere suggestion. + +Upon this, his sister left him till about four in the morning, when +coming to his bedside to know if he wanted anything, and how he had +rested, he made her this answer; I have been taking a cursory view of my +life, and though I find myself exceedingly deficient in several +particulars, yet I bless God I cannot find I have any just grounds to +suspect my pardon. In short, says he, I have spent this night with more +inward pleasure and true satisfaction than ever I spent a night through +the whole course of my life. + +After he had concluded what he had to say upon the satisfaction that +attended an innocent and well-spent life, and observed what a mighty +consolation it was to persons, not only under the apprehension, but even +in the very agonies of death itself, he desired her to bring him his +usual cup of water, and then to help him on with his clothes, that he +might sit up, and so be in a better posture to take his leave of her and +her friends. + +When she had taken him up, and placed him at a table where he usually +sat, he desired her to bring him his box of papers, and after he had +collected those he intended should be preserved, he ordered her to bring +a candle, that he might see the rest burnt. The good woman seemed at +first to oppose the burning of his papers, till he told her they were +only useless trifles, some unfinished observations which he had made in +his youthful days, and were not fit to be seen by her, or anybody that +should come after him. + +After he had seen his papers burnt, and placed the rest in their proper +order, and had likewise settled all his other affairs, which was only fit +to be done between himself and his sister, he desired her to call two or +three of the most reputable neighbours, not only to be witnesses of his +will, but likewise to hear what he had farther to communicate before the +return of his fit, which he expected very speedily. + +His sister, who had beforehand acquainted two or three of her confidants +with all that had happened, was very much rejoiced to hear her brother +make so unexpected a concession; and accordingly, without any delay or +hesitation, went directly into the neighbourhood, and brought home her +two select friends, upon whose secrecy and sincerity she knew she might +depend upon all accounts. + +In her absence he felt several symptoms of the approach of his fit, which +made him a little uneasy, lest it should entirely seize him before he had +perfected his will, but that apprehension was quickly removed by her +speedy return. After she had introduced her friends into his chamber, he +proceeded to express himself in the following manner; Dear sister, you +now see your brother upon the brink of eternity; and as the words of +dying persons are commonly the most regarded, and make deepest +impressions, I cannot suspect but you will suffer the few I am about to +say to have always some place in your thoughts, that they may be ready +for you to make use of upon any occasion. + +Do not be fond of anything on this side of eternity, or suffer your +interest to incline you to break your word, quit your modesty, or to do +anything that will not bear the light, and look the world in the face. +For be assured of this; the person that values the virtue of his mind and +the dignity of his reason, is always easy and well fortified both against +death and misfortune, and is perfectly indifferent about the length or +shortness of his life. Such a one is solicitous about nothing but his +own conduct, and for fear he should be deficient in the duties of +religion, and the respective functions of reason and prudence. + +Always go the nearest way to work. Now, the nearest way through all the +business of human life, are the paths of religion and honesty, and +keeping those as directly as you can, you avoid all the dangerous +precipices that often lie in the road, and sometimes block up the passage +entirely. + +Remember that life was but lent at first, and that the remainder is more +than you have reason to expect, and consequently ought to be managed with +more than ordinary diligence. A wise man spends every day as if it were +his last; his hourglass is always in his hand, and he is never guilty of +sluggishness or insincerity. + +He was about to proceed, when a sudden symptom of the return of his fit +put him in mind that it was time to get his will witnessed, which was no +sooner done but he took it up and gave it to his sister, telling her that +though all he had was hers of right, yet he thought it proper, to prevent +even a possibility of a dispute, to write down his mind in the nature of +a will, wherein I have given you, says he, the little that I have left, +except my books and papers, which, as soon as I am dead, I desire may be +delivered to Mr. Anthony Barlow, a near relation of my worthy master, Mr. +Owen Parry. + +This Mr. Anthony Barlow was an old contemplative Welsh gentleman, who, +being under some difficulties in his own country, was forced to come into +Cornwall and take sanctuary among the tinners. Dickory, though he kept +himself as retired as possible, happened to meet him one day upon his +walks, and presently remembered that he was the very person that used +frequently to come to visit his master while he lived in Pembrokeshire, +and so went to him, and by signs made him understand who he was. + +The old gentleman, though at first surprised at this unexpected +interview, soon recollected that he had formerly seen at Mr. Parry's a +dumb man, whom they used to call the dumb philosopher, so concludes +immediately that consequently this must be he. In short, they soon made +themselves known to each other; and from that time contracted a strict +friendship and a correspondence by letters, which for the future they +mutually managed with the greatest exactness and familiarity. + +But to leave this as a matter not much material, and to return to our +narrative. By this time Dickory's speech began to falter, which his +sister observing, put him in mind that he would do well to make some +declaration of his faith and principles of religion, because some +reflections had been made upon him upon the account of his neglect, or +rather his refusal, to appear at any place of public worship. + + "Dear sister," says he, "you observe very well, and I wish the + continuance of my speech for a few moments, that I might make an ample + declaration upon that account. But I find that cannot be; my speech + is leaving me so fast that I can only tell you that I have always + lived, and now die, an unworthy member of the ancient catholic and + apostolic church; and as to my faith and principles, I refer you to my + papers, which, I hope, will in some measure vindicate me against the + reflections you mention." + +He had hardly finished his discourse to his sister and her two friends, +and given some short directions relating to his burial, but his speech +left him; and what makes the thing the more remarkable, it went away, in +all appearance, without giving him any sort of pain or uneasiness. + +When he perceived that his speech was entirely vanished, and that he was +again in his original state of dumbness, he took his pen as formerly and +wrote to his sister, signifying that whereas the sudden loss of his +speech had deprived him of the opportunity to speak to her and her +friends what he intended, he would leave it for them in writing, and so +desired he might not be disturbed till the return of his fit, which he +expected in six hours at farthest. According to his desire they all left +him, and then, with the greatest resignation imaginable, he wrote down +the meditations following: + + + + +PART II + + +An Abstract of his Faith, and the Principles of his Religion &c., which +begins thus: + +Dear Sister; I thank you for putting me in mind to make a declaration of +my faith, and the principles of my religion. I find, as you very well +observe, I have been under some reflections upon that account, and +therefore I think it highly requisite that I set that matter right in the +first place. To begin, therefore, with my faith, in which I intend to be +as short and as comprehensive as I can: + +1. I most firmly believe that it was the eternal will of God, and the +result of his infinite wisdom, to create a world, and for the glory of +his majesty to make several sorts of creatures in order and degree one +after another; that is to say, angels, or pure immortal spirits; men, +consisting of immortal spirits and matter, having rational and sensitive +souls; brutes, having mortal and sensitive souls; and mere vegetatives, +such as trees, plants, &c.; and these creatures so made do, as it were, +clasp the higher and lower world together. + +2. I believe the holy Scriptures, and everything therein contained, to +be the pure and essential word of God; and that, according to these +sacred writings, man, the lord and prince of the creation, by his +disobedience in Paradise, forfeited his innocence and the dignity of his +nature, and subjected himself and all his posterity to sin and misery. + +3. I believe and am fully and entirely satisfied, that God the Father, +out of his infinite goodness and compassion to mankind, was pleased to +send his only Son, the second person in the holy and undivided Trinity, +to meditate for him, and to procure his redemption and eternal salvation. + +4. I believe that God the Son, out of his infinite love, and for the +glory of the Deity, was pleased voluntarily and freely to descend from +heaven, and to take our nature upon him, and to lead an exemplary life of +purity, holiness, and perfect obedience, and at last to suffer an +ignominious death upon the cross, for the sins of the whole world, and to +rise again the third day for our justification. + +5. I believe that the Holy Ghost out of his infinite goodness was +pleased to undertake the office of sanctifying us with his divine grace, +and thereby assisting us with faith to believe, will to desire, and power +to do all those things that are required of us in this world, in order to +entitle us to the blessings of just men made perfect in the world to +come. + +6. I believe that these three persons are of equal power, majesty, and +duration, and that the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy +Ghost is all one, and that they are equally uncreate, incomprehensible, +eternal, and almighty; and that none is greater or less than the other, +but that every one hath one and the same divine nature and perfections. + +These, sister, are the doctrines which have been received and practised +by the best men of every age, from the beginning of the Christian +religion to this day, and it is upon this I ground my faith and hopes of +salvation, not doubting but, if my life and practice have been answerable +to them, that I shall be quickly translated out of this kingdom of +darkness, out of this world of sorrow, vexation and confusion, into that +blessed kingdom, where I shall cease to grieve and to suffer, and shall +be happy to all eternity. + +As to my principles in religion, to be as brief as I can, I declare +myself to be a member of Christ's church, which I take to be a universal +society of all Christian people, distributed under lawful governors and +pastors into particular churches, holding communion with each other in +all the essentials of the Christian faith, worship, and discipline; and +among these I look upon the Church of England to be the chief and best +constituted. + +The Church of England is doubtless the great bulwark of the ancient +Catholic or Apostolic faith all over the world; a church that has all the +spiritual advantages that the nature of a church is capable of. From the +doctrine and principles of the Church of England, we are taught loyalty +to our prince, fidelity to our country, and justice to all mankind; and +therefore, as I look upon this to be one of the most excellent branches +of the Church Universal, and stands, as it were, between superstition and +hypocrisy, I therefore declare, for