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EVERY reader of the English language must be more or less acquainted with the name or works of Daniel De Foe. We are not ashamed to acknowledge, that we retain to the present hour the strong impressions made on our boyish fancy, by his inimitable story of Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday-a story full of interest, yet told in the most artless manner, and calculated to produce a useful moral impression on all who read it. In the feeling we have just adverted to, we apprehend we shall enjoy the sympathy of most of our readers, few of whom are likely to be exempted from the same impression, and the same kindly association with ourselves.

From the story, it is natural to advert to the author. The question as to its being fact or fiction does not materially alter the opinion which must be formed of the talents of the writer. We conclude at once, he must have been a man of considerable powers, and that he was probably a good man-a man of benevolent and philanthropic feeling. It could not be supposed, that this was his first or his only performance, aud

therefore some anxiety must naturally be felt to know more of the man and his doings.

To those who have felt any thing of these emotions, we have to say, that Mr. Wilson has provided, in the volumes before us, a fund of gratification and enjoyment of the very amplest description. The labour, the expense, the research which must have been bestowed on this work, we apprehend even Mr. Wilson himself would scarcely like to tell. We are really surprised by the mass of curious and interesting matter, which he has contrived to bring together;-illustrative of the history of De Foe, of his numerous writings, and of the deeply interesting period through which he lived. The mass indeed is so great, that we scarcely know how to do any thing like justice to it within the scanty limits which we can afford. Two or three circumstances we shall advert to in limine.

De Foe was a Dissenter; and certainly, on moral and literary grounds, we have no reason to be ashamed of the connexion of this celebrated individual with our profession. We have been repre

Memoirs of the Life and Times of Daniel De Foe: containing a Review of his Writings, and his Opinions upon a variety of important Matters, Civil and Ecclesiastical. By Walter Wilson, Esq. of the Inner Temple. In three Volumes. London: Hurst, Chance, and Co. £2s 2s.

NO. 61. VOL. XIV.

B

sented as having no claims to consideration in the country from any contributions we have made to its literature; except, perhaps, in the department of practical theology. The mighty of all departments of our literature are all supposed to be churchmen. Even Dr. Chalmers, whom we might have expected to know better, joins in this style of exalting the church and the Universities, and depressing the merits of the Dissenters. It should not be quite forgotten, that Milton was a Dissenter-that Locke was a Dissenter-that Ray was a Dissenter that Lardner, without whom we should not have had Paley, was a Dissenter - that Kippis, and Watts, and Doddridge; Price, and Priestley,whose philosophical writings no man will despise, what ever opinion may be formed of their theology, were all Dissenters; beside many more whom we could name, whose contributions to our national literature, to learning and science, it would be affectation to regard as of trifling importance.

Among this class of persons, De Foe occupies a high and honourable rank, both from the number, the variety, and the importance of his works. Mr. Wilson has furnished a list of two hundred and ten separate publications, and he does not consider that list complete. These are on almost every subject of morals, history, politics, poetry, &c. And among these are works of great labour and distinguished merit. His History of the Union between the two Kingdoms, a folio volume of 700 pages, is a book of firstrate authority and importance on that interesting subject-his Memoirs of the Church of Scotland -his Review of the State of Great Britain, continued through a number of volumes—his various works of fiction, are all entitled to rank

high among the books of their respective classes.

To no writer of his day were the Dissenters indebted for so many important defences of their civil and religious rights. He understood their sentiments well; his views of the constitutional freedom of Great Britain were enlarged and enlightened. Whenever, therefore, the liberties of his country, or the privileges of his brethren were in danger, his pen was ready to defend them, and to attack their enemies with all the force and humour, which, on proper occasions, he knew well how to put forth.

His sufferings in the cause which he espoused, at once marked his sincerity, and established claims to our lasting gratitude. Living at a period when, if not "civil dudgeon," civil quarrels, and party politics ran high, he took his side, and with invincible firmness and persevering resolution maintained it during nearly half a century. On all these, and on many more grounds than we can now state, the life and character of De Foe, of which, till the present moment, no adequate account has been given, have more than ordinary claims on the attention of the reading public, and especially of the Dissenters of Great Britain.

It is impossible for us to give any regular narrative of his long and diversified career; but we must make room for some extracts to illustrate, though, very imperfectly, the life of De Foe, and the merits of his biographer.

"Daniel Foe, or De Foe, as he chose afterwards to call himself, was born in the city of London, in the year 1661, two years earlier than the date commonly assigned by his biographers. His birth-place was in the parish of St. Giles's, Cripplegate. For the knowhis descent, we are indebted to the reledge of this circumstance, as well as of searches of the late George Chalmers,

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