DeFoe, Robinson Crusoe (1719):Introduction

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A Note on the Text
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*p.343 read: “goingt by Sea at all, except from ''Calais'' to ''Dover,'' thah I resolv’d to travel all the Way by Land; whice as I was not in Haste, and did not value th  Charge” – we did not reproduce this mistake, it was caused by the the individual letters t, h, e - the last letters of three sucessive lines - having moved each one line up. *p.343 read: “goingt by Sea at all, except from ''Calais'' to ''Dover,'' thah I resolv’d to travel all the Way by Land; whice as I was not in Haste, and did not value th  Charge” – we did not reproduce this mistake, it was caused by the the individual letters t, h, e - the last letters of three sucessive lines - having moved each one line up.
-Our eduition does in a sense allow you to see how the text was composed – hastily. The preface was not proofread and the Errata at the end in combination with the text shed some light into what was probably a lack of interaction between compositor and author in this haste. It seems the compositor noted on p.46 – looking back to what had been said on p.7 – an incoherence in Crusoes reckoning of time. He left a blank and seems to have asked for checking the dates. The printing went on, p.7 remained as it was and p.46 came to be published with the provisional blank whilst the Errata eventually supplied the correct date for p.7.+Our edition does in a sense allow you to see how the text was composed – hastily. The preface was not proof read and the Errata at the end in combination with the text shed light into what was probably a lack of interaction between compositor and author in this haste. It seems the compositor noted on p.46 – looking back to what had been said on p.7 – an incoherence in Crusoes reckoning of time. He left a blank and seems to have asked for checking the dates. The printing went on, p.7 remained as it was and p.46 came to be published with the provisional blank whilst the Errata eventually supplied the correct date for p.7.
We have reproduced these “Errors” with all the other “mistakes” later editions came to “correct” and we have take special care to reproduced all the other graphical elements the text offered from initials to headpieces. The text is presented with the original pagination so that it is possible to quote our edition with page references to the first. We have reproduced these “Errors” with all the other “mistakes” later editions came to “correct” and we have take special care to reproduced all the other graphical elements the text offered from initials to headpieces. The text is presented with the original pagination so that it is possible to quote our edition with page references to the first.

Revision as of 10:08, 27 June 2006

A Note on the Text

The present edition of Daniel DeFoe's Robinson Crusoe follows the first edition as published by William Taylor, London, 1719, copy of the British Library, shelf-mark: C.30.f.6, ESTC T072264, 18th Century Microfilm reel 6536, Eighteenth Century Collections Online.

The Marteau-text will appear to be a very radical attempt to offer insight into the copy text.

  • We reproduced spelling mistakes (and offered marginal notes with the “correct” readings),
  • Letters which were lost in print have been supplemented in square brackets.
  • dowu p.52 has been corrected to dow[n] and
  • mav’st p.134 to ma[y]’st.
  • p.343 read: “goingt by Sea at all, except from Calais to Dover, thah I resolv’d to travel all the Way by Land; whice as I was not in Haste, and did not value th  Charge” – we did not reproduce this mistake, it was caused by the the individual letters t, h, e - the last letters of three sucessive lines - having moved each one line up.

Our edition does in a sense allow you to see how the text was composed – hastily. The preface was not proof read and the Errata at the end in combination with the text shed light into what was probably a lack of interaction between compositor and author in this haste. It seems the compositor noted on p.46 – looking back to what had been said on p.7 – an incoherence in Crusoes reckoning of time. He left a blank and seems to have asked for checking the dates. The printing went on, p.7 remained as it was and p.46 came to be published with the provisional blank whilst the Errata eventually supplied the correct date for p.7.

We have reproduced these “Errors” with all the other “mistakes” later editions came to “correct” and we have take special care to reproduced all the other graphical elements the text offered from initials to headpieces. The text is presented with the original pagination so that it is possible to quote our edition with page references to the first.

If you find mistakes (or mistakes we failed to reproduce or note) do not hesitate to contact us at mailto:olaf.simons@pierre-marteau.com.

Introduction and Notes

...will follow together with reproductions of maps, tools, and ships wherever we find period materials to reproduce. The present edition is work in progress and requires a bit of patience

The Editors
Olaf Simons and Christopher Villmar