the satisfaction of you and your +friends, as I have always lived so I now die, a true and sincere, though +a most unworthy member of it. And as to my discontinuance of my +attendance at the public worship, I refer you to my papers, which I have +left with my worthy friend, Mr. Barlow. And thus, my dear sister, I have +given you a short account of my faith, and the principles of my religion. +I come, in the next place, to lay before you a few meditations and +observations I have at several times collected together, more +particularly those since my retirement to St. Helen's. + + + +Meditations and Observations relating to the Conduct of Human Life in +general. + + +1. Remember how often you have neglected the great duties of religion +and virtue, and slighted the opportunities that Providence has put into +your hands; and, withal, that you have a set period assigned you for the +management of the affairs of human life; and then reflect seriously that, +unless you resolve immediately to improve the little remains, the whole +must necessarily slip away insensibly, and then you are lost beyond +recovery. + +2. Let an unaffected gravity, freedom, justice, and sincerity shine +through all your actions, and let no fancies and chimeras give the least +check to those excellent qualities. This is an easy task, if you will +but suppose everything you do to be your last, and if you can keep your +passions and appetites from crossing your reason. Stand clear of +rashness, and have nothing of insincerity or self-love to infect you. + +3. Manage all your thoughts and actions with such prudence and +circumspection as if you were sensible you were just going to step into +the grave. A little thinking will show a man the vanity and uncertainty +of all sublunary things, and enable him to examine maturely the manner of +dying; which, if duly abstracted from the terror of the idea, will appear +nothing more than an unavoidable appendix of life itself, and a pure +natural action. + +4. Consider that ill-usage from some sort of people is in a manner +necessary, and therefore do not be disquieted about it, but rather +conclude that you and your enemy are both marching off the stage +together, and that in a little time your very memories will be +extinguished. + +5. Among your principal observations upon human life, let it be always +one to take notice what a great deal both of time and ease that man gains +who is not troubled with the spirit of curiosity, who lets his +neighbours' affairs alone, and confines his inspections to himself, and +only takes care of honesty and a good conscience. + +6. If you would live at your ease, and as much as possible be free from +the incumbrances of life, manage but a few things at once, and let those, +too, be such as are absolutely necessary. By this rule you will draw the +bulk of your business into a narrow compass, and have the double pleasure +of making your actions good, and few into the bargain. + +7. He that torments himself because things do not happen just as he +would have them, is but a sort of ulcer in the world; and he that is +selfish, narrow-souled, and sets up for a separate interest, is a kind of +voluntary outlaw, and disincorporates himself from mankind. + +8. Never think anything below you which reason and your own +circumstances require, and never suffer yourself to be deterred by the +ill-grounded notions of censure and reproach; but when honesty and +conscience prompt you to say or do anything, do it boldly; never balk +your resolution or start at the consequence. + +9. If a man does me an injury, what is that to me? It is his own +action, and let him account for it. As for me, I am in my proper +station, and only doing the business that Providence has allotted; and +withal, I ought to consider that the best way to revenge, is not to +imitate the injury. + +10. When you happen to be ruffled and put out of humour by any cross +accident, retire immediately into your reason, and do not suffer your +passion to overrule you a moment; for the sooner you recover yourself +now, the better you will be able to guard yourself for the future. + +11. Do not be like those ill-natured people that, though they do not +love to give a good word to their contemporaries, yet are mighty fond of +their own commendations. This argues a perverse and unjust temper, and +often exposes the authors to scorn and contempt. + +12. If any one convinces you of an error, change your opinion and thank +him for it: truth and information are your business, and can never hurt +anybody. On the contrary, he that is proud and stubborn, and wilfully +continues in a mistake, it is he that receives the mischief. + +13. Because you see a thing difficult, do not instantly conclude it to +be impossible to master it. Diligence and industry are seldom defeated. +Look, therefore, narrowly into the thing itself, and what you observe +proper and practicable in another, conclude likewise within your own +power. + +14. The principal business of human life is run through within the short +compass of twenty-four hours; and when you have taken a deliberate view +of the present age, you have seen as much as if you had begun with the +world, the rest being nothing else but an endless round of the same thing +over and over again. + +15. Bring your will to your fate, and suit your mind to your +circumstances. Love your friends and forgive your enemies, and do +justice to all mankind, and you will be secure to make your passage easy, +and enjoy most of the comforts human life is capable to afford you. + +16. When you have a mind to entertain yourself in your retirements, let +it be with the good qualifications of your friends and acquaintance. +Think with pleasure and satisfaction upon the honour and bravery of one, +the modesty of another, the generosity of a third, and so on; there being +nothing more pleasant and diverting than the lively images and the +advantages of those we love and converse with. + +17. As nothing can deprive you of the privileges of your nature, or +compel you to act counter to your reason, so nothing can happen to you +but what comes from Providence, and consists with the interest of the +universe. + +18. Let people's tongues and actions be what they will, your business is +to have honour and honesty in your view. Let them rail, revile, censure, +and condemn, or make you the subject of their scorn and ridicule, what +does it all signify? You have one certain remedy against all their +malice and folly, and that is, to live so that nobody shall believe them. + +19. Alas, poor mortals! did we rightly consider our own state and +condition, we should find it would not be long before we have forgot all +the world, and to be even, that all the world will have forgot us +likewise. + +20. He that would recommend himself to the public, let him do it by the +candour and modesty of his behaviour, and by a generous indifference to +external advantages. Let him love mankind, and resign to Providence, and +then his works will follow him, and his good actions will praise him in +the gate. + +21. When you hear a discourse, let your understanding, as far as +possible, keep pace with it, and lead you forward to those things which +fall most within the compass of your own observations. + +22. When vice and treachery shall be rewarded, and virtue and ability +slighted and discountenanced; when ministers of state shall rather fear +man than God, and to screen themselves run into parties and factions; +when noise and clamour, and scandalous reports shall carry everything +before them, it is natural to conclude that a nation in such a state of +infatuation stands upon the brink of destruction, and without the +intervention of some unforeseen accident, must be inevitably ruined. + +23. When a prince is guarded by wise and honest men, and when all public +officers are sure to be rewarded if they do well, and punished if they do +evil, the consequence is plain; justice and honesty will flourish, and +men will be always contriving, not for themselves, but for the honour and +interest of their king and country. + +24. Wicked men may sometimes go unpunished in this world, but wicked +nations never do; because this world is the only place of punishment of +wicked nations, though not for private and particular persons. + +25. An administration that is merely founded upon human policy must be +always subject to human chance; but that which is founded on the divine +wisdom can no more miscarry than the government of heaven. To govern by +parties and factions is the advice of an atheist, and sets up a +government by the spirit of Satan. In such a government the prince can +never be secure under the greatest promises, since, as men's interest +changes, so will their duty and affections likewise. + +26. It is a very ancient observation, and a very true one, that people +generally despise where they flatter, and cringe to those they design to +betray; so that truth and ceremony are, and always will be, two distinct +things. + +27. When you find your friend in an error, undeceive him with secrecy +and civility, and let him see his oversight first by hints and glances; +and if you cannot convince him, leave him with respect, and lay the fault +upon your own management. + +28. When you are under the greatest vexations, then consider that human +life lasts but for a moment; and do not forget but that you are like the +rest of the world, and faulty yourself in many instances; and withal, +remember that anger and impatience often prove more mischievous than the +provocation. + +29. Gentleness and good humour are invincible, provided they are without +hypocrisy and design; they disarm the most barbarous and savage tempers, +and make even malice ashamed of itself. + +30. In all the actions of life let it be your first and principal care +to guard against anger on the one hand, and flattery on the other, for +they are both unserviceable qualities, and do a great deal of mischief in +the government of human life. + +31. When a man turns knave or libertine, and gives way to fear, +jealousy, and fits of the spleen; when his mind complains of his fortune, +and he quits the station in which Providence has placed him, he acts +perfectly counter to humanity, deserts his own nature, and, as it were, +runs away from himself. + +32. Be not heavy in business, disturbed in conversation, nor impertinent +in your thoughts. Let your judgment be right, your actions friendly, and +your mind contented; let them curse you, threaten you, or despise you; +let them go on; they can never injure your reason or your virtue, and +then all the rest that they can do to you signifies nothing. + +33. The only pleasure of human life is doing the business of the +creation; and which way is that to be compassed very easily? Most +certainly by the practice of general kindness, by rejecting the +importunity of our senses, by distinguishing truth from falsehood, and by +contemplating the works of the Almighty. + +34. Be sure to mind that which lies before you, whether it be thought, +word, or action; and never postpone an opportunity, or make virtue wait +for you till to-morrow. + +35. Whatever tends neither to the improvement of your reason nor the +benefit of society, think it below you; and when you have done any +considerable service to mankind, do not lessen it by your folly in gaping +after reputation and requital. + +36. When you find yourself sleepy in a morning, rouse yourself, and +consider that you are born to business, and that in doing good in your +generation, you answer your character and act like a man; whereas sleep +and idleness do but degrade you, and sink you down to a brute. + +37. A mind that has nothing of hope, or fear, or aversion, or desire, to +weaken and disturb it, is the most impregnable security. Hither we may +with safety retire and defy our enemies; and he that sees not this +advantage must be extremely ignorant, and he that forgets it unhappy. + +38. Do not disturb yourself about the faults of other people, but let +everybody's