Dickory Cronke: The Dumb Philosopher, or, Great Britain's WonderDefoe, Daniel
Philosophy
Dickory Cronke: The Dumb Philosopher, or, Great Britain's Wonder
Defoe, Daniel
Didactic fiction; Philosophers -- Fiction
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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