man shall be punished for
drunkenness, and yet have liberty to affront, and even deny the Majesty
of heaven? When if, even among men, one gives the lie to a gentleman in
company, or perhaps speaks an affronting word, a quarrel will ensue, and
a combat, and perhaps murder be the consequence: At the least, he, will
prosecute him at law with the utmost virulence and oppression.

The next thing to be refrained, is obscene discourse, which is the
language only of proficients in debauchery, who never repent, but in a
gaol or hospital; and whose carcases relish no better than their
discourse, till the body becomes too nasty for the soul to stay any
longer in it.

Nor is false talking to be less avoided; for lying is the sheep's
clothing hung upon the wolf's back: It is the Pharisee's prayer, the
whore's buss, the hypocrite's paint, the murderer's smile, the thief's
cloak; it is Joab's embrace, and Judah's kiss; in a word, it is
mankind's darling sin, and the devil's distinguishing character. Some
add lies to lies, till it not only comes to be improbable, but even
impossible too: Others lie for gain to deceive, delude, and betray: And
a third lies for sport, or for fun. There are other liars, who are
personal and malicious; who foment differences, and carry tales from one
house to another, in order to gratify their own envious tempers, without
any regard to reverence or truth.

THE

REMARKABLE HISTORY

OF

ALEXANDER SELKIRK

_From the voyage of Captain Woodes Rogers to the South Seas and round
the World._

* * * * *

On February 1st, 1709, we came before that island,[1] having had a good
observation the day before, and found our latitude to be 34 degrees 10
minutes south. In the afternoon, we hoisted out our pinnace; and Captain
Dover, with the boat's crew, went in her to go ashore, though we could
not be less that four leagues off. As soon as the pinnace was gone, I
went on board the Duchess, who admired our boat attempting going ashore
at that distance from land. It was against my inclination: but, to
oblige Captain Dover, I let her go: As soon as it was dark, we saw a
light ashore. Our boat was then about a league off the island, and bore
away for the ship as soon as she saw the lights: We put our lights
aboard for the boat, though some were of opinion, the lights we saw were
our boat's lights: But, as night came on, it appeared too large for
that: We fired our quarter-deck