crimes be at their own door. Have always this great maxim in +your remembrance, that to play the knave is to rebel against religion; +all sorts of injustice being no less than high treason against Heaven +itself. + +39. Do not contemn death, but meet it with a decent and religious +fortitude, and look upon it as one of those things which Providence has +ordered. If you want a cordial to make the apprehensions of dying go +down a little the more easily, consider what sort of world and what sort +of company you will part with. To conclude, do but look seriously into +the world, and there you will see multitudes of people preparing for +funerals, and mourning for their friends and acquaintances; and look out +again a little afterwards, and you will see others doing the very same +thing for them. + +40. In short, men are but poor transitory things. To-day they are busy +and harassed with the affairs of human life; and to-morrow life itself is +taken from them, and they are returned to their original dust and ashes. + + + + +PART III + + +Containing prophetic observations relating to the affairs of Europe and +of Great Britain, more particularly from 1720 to 1729. + +1. In the latter end of 1720, an eminent old lady shall bring forth five +sons at a birth; the youngest shall live and grow up to maturity, but the +four eldest shall either die in the nursery, or be all carried off by one +sudden and unexpected accident. + +2. About this time a man with a double head shall arrive in Britain from +the south. One of these heads shall deliver messages of great importance +to the governing party, and the other to the party that is opposite to +them. The first shall believe the monster, but the last shall discover +the impostor, and so happily disengage themselves from a snare that was +laid to destroy them and their posterity. After this the two heads shall +unite, and the monster shall appear in his proper shape. + +3. In the year 1721, a philosopher from Lower Germany shall come, first +to Amsterdam in Holland, and afterwards to London. He will bring with +him a world of curiosities, and among them a pretended secret for the +transmutation of metals. Under the umbrage of this mighty secret he +shall pass upon the world for some time; but at length he shall be +detected, and proved to be nothing but an empiric and a cheat, and so +forced to sneak off, and leave the people he has deluded, either to +bemoan their loss, or laugh at their own folly. N.B.--This will be the +last of his sect that will ever venture in this part of the world upon +the same errand. + +4. In this year great endeavours will be used for procuring a general +peace, which shall be so near a conclusion that public rejoicings shall +be made at the courts of several great potentates upon that account; but +just in the critical juncture, a certain neighbouring prince shall come +to a violent death, which shall occasion new war and commotion all over +Europe; but these shall continue but for a short time, and at last +terminate in the utter destruction of the first aggressors. + +5. Towards the close of this year of mysteries, a person that was born +blind shall have his sight restored, and shall see ravens perch upon the +heads of traitors, among which the head of a notorious prelate shall +stand upon the highest pole. + +6. In the year 1722, there shall be a grand congress, and new overtures +of peace offered by most of the principal parties concerned in the war, +which shall have so good effect that a cessation of arms shall be agreed +upon for six months, which shall be kept inviolable till a certain +general, either through treachery or inadvertency, shall begin +hostilities before the expiration of the term; upon which the injured +prince shall draw his sword, and throw the scabbard into the sea, vowing +never to return it till he shall obtain satisfaction for himself, and +done justice to all that were oppressed. + +7. At the close of this year, a famous bridge shall be broken down, and +the water that runs under it shall be tinctured with the blood of two +notorious malefactors, whose unexpected death shall make mighty +alterations in the present state of affairs, and put a stop to the ruin +of a nation, which must otherwise have been unavoidable. + +8. 1723 begins with plots, conspiracies, and intestine commotions in +several countries; nor shall Great Britain itself be free from the +calamity. These shall continue till a certain young prince shall take +the reins of government into his own hands; and after that, a marriage +shall be proposed, and an alliance concluded between two great +potentates, who shall join their forces, and endeavour, in good earnest, +to set all matters upon a right foundation. + +9. This year several cardinals and prelates shall be publicly censured +for heretical principles, and shall narrowly escape from being torn to +pieces by the common people, who still look upon them as the grand +disturbers of public tranquillity, perfect incendiaries, and the chief +promoters of their former, present, and future calamities. + +10. In 1724-5 there will be many treaties and negociations, and Great +Britain, particularly, will be crowded with foreign ministers and +ambassadors from remote princes and states. Trade and commerce will +begin to flourish and revive, and everything will have a comfortable +prospect, until some desperadoes, assisted by a monster with many heads, +shall start new difficulties, and put the world again into a flame; but +these shall be but of short duration. + +11. Before the expiration of 1725, an eagle from the north shall fly +directly to the south, and perch upon the palace of a prince, and first +unravel the bloody projects and designs of a wicked set of people, and +then publicly discover the murder of a great king, and the intended +assassination of another greater than he. + +12. In 1726, three princes will be born that will grow up to be men, and +inherit the crowns of three of the greatest monarchies in Europe. + +13. About this time the pope will die, and after a great many intrigues +and struggles, a Spanish cardinal shall be elected, who shall decline the +dignity, and declare his marriage with a great lady, heiress of one of +the chief principalities in Italy, which may occasion new troubles in +Europe, if not timely prevented. + +14. In 1727, new troubles shall break out in the north, occasioned by +the sudden death of a certain prince, and the avarice and ambition of +another. Poor Poland seems to be pointed at; but the princes of the +south shall enter into a confederacy to preserve her, and shall at length +restore her peace, and prevent the perpetual ruin of her constitution. + +15. Great endeavours will be used about this time for a comprehension in +religion, supported by crafty and designing men, and a party of mistaken +zealots, which they shall artfully draw in to join with them; but as the +project is ill-concerted, and will be worse managed, it will come to +nothing; and soon afterwards an effectual mode will be taken to prevent +the like attempt for the future. + +16. 1728 will be a year of inquiry and retrospection. Many exorbitant +grants will be reassumed, and several persons who thought themselves +secure will be called before the senate, and compelled to disgorge what +they have unjustly pillaged either from the crown or the public. + +17. About this time a new scaffold will be erected upon the confines of +a certain great city, where an old count of a new extraction, that has +been of all parties and true to none, will be doomed by his peers to make +his first appearance. After this an old lady who has often been exposed +to danger and disgrace, and sometimes brought to the very brink of +destruction, will be brought to bed of three daughters at once, which +they shall call Plenty, Peace, and Union; and these three shall live and +grow up together, be the glory of their mother, and the comfort of +posterity for many generations. + +* * * * * + +This is the substance of what he either writ or extracted from his papers +in the interval between the loss of his speech and the return of his fit, +which happened exactly at the time he had computed. + +Upon the approach of his fit, he made signs to be put to bed, which was +no sooner done but he was seized with extreme agonies, which he bore up +under with the greatest steadfastness, and after a severe conflict, that +lasted near eight hours, he expired. + +Thus lived and thus died this extraordinary person; a person, though of +mean extraction and obscure life, yet when his character comes to be +fully and truly known, it will be read with pleasure, profit, and +admiration. + +His perfections at large would be the work of a volume, and inconsistent +with the intention of these papers. I will, therefore, only add, for a +conclusion, that he was a man of uncommon thought and judgment, and +always kept his appetites and inclinations within their just limits. + +His reason was strong and manly, his understanding sound and active, and +his temper so easy, equal, and complaisant, that he never fell out, +either with men or accidents. He bore all things with the highest +affability, and computed justly upon their value and consequence, and +then applied them to their proper uses. + + + + +A LETTER FROM OXFORD + + +Sir, + +Being informed that you speedily intend to publish some memoirs relating +to our dumb countryman, Dickory Cronke, I send you herewith a few lines, +in the nature of an elegy, which I leave you to dispose of as you think +fit. I knew and admired the man; and if I were capable, his character +should be the first thing I would attempt. + +Yours. &c. + + + +AN ELEGY, +IN MEMORY OF DICKORY CRONKE, +THE DUMB PHILOSOPHER. + + + Vitiis nemo sine nascitur; optimus ille est, + Qui minimus urgetur.--HORACE. + +If virtuous actions emulation raise, +Then this good man deserves immortal praise. +When nature such extensive wisdom lent, +She sure designed him for our precedent. +Such great endowments in a man unknown, +Declare the blessings were not all his own; +But rather granted for a time to show +What the wise hand of Providence can do. +In him we may a bright example see +Of nature, justice, and morality; +A mind not subject to the frowns of fate, +But calm and easy in a servile state. +He always kept a guard upon his will +And feared no harm because he knew no ill. +A decent posture and an humble mien, +In every action of his life were seen. +Through all the different stages that he went, +He still appeared both wise and diligent: +Firm to his word, and punctual to his trust, +Sagacious, frugal, arable, and just. +No gainful views his bounded hopes could sway, +No wanton thought led his chaste soul astray. +In short, his thoughts and actions both declare, +Nature designed him her philosopher; +That all mankind, by his example taught, +Might learn to live, and manage every thought. +Oh! could my muse the wondrous subject grace, +And, from his youth, his virtuous actions trace; +Could I in just and equal numbers tell +How well he lived, and how devoutly fell, +I boldly might your strict attention claim, +And bid you learn, and copy out the man. + +J. P. + +Exeter College, August 25th, 1719. + + + + +EPITAPH + + +The occasion of this epitaph was briefly thus:--A gentleman, who had +heard much in commendation of this dumb man, going accidentally to the +churchyard where he was buried, and finding his grave without a +tombstone, or any manner of memorandum of his death, he pulled out his +pencil, and writ as follows:-- + + PAUPER UBIQUE JACET. + + Near to this lonely unfrequented place, + Mixed with the common dust, neglected lies + The man that every muse should strive to grace, + And all the world should for his virtue prize. + Stop, gentle passenger, and drop a tear, + Truth, justice, wisdom, all lie buried here. + + What, though he wants a monumental stone, + The common pomp of every fool or knave, + Those virtues which through all his actions shone + Proclaim his worth, and praise him in the grave. + His merits will a bright example give, + Which shall both time and envy too outlive. + + Oh, had I power but equal to my mind, + A decent tomb should soon this place adorn, + With this inscription: Lo, here lies confined + A wondrous man, although obscurely born; + A man, though dumb, yet he was nature's care, + Who marked him out her own philosopher. