Robinson Crusoe: Top Ten Quotes
Top Ten Quotes
1. As I had once done thus in my breaking away from my Parents, so I could not be content now, but I must go and leave the happy View I had of being a rich and thriving Man in my new Plantation, only to pursue a rash and immoderate Desire of rising faster than the Nature of the Thing admitted; and thus I cast my self down again into the deepest Gulph of human Misery that ever Man fell into, or perhaps could be consistent with Life and a State of Health in the World. (p.29)
2. Upon the whole, here was an undoubted Testimony, that there was scarce any Condition in the World so miserable, but there was something Negative or something Positive to be thankful for in it; and let this stand as a Direction from the Experience of the most miserable of all conditions in this World, that we may always find in it something to comfort our selves from, and to set in the description of Good and Evil, on the Credit Side of the Accompt. (p. 50)
3. Now, said I aloud, My dear Father's Words are come to pass: God's Justice has overtaken me, and I have none to help or hear me: I rejected the Voice of Providence.(p. 67)
4. In a word, as my Life was a Life of Sorrow, one way, so it was a Life of Mercy, another; and I wanted nothing to make it a Life of Comfort, but to be able to make my Sence of God's Goodness to me, and Care over me in this Condition, be my daily Consolation; and after I did make a just Improvement of these things, I went away and was no more sad. (p. 97)
5. Thus we never see the true State of our Condition, till it is illustrated to us by its Contraries; nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it. (p.102)
6. I have been in all my Circumstances a Memento to those who are touched with the general Plague of Mankind, whence, for ought I know, one half of their Miseries flow; I mean, that of not being satisfy'd with the Station wherein God and Nature has plac'd them; for not to look back upon my primitive Condition, and the excellent Advice of my Father, the Opposition to which was, as I may call it, my ORIGINAL SIN.
7. It happen'd one Day about Noon going towards my Boat, I was exceedingly surpriz'd with the Print of a Man's naked Foot on the Shore.(p. 112)
8. When I came to England, I was as perfect a Stranger to all the World as if I had never been known there. (p. 200)
9. No shoots, says Friday, no yet, me shoot now, me no kill; me stay, give you one more laugh.(p. 213)
10. And thus I have given the first Part of a Life of Fortune and Adventure, a Life of Providence's Checquer-Work, and of a Variety which the World will seldom be able to show the like of: Beginning foolishly, but closing much more happily than any Part of it ever gave me Leave so much as to hope for. (p. 219)
Robinson Crusoe Study Guide
Choose to Continue- Novel Summary: Preface
- Novel Summary: 1. "I was born."
- Novel Summary: 2. "As my new Patron."
- Novel Summary: 3. "The generous Treatment."
- Novel Summary: 4. "After I had solac'd my Mind."
- Novel Summary: 5. "My Thoughts were now wholly employ'd."
- Novel Summary:6. Crusoe’s Journal, September 30 through June 27 (pp. 52-67)
- Novel Summary: 7. Crusoe's Journal, June 28 through September 30
- Novel Summary: 8. "The rainy Season."
- Novel Summary: 9. "I was now, in the Months of November and December."
- Novel Summary: 10. "But all this while."
- Novel Summary: 11. "I had now been here so long."
- Novel Summary: 12. "I improv'd my self in this time."
- Novel Summary: 13. "I was something impatient."
- Novel Summary: 14. "Things going on thus."
- Novel Summary: 15. "I believe the Reader of this will not think strange."
- Novel Summary: 16. "I have been in all my Circumstances."
- Novel Summary: 17. "After I had been two or three Days."
- Novel Summary: 18. "After Friday and I became."
- Novel Summary: 19. "The rainy Season."
- Novel Summary: 20. "Having now Society enough."
- Novel Summary: 21. "All I shew'd them."
- Novel Summary: 22. "When we had talk'd a while."
- Character Profiles
- Metaphor Analysis
- Theme Analysis
- Top Ten Quotes
- Biography: Daniel Defoe
- Essay Q&A
Robinson Crusoe Study Guide
Choose to Continue- Preface
- 1. "I was born."
- 2. "As my new Patron."
- 3. "The generous Treatment."
- 4. "After I had solac'd my Mind."
- 5. "My Thoughts were now wholly employ'd."
- 6. Crusoe’s Journal, September 30 through June 27 (pp. 52-67)
- 7. Crusoe's Journal, June 28 through September 30
- 8. "The rainy Season."
- 9. "I was now, in the Months of November and December."
- 10. "But all this while."
- 11. "I had now been here so long."
- 12. "I improv'd my self in this time."
- 13. "I was something impatient."
- 14. "Things going on thus."
- 15. "I believe the Reader of this will not think strange."
- 16. "I have been in all my Circumstances."
- 17. "After I had been two or three Days."
- 18. "After Friday and I became."
- 19. "The rainy Season."
- 20. "Having now Society enough."
- 21. "All I shew'd them."
- 22. "When we had talk'd a while."
- Character Profiles
- Metaphor Analysis
- Theme Analysis
- Top Ten Quotes
- Daniel Defoe
- Essay Q&A

Our Networks