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f3b3526
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It is never too late to be wise.
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Daniel Defoe |
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7558196
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Thus fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself.
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Daniel Defoe |
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e11ae45
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I saw the Cloud, though I did not foresee the Storm.
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daniel-defoe
moll-flanders
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Daniel Defoe |
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5f948fc
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Those people cannot enjoy comfortably what God has given them because they see and covet what He has not given them. All of our discontents for what we want appear to me to spring from want of thankfulness for what we have.
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Daniel Defoe |
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dfb0708
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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.
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inspirational
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Daniel Defoe |
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7d4749d
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I have since often observed, how incongruous and irrational the common temper of mankind is, especially of youth ... that they are not ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to repent; not ashamed of the action for which they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are ashamed of the returning, which only can make them be esteemed wise men.
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Daniel Defoe |
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dacc44c
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I learned to look more upon the bright side of my condition, and less upon the dark side, and to consider what I enjoyed, rather than what I wanted : and this gave me sometimes such secret comforts, that I cannot express them ; and which I take notice of here, to put those discontented people in mind of it, who cannot enjoy comfortably what God has given them, because they see and covet something that he has not given them. All our disconte..
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Daniel Defoe |
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5940fda
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Thus fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself when apparent to the eyes ; and we find the burden of anxiety greater, by much, than the evil which we are anxious about : ...
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Daniel Defoe |
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0544a03
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Today we love what tomorrow we hate, today we seek what tomorrow we shun,
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Daniel Defoe |
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157e4aa
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It put me upon reflecting how little repining there would be among mankind at any condition of life, if people would rather compare their condition with those that were worse, in order to be thankful, than be always comparing them with those which are better, to assist their murmurings and complaining.
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Daniel Defoe |
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ddf221b
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Redemption from sin is greater then redemption from affliction.
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Daniel Defoe |
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59ff907
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All our discontents about what we want appeared to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what we have.
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Daniel Defoe |
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9fbc852
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And I add this part here, to hint to whoever shall read it, that whenever they come to a true Sense of things, they will find Deliverance from Sin a much greater Blessing than Deliverance from Affliction.
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Daniel Defoe |
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0dcf3fd
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For sudden Joys, like Griefs, confound at first.
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Daniel Defoe |
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9c24138
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All evils are to be considered with the good that is in them, and with what worse attends them.
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Daniel Defoe |
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ab793da
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I am giving an account of what was, not of what ought or ought not to be.
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Daniel Defoe |
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9c5925b
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I had been tricked once by that Cheat called love, but the Game was over...
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Daniel Defoe |
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4044c20
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I know not what to call this, nor will I urge that it is a secret, overruling decree, that hurries us on to be the instruments of our own destruction, even though it be before us, and that we rush upon it with our eyes open.
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Daniel Defoe |
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273b84c
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in the course of our lives, the evil which in itself we seek most to shun, and which, when we are fallen into, is the most dreadful to us, is oftentimes the very means or door of our deliverance, by which alone we can be raised again from the affliction we are fallen into...
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repentance
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Daniel Defoe |
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19ecf7c
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and now I saw, though too late, the folly of beginning a work before we count the cost, and before we judge rightly of our own strength to go through with it.
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Daniel Defoe |
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2a40df9
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This grieved me heartily ; and now I saw, though too late, the folly of beginning a work before we count the cost, and before we judge rightly of our own strength to go through with it.
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Daniel Defoe |
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f83be34
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I should always find, the calamities of life were shared among the upper and lower part of mankind; but that middle station had the fewest disasters, and was not exposed to so many vicissitudes as the higher or lower part of mankind; nay, they were not subjected to so many distempers and uneasinesses either of body or mind, as those were who, by vicious living, luxury, and extravagances on one hand, or by hard labor, want of necessaries, an..
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philosophy-of-life
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Daniel Defoe |
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eb208f6
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He look'd a little disorder'd, when he said this, but I did not apprehend any thing from it at that time, believing as it us'd to be said, that they who do those things never talk of them; or that they who talk of such things never do them.
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Daniel Defoe |
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8e5ccd7
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When kings the sword of justice first lay down, They are no kings, though they possess the crown. Titles are shadows, crowns are empty things, The good of subjects is the end of kings.
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good
monarchs
subjects
nothing
emptiness
titles
kings
purpose
justice
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Daniel Defoe |
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f9536ea
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These reflections made me very sensible of the goodness of Providence to me, and very thankful for my present condition, with all its hardships and misfortunes ; and this part also I cannot but recommend to the reflection of those who are apt, in their misery, to say, Is any affliction like mine? Let them consider how much worse the cases of some people are, and their case might have been, if Providence had thought fit.
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Daniel Defoe |
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5e2e406
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Call upon me in the Day of Trouble, and I will deliver, and thou shalt glorify me...Wait on the Lord, and be of good Cheer, and he shall strengthen thy Heart; wait, I say, on the Lord:' It is impossible to express the Comfort this gave me. In Answer, I thankfully laid down the Book, and was no more sad, at least, not on that Occasion.