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DICKORY CRONKE*** + + +******* This file should be named 2051.txt or 2051.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/2/0/5/2051 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association/Carnegie-Mellon + University" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Carnegie-Mellon University". + +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +This etext was prepared by David Price, email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk +from the 1889 George Bell and Sons edition. + + + + + +DICKORY CRONKE + + + + +THE +DUMB PHILOSOPHER, +OR, +GREAT BRITAIN'S WONDER; + + +CONTAINING: + +I. A faithful and very surprising Account how Dickory Cronke, a +Tinner's son, in the County of Cornwall, was born Dumb, and +continued so for Fifty-eight years; and how, some days before he +died, he came to his Speech; with Memoirs of his Life, and the +Manner of his Death. + +II. A Declaration of his Faith and Principles in Religion; with a +Collection of Select Meditations, composed in his Retirement. + +III. His Prophetical Observations upon the Affairs of Europe, more +particularly of Great Britain, from 1720 to 1729. The whole +extracted from his Original Papers, and confirmed by unquestionable +Authority. + +TO WHICH IS ANNEXED HIS ELEGY, +WRITTEN BY A YOUNG CORNISH GENTLEMAN, OF +EXETER COLLEGE IN OXFORD. + +WITH + +AN EPITAPH BY ANOTHER HAND. + +"Non quis, sed quid." + +LONDON: +Printed for and Sold by THOMAS BICKERTON, at +the Crown, in Paternoster Row. 1719. + + + +PREFACE + + + +The formality of a preface to this little book might have been very +well omitted, if it were not to gratify the curiosity of some +inquisitive people, who, I foresee, will be apt to make objections +against the reality of the narrative. + +Indeed the public has too often been imposed upon by fictitious +stories, and some of a very late date, so that I think myself +obliged by the usual respect which is paid to candid and impartial +readers, to acquaint them, by way of introduction, with what they +are to expect, and what they may depend upon, and yet with this +caution too, that it is an indication of ill nature or ill manners, +if not both, to pry into a secret that is industriously concealed. + +However, that there may be nothing wanting on my part, I do hereby +assure the reader, that the papers from whence the following sheets +were extracted, are now in town, in the custody of a person of +unquestionable reputation, who, I will be bold to say, will not +only be ready, but proud, to produce them upon a good occasion, and +that I think is as much satisfaction as the nature of this case +requires. + +As to the performance, it can signify little now to make an apology +upon that account, any farther than this, that if the reader +pleases he may take notice that what he has now before him was +collected from a large bundle of papers, most of which were writ in +shorthand, and very ill-digested. However, this may be relied +upon, that though the language is something altered, and now and +then a word thrown in to help the expression, yet strict care has +been taken to speak the author's mind, and keep as close as +possible to the meaning of the original. For the design, I think +there is nothing need be said in vindication of that. Here is a +dumb philosopher introduced to a wicked and degenerate generation, +as a proper emblem of virtue and morality; and if the world could +be persuaded to look upon him with candour and impartiality, and +then to copy after him, the editor has gained his end, and would +think himself sufficiently recompensed for his present trouble. + + + + +PART I + + + +Among the many strange and surprising events that help to fill the +accounts of this last century, I know none that merit more an +entire credit, or are more fit to be preserved and handed to +posterity than those I am now going to lay before the public. + +Dickory Cronke, the subject of the following narrative, was born at +a little hamlet, near St. Columb, in Cornwall, on the 29th of May, +1660, being the day and year in which King Charles the Second was +restored. His parents were of mean extraction, but honest, +industrious people, and well beloved in their neighbourhood. His +father's chief business was to work at the tin mines; his mother +stayed at home to look after the children, of which they had +several living at the same time. Our Dickory was the youngest, and +being but a sickly child, had always a double portion of her care +and tenderness. + +It was upwards of three years before it was discovered that he was +born dumb, the knowledge of which at first gave his mother great +uneasiness, but finding soon after that he had his hearing, and all +his other senses to the greatest perfection, her grief began to +abate, and she resolved to have him brought up as well as their +circumstances and his capacity would permit. + +As he grew, notwithstanding his want of speech, he every day gave +some instance of a ready genius, and a genius much superior to the +country children, insomuch that several gentlemen in the +neighbourhood took particular notice of him, and would often call +him Restoration Dick, and give him money, &c. + +When he came to be eight years of age, his mother agreed with a +person in the next village, to teach him to read and write, both +which, in a very short time, he acquired to such perfection, +especially the latter, that he not only taught his own brothers and +sisters, but likewise several young men and women in the +neighbourhood, which often brought him in small sums, which he +always laid out in such necessaries as he stood most in need of. + +In this state he continued till he was about twenty, and then he +began to reflect how scandalous it was for a young man of his age +and circumstances to live idle at home, and so resolves to go with +his father to the mines, to try if he could get something towards +the support of himself and the family; but being of a tender +constitution, and often sick, he soon perceived that sort of +business was too hard for him, so was forced to return home and +continue in his former station; upon which he grew exceeding +melancholy, which his mother observing, she comforted him in the +best manner she could, telling him that if it should please God to +take her away, she had something left in store for him, which would +preserve him against public want. + +This kind assurance from a mother whom he so dearly loved gave him +some, though not an entire satisfaction; however, he resolves to +acquiesce under it till Providence should order something for him +more to his content and advantage, which, in a short time happened +according to his wish. The manner was thus:- + +One Mr. Owen Parry, a Welsh gentleman of good repute, coming from +Bristol to Padstow, a little seaport in the county of Cornwall, +near the place where Dickory dwelt, and hearing much of this dumb +man's perfections, would needs have him sent for; and finding, by +his significant gestures and all outward appearances that he much +exceeded the character that the country gave of him, took a mighty +liking to him, insomuch that he told him, if he would go with him +into Pembrokeshire, he would be kind to him, and take care of him +as long as he lived. + +This kind and unexpected offer was so welcome to poor Dickory, that +without any farther consideration, he got a pen and ink and writ a +note, and in a very handsome and submissive manner returned him +thanks for his favour, assuring him he would do his best to +continue and improve it; and that he would be ready to wait upon +him whenever he should be pleased to command. + +To shorten the account as much as possible, all things were +concluded to their mutual satisfaction, and in about a fortnight's +time they set forward for Wales, where Dickory, notwithstanding his +dumbness, behaved himself with so much diligence and affability, +that he not only gained the love of the family where he lived, but +of everybody round him. + +In this station he continued till the death of his master, which +happened about twenty years afterwards; in all which time, as has +been confirmed by several of the family, he was never observed to +be any ways disguised by drinking, or to be guilty of any of the +follies and irregularities incident to servants in gentlemen's +houses. On the contrary, when he had any spare time, his constant +custom was to retire with some good book into a private place +within call, and there employ himself in reading, and then writing +down his observations upon what he read. + +After the death of his master, whose loss afflicted him to the last +degree, one Mrs. Mary Mordant, a gentlewoman of great virtue and +piety, and a very good fortune, took him into her service, and +carried him with her, first to Bath, and then to Bristol, where, +after a lingering distemper, which continued for about four years, +she died likewise. + +Upon the loss of his mistress, Dickory grew again exceeding +melancholy and disconsolate; at length, reflecting that death is +but a common debt which all mortals owe to nature, and must be paid +sooner or later, he became a little better satisfied, and so +determines to get together what he had saved in his service, and +then to return to his native country, and there finish his life in +privacy and retirement. + +Having been, as has been mentioned, about twenty-four years a +servant, and having, in the interim, received two legacies, viz., +one of thirty pounds, left him by his master, and another of +fifteen pounds by his mistress, and being always very frugal, he +had got by him in the whole upwards of sixty pounds. This, thinks +he, with prudent management, will be enough to support me as long +as I live, and so I'll e'en lay aside all thoughts of future +business, and make the best of my way to Cornwall, and there find +out some safe and solitary retreat, where I may have liberty to +meditate and make my melancholy observations upon the several +occurrences of human life. + +This resolution prevailed so far, that no time was let slip to get +everything in readiness to go with the first ship. As to his +money, he always kept that locked up by him, unless he sometimes +lent it to a friend without interest, for he had a mortal hatred to +all sorts of usury or extortion. His books, of which he had a +considerable quantity, and some of them very good ones, together +with his other equipage, he got packed up, that nothing might be +wanting against the first opportunity. + +In a few days he heard of a vessel bound to Padstow, the very port +he wished to go to, being within four or five miles of the place +where he was born. When he came thither, which was in less than a +week, his first business was to inquire after the state of his +family. It was some time before he could get any information of +them, until an old man that knew his father and mother, and +remembered they had a son was born dumb, recollected him, and after +a great deal of difficulty, made him understand that all his family +except his youngest sister were dead, and that she was a widow, and +lived at a little town called St. Helen's, about ten miles farther +in the country. + +This doleful news, we must imagine, must be extremely shocking, and +add a new sting to his former affliction; and here it was that he +began to exercise the philosopher, and to demonstrate himself both +a wise and a good man. All these things, thinks he, are the will +of Providence, and must not be disputed; and so he bore up under +them with an entire resignation, resolving that, as soon as he +could find a place where he might deposit