Робинзон Крузо

           ItwasoneofthenightsintherainyseasoninMarch,thefourandtwentiethyearofmyfirstsettingfootinthisislandofsolitariness. Iwaslyinginmybed,orhammock,awake,verywellinhealth,hadnopain,nodistemper,nouneasinessofbody,no,noranyuneasinessofmind,morethanordinary,butcouldbynomeansclosemyeyes,thatis,soastosleep;no,notawinkallnightlong,otherwisethanasfollows. 

           Itisasimpossible,asneedless,tosetdowntheinnumerablecrowdofthoughtsthatwhirledthroughthatgreatthroughfareofthebrain,thememory,inthisnight’stime. Iranoverthewholehistoryofmylifeinminiature,orbyabridgment,asImaycallit,tomycomingtothisisland,andalsoofthepartofmylifesinceIcametothisisland. InmyreflectionsuponthestateofmycasesinceIcameonshoreonthisisland,Iwascomparingthehappypostureofmyaffairsinthefirstyearsofmyhabitationherecomparedtothelifeofanxiety,fear,andcarewhichIhadlivedeversinceIhadseentheprintofafootinthesand; northatIdidnotbelievethesavageshadfrequentedtheislandevenallthewhile,andmighthavebeenseveralhundredsofthemattimesonshorethere; butIhadneverknownit,andwasincapableofanyapprehensionsaboutit. Mysatisfactionwasperfect,thoughmydangerwasthesame;andIwasashappyinnotknowingmydanger,asifIhadneverreallybeenexposedtoit. Thisfurnishedmythoughtswithmanyveryprofitablereflections,andparticularlythisone:howinfinitelygoodthatProvidenceiswhichhasprovided,initsgovernmentofmankind,suchnarrowboundstohissightandknowledgeofthings; andthoughhewalksinthemidstofsomanythousanddangers,thesightofwhich,ifdiscoveredtohim,woulddistracthismindandsinkhisspirits,heiskeptsereneandcalm,byhavingtheeventsofthingshidfromhiseyes,andknowingnothingofthedangerswhichsurroundhim.