"An Essay upon Projects. im to the dignity of a volume. London. Printed by R. R. for Thomas Cockerill, at the corner of Warwick Lane, near Paternoster Row. 1697." Mr. Wilson and others have made a mistake in stating that it was published towards the close of the War in January 1696-7. Although dated in the latter year, it was not published until the 29th of March, 1698. It consists of 350 pages, and might rather be called a series of Essays upon portant public improvements suggested by the author. After an Introduction, and a short History of Projects and Projectors, the first scheme he recommends is a Royal or National Bank, with affiliated Provincial Establishments. The next relates to Public Highways, and their improvement in construction, repair, and management. Then follows a proposal of Assurances, under which he includes Insurance against Shipwreck, Fires, Titles of Lands, &c., but singularly says, he cannot admire insuring of Life. In recommending Friendly Societies, which he says, "is in short a number of People entering into a Mutual Compact to help one another, in Case any Disaster or Distress fall upon them," he has many excellent suggestions, showing that the principle admits of great extension; instancing assistance of seamen, and support of destitute widows. He then proposes a Pension Office in every County, for the reception of deposits from the poor for their relief in sickness and old age; this was an anticipation of the modern institution of Savings Banks, combined with the still more recent provision for conversion into annuities. Under the head "Of Fools," he urges the erection of an Institution for the care and maintenance of Idiots; whom he calls "a particular Rentcharge on the great Family of Mankind." For the benefit of Trade, and honest but unfortunate Traders, he next projects a Commission of Enquiry into bankruptcy. In the true spirit of improvement, our author suggests the formation of Academies to supply some neglected branches of education. One of these was the Refinement and Correction of the English Language, and suppression of profane swearing and vulgarisms. Another important recommendation, that he esteemed the most noble and useful in his book, was an Academy for Military Studies. Supplementary thereto, he proposes an Academy for Military Exercises. Under this 1701.] HIS PROJECTS OF BENEVOLENCE. 39 Head he has also a project for an Academy for Women. The last scheme in the series is one for the Registration of all the Seamen of the United Kingdom. Thus I have enumerated the topics of this remarkable embodiment of Defoe's benevolence, sagacity, and foresight. He truly remarks of the period when this book was written, that it was a "Projecting Age." Lotteries, Wagering, and schemes of a swindling description abounded. The journals contained numerous advertisements, such as "A House worth 5col. for ten shillings," "A service of Plate for a shilling;" and, even of the more reputable proposals, the general intention was the pecuniary advantage of the projectors, at the expense of their dupes. Defoe's object in all his Projects was the greatest possible good to his fellow-creatures, without any private advantage to himself. That he was at least a century in advance of his age is apparent from the fact that nearly all the national and philanthropic measures he propounded have since been practically effected, though some of them only within the present generation. The book is comparatively little known, but it appeared so important to Mr. Walter Wilson that he has devoted to its contents a whole chapter of his "Life and Times of Defoe."* It is related of Benjamin Franklin that, when young, he found a copy of this book in his father's library, and declared afterward that he had received impressions from it that had influenced the principal events of his life.† A second edition was published in 1702, or rather the bookseller placed a new title-page before the remaining copies of the same impression. Another philanthropic work on which Defoe had engaged himself was the reformation of manners. His Essay on the subject had been written before the publication of the volume last noticed, but not being in the nature of a project, was issued separately two days afterward, under the title of "The Poor Man's Plea, in Relation to all the Proclamations, Declarations, Acts of Parliament, &c., which have been, or shall be made, or published, for a Reformation of Manners, and suppressing Immorality in the Nation. London: Printed in the * Vol. i. pp. 256 to 268. † Dodsley's "Ann. Reg.," xxxvi. 