his trunk and boxes with +safety, he would go to St. Helen's in quest of his sister. + +How his sister and he met, and how transported they were to see +each other after so long an interval, I think is not very material. +It is enough for the present purpose that Dickory soon recollected +his sister, and she him; and after a great many endearing tokens of +love and tenderness, he wrote to her, telling her that he believed +Providence had bestowed on him as much as would support him as long +as he lived, and that if she thought proper he would come and spend +the remainder of his days with her. + +The good woman no sooner read his proposal than she accepted it, +adding, withal, that she could wish her entertainment was better; +but if he would accept of it as it was, she would do her best to +make everything easy, and that he should be welcome upon his own +terms, to stay with her as long as he pleased. + +This affair being so happily settled to his full satisfaction, he +returns to Padstow to fetch the things he had left behind him, and +the next day came back to St. Helen's, where, according to his own +proposal, he continued to the day of his death, which happened upon +the 29th of May, 1718, about the same hour in which he was born. + +Having thus given a short detail of the several periods of his +life, extracted chiefly from the papers which he left behind him, I +come in the next place to make a few observations how he managed +himself and spent his time toward the latter part of it. + +His constant practice, both winter and summer, was to rise and set +with the sun; and if the weather would permit, he never failed to +walk in some unfrequented place, for three hours, both morning and +evening, and there it is supposed he composed the following +meditations. The chief part of his sustenance was milk, with a +little bread boiled in it, of which in the morning, after his walk, +he would eat the quantity of a pint, and sometimes more. Dinners +he never eat any; and at night he would only have a pretty large +piece of bread, and drink a draught of good spring water; and after +this method he lived during the whole time he was at St. Helen's. +It is observed of him that he never slept out of a bed, nor never +lay awake in one; which I take to be an argument, not only of a +strong and healthful constitution, but of a mind composed and calm, +and entirely free from the ordinary disturbances of human life. He +never gave the least signs of complaint or dissatisfaction at +anything, unless it was when he heard the tinners swear, or saw +them drunk; and then, too, he would get out of the way as soon as +he had let them see, by some significant signs, how scandalous and +ridiculous they made themselves; and against the next time he met +them, would be sure to have a paper ready written, wherein he would +represent the folly of drunkenness, and the dangerous consequences +that generally attended it. + +Idleness was his utter aversion, and if at any time he had finished +the business of the day, and was grown weary of reading and +writing, in which he daily spent six hours at least, he would +certainly find something either within doors or without, to employ +himself. + +Much might be said both with regard to the wise and regular +management, and the prudent methods he took to spend his time well +towards the declension of his life; but, as his history may perhaps +be shortly published at large by a better hand, I shall only +observe in the general, that he was a person of great wisdom and +sagacity. He understood nature beyond the ordinary capacity, and, +if he had had a competency of learning suitable to his genius, +neither this nor the former ages would have produced a better +philosopher or a greater man. + +I come next to speak of the manner of his death and the +consequences thereof, which are, indeed, very surprising, and, +perhaps, not altogether unworthy a general observation. I shall +relate them as briefly as I can, and leave every one to believe or +disbelieve as he thinks proper. + +Upon the 26th of May, 1718, according to his usual method, about +four in the afternoon, he went out to take his evening walk; but +before he could reach the place he intended, he was siezed with an +apoplectic fit, which only gave him liberty to sit down under a +tree, where, in an instant, he was deprived of all manner of sense +and motion, and so he continued, as appears by his own confession +afterwards, for more than fourteen hours. + +His sister, who knew how exact he was in all his methods, finding +him stay a considerable time beyond the usual hour, concludes that +some misfortune must needs have happened to him, or he would +certainly have been at home before. In short, she went immediately +to all the places he was wont to frequent, but nothing could be +heard or seen of him till the next morning, when a young man, as he +was going to work, discovered him, and went home and told his +sister that her brother lay in such a place, under a tree, and, as +he believed had been robbed and murdered. + +The poor woman, who had all night been under the most dreadful +apprehensions, was now frightened and confounded to the last +degree. However, recollecting herself, and finding there was no +remedy, she got two or three of her neighbours to bear her company, +and so hastened with the young man to the tree, where she found her +brother lying in the same posture that he had described. + +The dismal object at first view startled and surprised everybody +present, and filled them full of different notions and conjectures. +But some of the company going nearer to him, and finding that he +had lost nothing, and that there were no marks of any violence to +be discovered about him, they conclude that it must be an +apoplectic or some other sudden fit that had surprised him in his +walk, upon which his sister and the rest began to feel his hands +and face, and observing that he was still warm, and that there were +some symptoms of life yet remaining, they conclude that the best +way was to carry him home to bed, which was accordingly done with +the utmost expedition. + +When they had got him into the bed, nothing was omitted that they +could think of to bring him to himself, but still he continued +utterly insensible for about six hours. At the sixth hour's end he +began to move a little, and in a very short time was so far +recovered, to the great astonishment of everybody about him, that +he was able to look up, and to make a sign to his sister to bring +him a cup of water. + +After he had drunk the water he soon perceived that all his +faculties were returned to their former stations, and though his +strength was very much abated by the length and rigour of the fit, +yet his intellects were as strong and vigorous as ever. + +His sister observing him to look earnestly upon the company, as if +he had something extraordinary to communicate to them, fetched him +a pen and ink and a sheet of paper, which, after a short pause, he +took, and wrote as follows:- + + +"Dear sister, + +"I have now no need of pen, ink, and paper, to tell you my meaning. +I find the strings that bound up my tongue, and hindered me from +speaking, are unloosed, and I have words to express myself as +freely and distinctly as any other person. From whence this +strange and unexpected event should proceed, I must not pretend to +say, any farther than this, that it is doubtless the hand of +Providence that has done it, and in that I ought to acquiesce. +Pray let me be alone for two or three hours, that I may be at +liberty to compose myself, and put my thoughts in the best order I +can before I leave them behind me." + + +The poor woman, though extremely startled at what her brother had +written, yet took care to conceal it from the neighbours, who, she +knew, as well as she, must be mightily surprised at a thing so +utterly unexpected. Says she, my brother desires to be alone; I +believe he may have something in his mind that disturbs him. Upon +which the neighbours took their leave and returned home, and his +sister shut the door, and left him alone to his private +contemplations. + +After the company were withdrawn he fell into a sound sleep, which +lasted from two till six, and his sister, being apprehensive of the +return of his fit, came to the bedside, and, asking softly if he +wanted anything, he turned about to her and spoke to this effect: +Dear sister, you see me not only recovered out of a terrible fit, +but likewise that I have the liberty of speech, a blessing that I +have been deprived of almost sixty years, and I am satisfied you +are sincerely joyful to find me in the state I now am in; but, +alas! it is but a mistaken kindness. These are things but of short +duration, and if they were to continue for a hundred years longer, +I can't see how I should be anyways the better. + +I know the world too well to be fond of it, and am fully satisfied +that the difference between a long and a short life is +insignificant, especially when I consider the accidents and company +I am to encounter. Do but look seriously and impartially upon the +astonishing notion of time and eternity, what an immense deal has +run out already, and how infinite it is still in the future; do but +seriously and deliberately consider this, and you will find, upon +the whole, that three days and three ages of life come much to the +same measure and reckoning. + +As soon as he had ended his discourse upon the vanity and +uncertainty of human life, he looked steadfastly upon her. Sister, +says he, I conjure you not to be disturbed at what I am going to +tell you, which you will undoubtedly find to be true in every +particular. I perceive my glass is run, and I have now no more to +do in this world but to take my leave of it; for to-morrow about +this time my speech will be again taken from me, and, in a short +time, my fit will return; and the next day, which I understand is +the day on which I came into this troublesome world, I shall +exchange it for another, where, for the future, I shall for ever be +free from all manner of sin and sufferings. + +The good woman would have made him a reply, but he prevented her by +telling her he had no time to hearken to unnecessary complaints or +animadversions. I have a great many things in my mind, says he, +that require a speedy and serious consideration. The time I have +to stay is but short, and I have a great deal of important business +to do in it. Time and death are both in my view, and seem both to +call aloud to me to make no delay. I beg of you, therefore, not to +disquiet yourself or me. What must be, must be. The decrees of +Providence are eternal and unalterable; why, then, should we +torment ourselves about that which we cannot remedy? + +I must confess, my dear sister, I owe you many obligations for your +exemplary fondness to me, and do solemnly assure you I shall retain +the sense of them to the last moment. All that I have to request +of you is, that I may be alone for this night. I have it in my +thoughts to leave some short observations behind me, and likewise +to discover some things of great weight which have been revealed to +me, which may perhaps be of some use hereafter to you and your +friends. What credit they may meet with I cannot say, but depend +the consequence, according to their respective periods, will +account for them, and vindicate them against the supposition of +falsity and mere suggestion. + +Upon this, his sister left him till about four in the morning, when +coming to his bedside to know if he wanted anything, and how he had +rested, he made her this answer; I have been taking a cursory view +of my life, and though I find myself exceedingly deficient in +several particulars, yet I bless God I cannot find I have any just +grounds to suspect my pardon. In short, says he, I have spent this +night with more inward pleasure and true satisfaction than ever I +spent a night through the whole course of my life. + +After he had concluded what he had to say upon the satisfaction +that