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Daniel Defoe |
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2de899c
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Wait on the Lord, and be of good cheer, and he shall strengthen thy heart; wait, I say, on the Lord.
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Daniel Defoe |
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d81d67b
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Misfortunes seldom come alone.
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Daniel Defoe |
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34dd490
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But, he says again, if God much strong, much might as the Devil, why God no kill the Devil, so make him no more do wicked? I was strangely surprised at his question, [...] And at first I could not tell what to say, so I pretended not to hear him...
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Daniel Defoe |
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cb9112d
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If a young women once thinks herself handsome, she never doubts the truth of any man that tells her he is in love with her; for if she believes herself charming charming enough to captive him, 'tis natural to expect the effects of it.
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Daniel Defoe |
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b9f51c1
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How mercifully can our Creator treat His creatures, even in those conditions in which they seemed to be overwhelmed in destruction! How can He sweeten the bitterest providences, and give us cause to praise Him for dungeons and prisons! What a table was here spread for me in a wilderness where I saw nothing at first but to perish for hunger!
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Daniel Defoe |
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390ce7b
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From this moment I began to conclude in my mind that it was possible for me to be more happy in this forsaken, solitary condition that it was possible I should ever have been in any other particular state in the world; and with this thought I was going to give thanks to God for bringing me to this place.
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Daniel Defoe |
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62655a8
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I could not forbear getting up to the top of a little mountain, and looking out to sea, in hopes of seeing a ship : then fancy that, at a vast distance, I spied a sail, please myself with the hopes of it, and, after looking steadily, till I was almost blind, lose it quite, and sit down and weep like a child, and thus increase my misery by my folly.
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Daniel Defoe |
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cb17e9f
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How strange a Chequer Work of Providence is the Life of Man! and by what secret differing Springs are the Affections hurry'd about as differing Circumstances present! To Day we love what to Morrow we hate; to Day we seek what to Morrow we shun; to Day we desire what to Morrow we fear; nay even tremble at the Apprehensions of;
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Daniel Defoe |
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3e8f311
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I smil'd to my self at the sight of this money, O drug! said I aloud, what art thou good for? Thou art not worth to me, no not the taking off of the ground, one of those knives is worth all this heap, I have no manner of use for thee, e'en remain where thou art, and go to the bottom as a creature whose life is not worth saving. However, upon second thoughts, I took it away...
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Daniel Defoe |
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d2c007e
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Diligence and Application have their due Encouragement, even in the remotest Parts of the World, and that no Case can be so low, so despicable, or so empty of Prospect, but that an unwearied Industry will go a great way to deliver us from it, will in time raise the meanest Creature to appear again in the World, and give him a new Case for his Life.
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life
diligence
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Daniel Defoe |
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a91d06c
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If you have regard to your future happiness, any view of living comfortably with a husband, any hope of preserving your fortunes or restoring them after any disaster, never, ladies, marry a fool. Any husband rather than a fool. With some other husband you may be unhappy, but with a fool you will be miserable.
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Daniel Defoe |
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7a1a5a1
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What is this earth and sea of which I have seen so much? Whence is it produced? And what am I and all the other creatures, wild and tame, humane and brutal? Whence are we? Sure we are all made by some secret power, who formed the earth and sea, the air and sky; and who is that? Then it followed most naturally, It is God that has made it all. Well, but then it came on strangely, if God has made all these things, He guides and governs them a..
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Daniel Defoe |
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2280816
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But how just it has been! And how should all men reflect, that when they compare their present conditions with others that are worse, Heaven may oblige them to make the exchange, and be convinced of their former felicity by their experience...
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Daniel Defoe |
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fb193f4
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Man is a short-sighted creature, sees but a very little way before him; and as his passions are none of his best friends, so his particular affections are generally his worst counselors.
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Daniel Defoe |
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3b1c9f1
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It is as reasonable to represent one kind of imprisonment by another as it is to represent anything that really exists by that which exists not.
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Daniel Defoe |
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8eceedb
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Daniel Defoe was an English writer, journalist and spy, who gained enduring fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest practitioners of the novel and helped popularize the genre in Britain. In some texts he is even referred to as one of the founders, if not the founder, of the English novel. A prolific and versatile writer, he wrote over five hundred books, pamphlets, and journals on various topics (i..
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Daniel Defoe |
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83ff44c
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It is true that the original of this story is put into new words, and the style of the famous lady we here speak of is a little altered; particularly she is made to tell her own tale in modester words that she told it at first, the copy which came first to hand having been written in language more like one still in Newgate than one grown penitent and humble, as she afterwards pretends to be.
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Daniel Defoe |
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814b20a
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And now I saw how easy it was for the Providence of God to make the most miserable Condition Mankind could be in worse. Now I look'd back upon my desolate solitary Island, as the most pleasant Place in the World, and all the Happiness my Heart could wish for, was to be but there again. I stretch'd out my Hands to it with eager Wishes. O happy Desart, said I, I shall never see thee more. O miserable Creature, said I, whether am I going: Then..
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Daniel Defoe |