e, except the ranging the island to
seek for food; which I did, more or less, every day.

I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the circumstance I
was reduced to; and I drew up the state of my affairs in writing, not so
much to leave them to any that were to come after me (for I was like to
have but few heirs,) as to deliver my thoughts from daily poring upon
them, and afflicting my mind: and as my reason began now to master my
despondency, I began to comfort myself as well as I could, and to set
the good against the evil, that I might have something to distinguish my
case from worse; and I stated very impartially, like debtor and
creditor, the comforts I enjoyed against the miseries I suffered, thus:

EVIL.

I am cast upon a horrible,
desolate island, void of all
hope of recovery.

I am singled out and separated,
as it were, from all the
world, to be miserable.

I am divided from mankind,
a solitaire; one banished
from human society.

I have no clothes to cover
me.

I am without any defence,
or means to resist any violence
of man or beast.

I have no soul to speak to,
or relieve me.

GOOD.

But I am alive; and not
drowned, as all my ship's company
were.

But I am singled out too
from all the ship's crew, to be
spared from death; and he
that miraculously save me
from death, can deliver me
from this condition.

But I am not starved, and
perishing in a barren place,
affording no sustenance.

But I am in a hot climate,
where, if I had clothes, I could
hardly wear them.

But I am cast on an island
where I see no wild beast to
hurt me, as I saw on the coast
of Africa: and what if I had
been shipwrecked there?

But God wonderfully sent
the ship in near enough to the
shore, that I have got out so
many necessary things as will
either supply my wants, or
enable me to supply myself,
even as long as I live.

Upon the whole, here was an undoubted testimony, that there was scarce
any condition in the world so miserable, but there was something
negative, or something positive, to be thankful for in it: and let this
stand as a direction, from the experience of the most miserable of all
conditions in this world, that we may always find in it something to
comfo