attended an innocent and well-spent life, and observed what a +mighty consolation it was to persons, not only under the +apprehension, but even in the very agonies of death itself, he +desired her to bring him his usual cup of water, and then to help +him on with his clothes, that he might sit up, and so be in a +better posture to take his leave of her and her friends. + +When she had taken him up, and placed him at a table where he +usually sat, he desired her to bring him his box of papers, and +after he had collected those he intended should be preserved, he +ordered her to bring a candle, that he might see the rest burnt. +The good woman seemed at first to oppose the burning of his papers, +till he told her they were only useless trifles, some unfinished +observations which he had made in his youthful days, and were not +fit to be seen by her, or anybody that should come after him. + +After he had seen his papers burnt, and placed the rest in their +proper order, and had likewise settled all his other affairs, which +was only fit to be done between himself and his sister, he desired +her to call two or three of the most reputable neighbours, not only +to be witnesses of his will, but likewise to hear what he had +farther to communicate before the return of his fit, which he +expected very speedily. + +His sister, who had beforehand acquainted two or three of her +confidants with all that had happened, was very much rejoiced to +hear her brother make so unexpected a concession; and accordingly, +without any delay or hesitation, went directly into the +neighbourhood, and brought home her two select friends, upon whose +secrecy and sincerity she knew she might depend upon all accounts. + +In her absence he felt several symptoms of the approach of his fit, +which made him a little uneasy, lest it should entirely seize him +before he had perfected his will, but that apprehension was quickly +removed by her speedy return. After she had introduced her friends +into his chamber, he proceeded to express himself in the following +manner; Dear sister, you now see your brother upon the brink of +eternity; and as the words of dying persons are commonly the most +regarded, and make deepest impressions, I cannot suspect but you +will suffer the few I am about to say to have always some place in +your thoughts, that they may be ready for you to make use of upon +any occasion. + +Do not be fond of anything on this side of eternity, or suffer your +interest to incline you to break your word, quit your modesty, or +to do anything that will not bear the light, and look the world in +the face. For be assured of this; the person that values the +virtue of his mind and the dignity of his reason, is always easy +and well fortified both against death and misfortune, and is +perfectly indifferent about the length or shortness of his life. +Such a one is solicitous about nothing but his own conduct, and for +fear he should be deficient in the duties of religion, and the +respective functions of reason and prudence. + +Always go the nearest way to work. Now, the nearest way through +all the business of human life, are the paths of religion and +honesty, and keeping those as directly as you can, you avoid all +the dangerous precipices that often lie in the road, and sometimes +block up the passage entirely. + +Remember that life was but lent at first, and that the remainder is +more than you have reason to expect, and consequently ought to be +managed with more than ordinary diligence. A wise man spends every +day as if it were his last; his hourglass is always in his hand, +and he is never guilty of sluggishness or insincerity. + +He was about to proceed, when a sudden symptom of the return of his +fit put him in mind that it was time to get his will witnessed, +which was no sooner done but he took it up and gave it to his +sister, telling her that though all he had was hers of right, yet +he thought it proper, to prevent even a possibility of a dispute, +to write down his mind in the nature of a will, wherein I have +given you, says he, the little that I have left, except my books +and papers, which, as soon as I am dead, I desire may be delivered +to Mr. Anthony Barlow, a near relation of my worthy master, Mr. +Owen Parry. + +This Mr. Anthony Barlow was an old contemplative Welsh gentleman, +who, being under some difficulties in his own country, was forced +to come into Cornwall and take sanctuary among the tinners. +Dickory, though he kept himself as retired as possible, happened to +meet him one day upon his walks, and presently remembered that he +was the very person that used frequently to come to visit his +master while he lived in Pembrokeshire, and so went to him, and by +signs made him understand who he was. + +The old gentleman, though at first surprised at this unexpected +interview, soon recollected that he had formerly seen at Mr. +Parry's a dumb man, whom they used to call the dumb philosopher, so +concludes immediately that consequently this must be he. In short, +they soon made themselves known to each other; and from that time +contracted a strict friendship and a correspondence by letters, +which for the future they mutually managed with the greatest +exactness and familiarity. + +But to leave this as a matter not much material, and to return to +our narrative. By this time Dickory's speech began to falter, +which his sister observing, put him in mind that he would do well +to make some declaration of his faith and principles of religion, +because some reflections had been made upon him upon the account of +his neglect, or rather his refusal, to appear at any place of +public worship. + +"Dear sister," says he, "you observe very well, and I wish the +continuance of my speech for a few moments, that I might make an +ample declaration upon that account. But I find that cannot be; my +speech is leaving me so fast that I can only tell you that I have +always lived, and now die, an unworthy member of the ancient +catholic and apostolic church; and as to my faith and principles, I +refer you to my papers, which, I hope, will in some measure +vindicate me against the reflections you mention." + +He had hardly finished his discourse to his sister and her two +friends, and given some short directions relating to his burial, +but his speech left him; and what makes the thing the more +remarkable, it went away, in all appearance, without giving him any +sort of pain or uneasiness. + +When he perceived that his speech was entirely vanished, and that +he was again in his original state of dumbness, he took his pen as +formerly and wrote to his sister, signifying that whereas the +sudden loss of his speech had deprived him of the opportunity to +speak to her and her friends what he intended, he would leave it +for them in writing, and so desired he might not be disturbed till +the return of his fit, which he expected in six hours at farthest. +According to his desire they all left him, and then, with the +greatest resignation imaginable, he wrote down the meditations +following: + + + +PART II + + + +An Abstract of his Faith, and the Principles of his Religion &c., +which begins thus: + +Dear Sister; I thank you for putting me in mind to make a +declaration of my faith, and the principles of my religion. I +find, as you very well observe, I have been under some reflections +upon that account, and therefore I think it highly requisite that I +set that matter right in the first place. To begin, therefore, +with my faith, in which I intend to be as short and as +comprehensive as I can: + +1. I most firmly believe that it was the eternal will of God, and +the result of his infinite wisdom, to create a world, and for the +glory of his majesty to make several sorts of creatures in order +and degree one after another; that is to say, angels, or pure +immortal spirits; men, consisting of immortal spirits and matter, +having rational and sensitive souls; brutes, having mortal and +sensitive souls; and mere vegetatives, such as trees, plants, &c.; +and these creatures so made do, as it were, clasp the higher and +lower world together. + +2. I believe the holy Scriptures, and everything therein +contained, to be the pure and essential word of God; and that, +according to these sacred writings, man, the lord and prince of the +creation, by his disobedience in Paradise, forfeited his innocence +and the dignity of his nature, and subjected himself and all his +posterity to sin and misery. + +3. I believe and am fully and entirely satisfied, that God the +Father, out of his infinite goodness and compassion to mankind, was +pleased to send his only Son, the second person in the holy and +undivided Trinity, to meditate for him, and to procure his +redemption and eternal salvation. + +4. I believe that God the Son, out of his infinite love, and for +the glory of the Deity, was pleased voluntarily and freely to +descend from heaven, and to take our nature upon him, and to lead +an exemplary life of purity, holiness, and perfect obedience, and +at last to suffer an ignominious death upon the cross, for the sins +of the whole world, and to rise again the third day for our +justification. + +5. I believe that the Holy Ghost out of his infinite goodness was +pleased to undertake the office of sanctifying us with his divine +grace, and thereby assisting us with faith to believe, will to +desire, and power to do all those things that are required of us in +this world, in order to entitle us to the blessings of just men +made perfect in the world to come. + +6. I believe that these three persons are of equal power, majesty, +and duration, and that the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and +of the Holy Ghost is all one, and that they are equally uncreate, +incomprehensible, eternal, and almighty; and that none is greater +or less than the other, but that every one hath one and the same +divine nature and perfections. + +These, sister, are the doctrines which have been received and +practised by the best men of every age, from the beginning of the +Christian religion to this day, and it is upon this I ground my +faith and hopes of salvation, not doubting but, if my life and +practice have been answerable to them, that I shall be quickly +translated out of this kingdom of darkness, out of this world of +sorrow, vexation and confusion, into that blessed kingdom, where I +shall cease to grieve and to suffer, and shall be happy to all +eternity. + +As to my principles in religion, to be as brief as I can, I declare +myself to be a member of Christ's church, which I take to be a +universal society of all Christian people, distributed under lawful +governors and pastors into particular churches, holding communion +with each other in all the essentials of the Christian faith, +worship, and discipline; and among these I look upon the Church of +England to be the chief and best constituted. + +The Church of England is doubtless the great bulwark of the ancient +Catholic or Apostolic faith all over the world; a church that has +all the spiritual advantages that the nature of a church is capable +of. From the doctrine and principles of the Church of England, we +are taught loyalty to our prince, fidelity to our country, and +justice to all mankind; and therefore, as I look upon this to be +one of the most excellent branches of the Church Universal, and +stands, as it were, between superstition and hypocrisy, I therefore +declare, for the satisfaction of you and your friends, as I have +always lived so I now die, a true and sincere, though a most +unworthy member of it. And as to my discontinuance of my +attendance at the public worship, I refer you to my papers, which I +have left with my worthy friend, Mr. Barlow. And thus, my dear +sister, I have given you a short account of my faith, and the +principles of my religion. I come, in the next place, to lay +before you a few meditations and observations I have at several +times collected together, more particularly those since my +retirement to St. Helen's. + + +Meditations