242. year 1698." He sketches the gradual depravation of morals from the Reformation to the reign of Charles II., and in the character of a poor man seconds the laudable efforts of William III. to prevent and punish profaneness and immorality, by appealing to the Nobility, Gentry, Justices of the Peace, and Clergy, to stop the flood of Vice and profanity by good example; and urges, by forcible declamation against the great influence of bad example, that the "whole weight of this blessed work of Reformation lies on the shoulders of the Gentry." He says "Laws are in Terrorem Punishments; and Magistrates compel and put a force on Men's minds; but Example is persuasive and gentle, and draws by a secret, invisible, and almost involuntary power." Years afterward, Defoe looked back with satisfaction to his having written this Tract, and took frequent occasion, in his Reviews, to insist upon the impartial enforcement of the law on the subject. The pamphlet was popular, having passed through three editions before it was included in the first volume of his " Collected Writings." An interregnum of nearly two years occurred before the appearance of Defoe's next publication, "The Pacificator. A Poem. London: Printed and are to be sold by J. Nutt, near Stationers'-Hall. 1700." It was published on the 20th of February in that year; it consists of four sheets folio, and the first edition is of great rarity. This is Defoe's second Satire, and, so far from being "not distinguished by any merit that would render it popular beyond the fleeting occasion," I consider it one of Defoe's best productions in verse. The plan consists of an imaginary war among all the living authors of eminence, the author ranging them into two adverse parties, "the Men of Sense against the Men of Wit." The following couplets from page 12 show that the poem has antithetic force and point : "Wit, like a hasty Flood, may over-run us, And too much Sense has oftentimes undone us. "Wit is a King without a Parliament, 1701.] WAR OF THE SPANISH SUCCESSION. 41 Wit without Sense is like the Laughing-Evil, He shows great skill in weaving into his verse the names of living authors. I have only room for one instance, where, after urging the cessation of personal contention and abuse, he recommends ; "That each may choose the Part he can do well, To their own Province let them all confine, The death of Charles II. of Spain brought to a crisis the disputed succession to the crown of that monarchy. The treaty of Partition between the Kings of France and England and the States of Holland was unpopular in Spain and England. It had, however, been made in good faith by King William, and should the French monarch break through it, and acknowledge the Duke of Anjou as the future King of Spain, it appeared to many that a War between England and France would be inevitable. Although an important point in the history of Europe, I must say little more than that, before the decision of the French King was known, Defoe wrote, and on the 15th of November published, a pamphlet with the following title: "The Two Great Questions Considered-I. What the French King will Do, with respect to the Spanish Monarchy? II. What Measures the English ought to take? London: Printed in the year 1700." A short preface announces that since the sheets were in the Press, "Letters from France advise that the King of France has saluted his Grandson, the Duke D'Anjou, as King of Spain." On the 23rd of the same Defoe had already begun to be pirated. The English Post, 21 Nov., 1700, advertises "That there is a Sham Edition of the same Book, without the Preface, printed upon a very bad Paper: wherein are very great Omissions and Mistakes." month appeared "Remarks upon a late Pamphlet, intituled The Two Great Questions Considered,' &c. London: 1700.' It has been said that this anonymous writer " rudely assailed " Defoe; but I cannot perceive anything of the kind, unless at page 15, where he says, "If ever man petitioned in print for a Place, surely our Author does in this Book." On the 2nd of December, Defoe rejoined with, "The Two Great Questions further Considered. With some Reply to the Remarks. London: 1700." I think this able and exhaustive political Tract betrays more warmth of personal feeling than the occasion called for; but it was the first time Defoe had been publicly criticised, and he evidently could not bear the lash. He little thought that in a few years he would endure the most cruel scourgings, and be able to work on, as if impenetrable. There was a religious aspect of the question which had not been considered. Defoe saw that Protestantism in England and Holland was in danger, by the French King's breach of the Partition Treaty; that the disbanding of King William's army had weakened the nation; that another source of weakness existed in the great number of Jacobites at home; that there was no confederacy with other nations, by which the Protestant Religion could be protected; while the accession of a French prince to the throne of Spain consolidated the Popish Power in France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands. Believing that Protestantism was thus menaced, he urged an alliance with the Austrian Emperor, who was the natural rival of the French King; and also, a defensive Union of all Protestant. States. Such is a brief abstract of the substance of a wellwritten pamphlet which Defoe gave to the world on the 9th of January, intituled "The Danger of the Protestant Religion Considered, from the present Prospect of a Religious War in Europe. Printed in the year 1701." It was dedicated to the King; and, from the plain freedom of the address, there can be little doubt the writer already knew that his Majesty approved the contents. His former opponent returned to the charge on the 21st of January with a Second Part of "Remarks on the Two Great Questions, wherein the Grand Question of all is considered, viz., What the Dutch ought to do at this Juncture ? London: 1701." |