and Observations relating to the Conduct of Human Life +in general. + + +1. Remember how often you have neglected the great duties of +religion and virtue, and slighted the opportunities that Providence +has put into your hands; and, withal, that you have a set period +assigned you for the management of the affairs of human life; and +then reflect seriously that, unless you resolve immediately to +improve the little remains, the whole must necessarily slip away +insensibly, and then you are lost beyond recovery. + +2. Let an unaffected gravity, freedom, justice, and sincerity +shine through all your actions, and let no fancies and chimeras +give the least check to those excellent qualities. This is an easy +task, if you will but suppose everything you do to be your last, +and if you can keep your passions and appetites from crossing your +reason. Stand clear of rashness, and have nothing of insincerity +or self-love to infect you. + +3. Manage all your thoughts and actions with such prudence and +circumspection as if you were sensible you were just going to step +into the grave. A little thinking will show a man the vanity and +uncertainty of all sublunary things, and enable him to examine +maturely the manner of dying; which, if duly abstracted from the +terror of the idea, will appear nothing more than an unavoidable +appendix of life itself, and a pure natural action. + +4. Consider that ill-usage from some sort of people is in a manner +necessary, and therefore do not be disquieted about it, but rather +conclude that you and your enemy are both marching off the stage +together, and that in a little time your very memories will be +extinguished. + +5. Among your principal observations upon human life, let it be +always one to take notice what a great deal both of time and ease +that man gains who is not troubled with the spirit of curiosity, +who lets his neighbours' affairs alone, and confines his +inspections to himself, and only takes care of honesty and a good +conscience. + +6. If you would live at your ease, and as much as possible be free +from the incumbrances of life, manage but a few things at once, and +let those, too, be such as are absolutely necessary. By this rule +you will draw the bulk of your business into a narrow compass, and +have the double pleasure of making your actions good, and few into +the bargain. + +7. He that torments himself because things do not happen just as +he would have them, is but a sort of ulcer in the world; and he +that is selfish, narrow-souled, and sets up for a separate +interest, is a kind of voluntary outlaw, and disincorporates +himself from mankind. + +8. Never think anything below you which reason and your own +circumstances require, and never suffer yourself to be deterred by +the ill-grounded notions of censure and reproach; but when honesty +and conscience prompt you to say or do anything, do it boldly; +never balk your resolution or start at the consequence. + +9. If a man does me an injury, what is that to me? It is his own +action, and let him account for it. As for me, I am in my proper +station, and only doing the business that Providence has allotted; +and withal, I ought to consider that the best way to revenge, is +not to imitate the injury. + +10. When you happen to be ruffled and put out of humour by any +cross accident, retire immediately into your reason, and do not +suffer your passion to overrule you a moment; for the sooner you +recover yourself now, the better you will be able to guard yourself +for the future. + +11. Do not be like those ill-natured people that, though they do +not love to give a good word to their contemporaries, yet are +mighty fond of their own commendations. This argues a perverse and +unjust temper, and often exposes the authors to scorn and contempt. + +12. If any one convinces you of an error, change your opinion and +thank him for it: truth and information are your business, and can +never hurt anybody. On the contrary, he that is proud and +stubborn, and wilfully continues in a mistake, it is he that +receives the mischief. + +13. Because you see a thing difficult, do not instantly conclude +it to be impossible to master it. Diligence and industry are +seldom defeated. Look, therefore, narrowly into the thing itself, +and what you observe proper and practicable in another, conclude +likewise within your own power. + +14. The principal business of human life is run through within the +short compass of twenty-four hours; and when you have taken a +deliberate view of the present age, you have seen as much as if you +had begun with the world, the rest being nothing else but an +endless round of the same thing over and over again. + +15. Bring your will to your fate, and suit your mind to your +circumstances. Love your friends and forgive your enemies, and do +justice to all mankind, and you will be secure to make your passage +easy, and enjoy most of the comforts human life is capable to +afford you. + +16. When you have a mind to entertain yourself in your +retirements, let it be with the good qualifications of your friends +and acquaintance. Think with pleasure and satisfaction upon the +honour and bravery of one, the modesty of another, the generosity +of a third, and so on; there being nothing more pleasant and +diverting than the lively images and the advantages of those we +love and converse with. + +17. As nothing can deprive you of the privileges of your nature, +or compel you to act counter to your reason, so nothing can happen +to you but what comes from Providence, and consists with the +interest of the universe. + +18. Let people's tongues and actions be what they will, your +business is to have honour and honesty in your view. Let them +rail, revile, censure, and condemn, or make you the subject of +their scorn and ridicule, what does it all signify? You have one +certain remedy against all their malice and folly, and that is, to +live so that nobody shall believe them. + +19. Alas, poor mortals! did we rightly consider our own state and +condition, we should find it would not be long before we have +forgot all the world, and to be even, that all the world will have +forgot us likewise. + +20. He that would recommend himself to the public, let him do it +by the candour and modesty of his behaviour, and by a generous +indifference to external advantages. Let him love mankind, and +resign to Providence, and then his works will follow him, and his +good actions will praise him in the gate. + +21. When you hear a discourse, let your understanding, as far as +possible, keep pace with it, and lead you forward to those things +which fall most within the compass of your own observations. + +22. When vice and treachery shall be rewarded, and virtue and +ability slighted and discountenanced; when ministers of state shall +rather fear man than God, and to screen themselves run into parties +and factions; when noise and clamour, and scandalous reports shall +carry everything before them, it is natural to conclude that a +nation in such a state of infatuation stands upon the brink of +destruction, and without the intervention of some unforeseen +accident, must be inevitably ruined. + +23. When a prince is guarded by wise and honest men, and when all +public officers are sure to be rewarded if they do well, and +punished if they do evil, the consequence is plain; justice and +honesty will flourish, and men will be always contriving, not for +themselves, but for the honour and interest of their king and +country. + +24. Wicked men may sometimes go unpunished in this world, but +wicked nations never do; because this world is the only place of +punishment of wicked nations, though not for private and particular +persons. + +25. An administration that is merely founded upon human policy +must be always subject to human chance; but that which is founded +on the divine wisdom can no more miscarry than the government of +heaven. To govern by parties and factions is the advice of an +atheist, and sets up a government by the spirit of Satan. In such +a government the prince can never be secure under the greatest +promises, since, as men's interest changes, so will their duty and +affections likewise. + +26. It is a very ancient observation, and a very true one, that +people generally despise where they flatter, and cringe to those +they design to betray; so that truth and ceremony are, and always +will be, two distinct things. + +27. When you find your friend in an error, undeceive him with +secrecy and civility, and let him see his oversight first by hints +and glances; and if you cannot convince him, leave him with +respect, and lay the fault upon your own management. + +28. When you are under the greatest vexations, then consider that +human life lasts but for a moment; and do not forget but that you +are like the rest of the world, and faulty yourself in many +instances; and withal, remember that anger and impatience often +prove more mischievous than the provocation. + +29. Gentleness and good humour are invincible, provided they are +without hypocrisy and design; they disarm the most barbarous and +savage tempers, and make even malice ashamed of itself. + +30. In all the actions of life let it be your first and principal +care to guard against anger on the one hand, and flattery on the +other, for they are both unserviceable qualities, and do a great +deal of mischief in the government of human life. + +31. When a man turns knave or libertine, and gives way to fear, +jealousy, and fits of the spleen; when his mind complains of his +fortune, and he quits the station in which Providence has placed +him, he acts perfectly counter to humanity, deserts his own nature, +and, as it were, runs away from himself. + +32. Be not heavy in business, disturbed in conversation, nor +impertinent in your thoughts. Let your judgment be right, your +actions friendly, and your mind contented; let them curse you, +threaten you, or despise you; let them go on; they can never injure +your reason or your virtue, and then all the rest that they can do +to you signifies nothing. + +33. The only pleasure of human life is doing the business of the +creation; and which way is that to be compassed very easily? Most +certainly by the practice of general kindness, by rejecting the +importunity of our senses, by distinguishing truth from falsehood, +and by contemplating the works of the Almighty. + +34. Be sure to mind that which lies before you, whether it be +thought, word, or action; and never postpone an opportunity, or +make virtue wait for you till to-morrow. + +35. Whatever tends neither to the improvement of your reason nor +the benefit of society, think it below you; and when you have done +any considerable service to mankind, do not lessen it by your folly +in gaping after reputation and requital. + +36. When you find yourself sleepy in a morning, rouse yourself, +and consider that you are born to business, and that in doing good +in your generation, you answer your character and act like a man; +whereas sleep and idleness do but degrade you, and sink you down to +a brute. + +37. A mind that has nothing of hope, or fear, or aversion, or +desire, to weaken and disturb it, is the most impregnable security. +Hither we may with safety retire and defy our enemies; and he that +sees not this advantage must be extremely ignorant, and he that +forgets it unhappy. + +38. Do not disturb yourself about the faults of other people, but +let everybody's crimes be at their own door. Have always this +great maxim in your remembrance, that to play the knave is to rebel +against religion; all sorts of injustice being no less than high +treason against Heaven itself. + +39. Do not contemn death, but meet it with a decent and religious +fortitude, and look upon it as one of those things which Providence +has ordered. If you want a cordial to make the apprehensions of +dying go down a little the more easily, consider what sort of world +and what sort of company you will part with. To conclude, do but +look seriously into the world, and there you will see multitudes of +people preparing for funerals, and mourning for their friends and +acquaintances; and look out again a little afterwards, and you will +see others doing the very same thing for them. + +40. In short, men are but poor transitory things. To-day they are +busy and harassed with the affairs of human life; and to-morrow +life itself is taken from them, and they are returned to their +original dust and ashes. + + + +PART III + + + +Containing prophetic observations relating to the affairs of Europe +and of Great Britain, more particularly from 1720 to 1729. + +1. In the latter end of 1720, an eminent old lady shall bring +forth five sons at a birth; the youngest shall live and grow up to +maturity, but the four eldest shall either die in the nursery, or +be all carried off by one sudden and unexpected accident. + +2. About this time a man with a double head shall arrive in +Britain from the south. One of these heads shall deliver messages +of great importance to the governing party, and the other to the +party that is opposite to them. The first shall believe the +monster, but the last shall discover the impostor, and so happily +disengage themselves from a snare that was laid to destroy them and +their posterity. After this the two heads shall unite, and the +monster shall appear in his proper shape. + +3. In the year 1721, a philosopher from Lower Germany shall come, +first to Amsterdam in Holland, and afterwards to London. He will +bring with him a world of curiosities, and among them a pretended +secret for the transmutation of metals. Under the umbrage of this +mighty secret he shall pass upon the world for some time; but at +length he shall be detected, and proved to be nothing but an +empiric and a cheat, and so forced to sneak off, and leave the +people he has deluded, either to bemoan their loss, or laugh at +their own folly. N.B.- This will be the last of his sect that will +ever venture in this part of the world upon the same errand. + +4. In this year great endeavours will be used for procuring a +general peace, which shall be so near a conclusion that public +rejoicings shall be made at the courts of several great potentates +upon that account; but just in the critical juncture, a certain +neighbouring prince shall come to a violent death, which shall +occasion new war and commotion all over Europe; but these shall +continue but for a short time, and at last terminate in the utter +destruction of the first aggressors. + +5. Towards the close of this year of mysteries, a person that was +born blind shall have his sight restored, and shall see ravens +perch upon the heads of traitors, among which the head of a +notorious prelate shall stand upon the highest pole. + +6. In the year 1722, there shall be a grand congress, and new +overtures of peace offered by most of the principal parties +concerned in the war, which shall have so good effect that a +cessation of arms shall be agreed upon for six months, which shall +be kept inviolable till a certain general, either through treachery +or inadvertency, shall begin hostilities before the expiration of +the term; upon which the injured prince shall draw his sword, and +throw the scabbard into the sea, vowing never to return it till he +shall obtain satisfaction for himself, and done justice to all that +were oppressed. + +7. At the close of this year, a famous bridge shall be broken +down, and the water that runs under it shall be tinctured with the +blood of two notorious malefactors, whose unexpected death shall +make mighty alterations in the present state of affairs, and put a +stop to the ruin of a nation, which must otherwise have been +unavoidable. + +8. 1723 begins with plots, conspiracies, and intestine commotions +in several countries; nor shall Great Britain itself be free from +the calamity. These shall continue till a certain young prince +shall take the reins of government into his own hands; and after +that, a marriage shall be proposed, and an alliance concluded +between two great potentates, who shall join their forces, and +endeavour, in good earnest, to set all matters upon a right +foundation. + +9. This year several cardinals and prelates shall be publicly +censured for heretical principles, and shall narrowly escape from +being torn to pieces by the common people, who still look upon them +as the grand disturbers of public tranquillity, perfect +incendiaries, and the chief promoters of their former, present, and +future calamities. + +10. In 1724-5 there will be many treaties and negociations, and +Great Britain, particularly, will be crowded with foreign ministers +and ambassadors from remote princes and states. Trade and commerce +will begin to flourish and revive, and everything will have a +comfortable prospect, until some desperadoes, assisted by a monster +with many heads, shall start new difficulties, and put the world +again into a flame; but these shall be but of short duration. + +11. Before the expiration of 1725, an eagle from the north shall +fly directly to the south, and perch upon the palace of a prince, +and first unravel the bloody projects and designs of a wicked set +of people, and then publicly discover the murder of a great king, +and the intended assassination of another greater than he. + +12. In 1726, three princes will be born that will grow up to be +men, and inherit the crowns of three of the greatest monarchies in +Europe. + +13. About this time the pope will die, and after a great many +intrigues and struggles, a Spanish cardinal shall be elected, who +shall decline the dignity, and declare his marriage with a great +lady, heiress of one of the chief principalities in Italy, which +may occasion new troubles in Europe, if not timely prevented. + +14. In 1727, new troubles shall break out in the north, occasioned +by the sudden death of a certain prince, and the avarice and +ambition of another. Poor Poland seems to be pointed at; but the +princes of the south shall enter into a confederacy to preserve +her, and shall at length restore her peace, and prevent the +perpetual ruin of her constitution. + +15. Great endeavours will be used about this time for a +comprehension in religion, supported by crafty and designing men, +and a party of mistaken zealots, which they shall artfully draw in +to join with them; but as the project is ill-concerted, and will be +worse managed, it will come to nothing; and soon afterwards an +effectual mode will be taken to prevent the like attempt for the +future. + +16. 1728 will be a year of inquiry and retrospection. Many +exorbitant grants will be reassumed, and several persons who +thought themselves secure will be called before the senate, and +compelled to disgorge what they have unjustly pillaged either from +the crown or the public. + +17. About this time a new scaffold will be erected upon the +confines of a certain great city, where an old count of a new +extraction, that has been of all parties and true to none, will be +doomed by his peers to make his first appearance. After this an +old lady who has often been exposed to danger and disgrace, and +sometimes brought to the very brink of destruction, will be brought +to bed of three daughters at once, which they shall call Plenty, +Peace, and Union; and these three shall live and grow up together, +be the glory of their mother, and the comfort of posterity for many +generations. + + +This is the substance of what he either writ or extracted from his +papers in the interval between the loss of his speech and the +return of his fit, which happened exactly at the time he had +computed. + +Upon the approach of his fit, he made signs to be put to bed, which +was no sooner done but he was seized with extreme agonies, which he +bore up under with the greatest steadfastness, and after a severe +conflict, that lasted near eight hours, he expired. + +Thus lived and thus died this extraordinary person; a person, +though of mean extraction and obscure life, yet when his character +comes to be fully and truly known, it will be read with pleasure, +profit, and admiration. + +His perfections at large would be the work of a volume, and +inconsistent with the intention of these papers. I will, +therefore, only add, for a conclusion, that he was a man of +uncommon thought and judgment, and always kept his appetites and +inclinations within their just limits. + +His reason was strong and manly, his understanding sound and +active, and his temper so easy, equal, and complaisant, that he +never fell out, either with men or accidents. He bore all things +with the highest affability, and computed justly upon their value +and consequence, and then applied them to their proper uses. + + + +A LETTER FROM OXFORD + + + +Sir, + +Being informed that you speedily intend to publish some memoirs +relating to our dumb countryman, Dickory Cronke, I send you +herewith a few lines, in the nature of an elegy, which I leave you +to dispose of as you think fit. I knew and admired the man; and if +I were capable, his character should be the first thing I would +attempt. + +Yours. &c. + + +AN ELEGY, +IN MEMORY OF DICKORY CRONKE, +THE DUMB PHILOSOPHER. + +Vitiis nemo sine nascitur; optimus ille est, +Qui minimus urgetur.--HORACE. + +If virtuous actions emulation raise, +Then this good man deserves immortal praise. +When nature such extensive wisdom lent, +She sure designed him for our precedent. +Such great endowments in a man unknown, +Declare the blessings were not all his own; +But rather granted for a time to show +What the wise hand of Providence can do. +In him we may a bright example see +Of nature, justice, and morality; +A mind not subject to the frowns of fate, +But calm and easy in a servile state. +He always kept a guard upon his will +And feared no harm because he knew no ill. +A decent posture and an humble mien, +In every action of his life were seen. +Through all the different stages that he went, +He still appeared both wise and diligent: +Firm to his word, and punctual to his trust, +Sagacious, frugal, arable, and just. +No gainful views his bounded hopes could sway, +No wanton thought led his chaste soul astray. +In short, his thoughts and actions both declare, +Nature designed him her philosopher; +That all mankind, by his example taught, +Might learn to live, and manage every thought. +Oh! could my muse the wondrous subject grace, +And, from his youth, his virtuous actions trace; +Could I in just and equal numbers tell +How well he lived, and how devoutly fell, +I boldly might your strict attention claim, +And bid you learn, and copy out the man. + +J. P. +Exeter College, August 25th, 1719. + + + +EPITAPH + + + +The occasion of this epitaph was briefly thus:- A gentleman, who +had heard much in commendation of this dumb man, going accidentally +to the churchyard where he was buried, and finding his grave +without a tombstone, or any manner of memorandum of his death, he +pulled out his pencil, and writ as follows:- + + +PAUPER UBIQUE JACET. + + +Near to this lonely unfrequented place, +Mixed with the common dust, neglected lies +The man that every muse should strive to grace, +And all the world should for his virtue prize. +Stop, gentle passenger, and drop a tear, +Truth, justice, wisdom, all lie buried here. + +What, though he wants a monumental stone, +The common pomp of every fool or knave, +Those virtues which through all his actions shone +Proclaim his worth, and praise him in the grave. +His merits will a bright example give, +Which shall both time and envy too outlive. + +Oh, had I power but equal to my mind, +A decent tomb should soon this place adorn, +With this inscription: Lo, here lies confined +A wondrous man, although obscurely born; +A man, though dumb, yet he was nature's care, +Who marked him out her own philosopher. + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of Dickory Cronke, by Daniel Defoe + diff --git a/old/dckcr10.zip b/old/dckcr10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..cbe889d --- /dev/null +++ b/old/dckcr10.zip |