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Grade 7 Up-Defoe's classic novel of shipwreck and survival, now nearly 300 years old, is abridged competently in this recording. The flavor of the 18th century language is retained, but the plot moves along at a pace more appealing to 21st century ears. The reader, Martin Shaw, has a pleasant voice, but unfortunately tends to trail off at the ends of sentences, losing whole words. As with all abridgements, large sections of the story and entire characters are omitted, but since most of the book tells of Crusoe's solitary sojourn on the island, this is not a major problem. This version is no substitute for the original, but it would be a supplemental purchase in libraries where abridgements are popular. 內容簡介
This classic story of a shipwrecked mariner on a deserted island is perhaps the greatest adventure in all of English literature. Fleeing from pirates, Robinson Crusoe is swept ashore in a storm possessing only a knife, a box of tobacco, a pipe-and the will to survive. His is the saga of a man alone: a man who overcomes self-pity and despair to reconstruct his life; who painstakingly teaches himself how to fashion a pot, bake bread, build a canoe; and who, after twenty-four agonizing years of solitude, discovers a human footprint in the sand... Consistently popular since its first publication in 1719, Daniel Defoe's story of human endurance in an exotic, faraway land exerts a timeless appeal. The first important English novel, Robinson Crusoe has taken its rightful place among the great myths of Western civilization. 作者簡介
Daniel Defoe was born Daniel Foe in London in 1660. It was perhaps, ineveitable that Defoe, an outspoken man, would become a political journalist. As a Puritan he believed God had given him a mission to print the truth, that is, to proselytize on religion and politics, and in fact, he became a prolific pamphleteer satirizing the hypocrisies of both Church and State. Defoe admired William III, and his poem The True-Born Englishman (1701) won him the King's friendship. But an ill-timed satire on High Church extremists, The Shortest Way with the Dissenters, published during Queen Anne's reign, resulted in his being pilloried and imprisoned for seditious libel in 1703.
At fifty-nine Defoe turned to fiction, completing The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1719), partly based on the saga of Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor; Moll Flanders (1722); Colonel Jack (1722); A Journal of the Plague Years (1722); and Roxana or the Fortunate Mistress (1724). 精彩書摘
I was born in the Year 1632, in the City of York, of a good Family, tho not of that Country, my Father being a Foreigner of Bremen, who settled first at Hull: He got a good Estate by Merchandise, and leaving off his Trade, lived afterward at York, from whence he had married my Mother, whose Relations were named Robinson, a very good Family in that Country, and from whom I was called Robinson Kreutznaer; but by the usual Corruption of Words in England, we are now called, nay we call our selves, and write our Name Crusoe, and so my Companions always call'd me.
I had two elder Brothers, one of which was Lieutenant Collonel to an English Regiment of Foot in Flanders, formerly commanded by the famous Coll. Lockhart, and was killed at the Battle near Dunkirk against the Spaniards: What became of my second Brother I never knew any more than my Father or Mother did know what was become of me.
Being the third Son of the Family, and not bred to any Trade, my Head began to be fill'd very early with rambling Thoughts: My Father, who was very ancient, had given me a competent Share of Learning, as far as House-Education, and a Country Free-School generally goes, and design'd me for the Law; but I would be satisfied with nothing but going to Sea, and my Inclination to this led me so strongly against the Will, nay the Commands of my Father, and against all the Entreaties and Perswasions of my Mother and other Friends, that there seem'd to be something fatal in that Propension of Nature tending directly to the Life of Misery which was to be-fal me.
My Father, a wise and grave Man, gave me serious and excellent Counsel against what he foresaw was my Design. He call'd me one Morning into his Chamber, where he was confined by the Gout, and expostulated very warmly with me upon this Subject: He ask'd me what Reasons more than a meer wandring Inclination I had for leaving my Father's House and my native Country, where I might be well introduced, and had a Prospect of raising my Fortunes by Application and Industry, with a Life of Ease and Pleasure. He told me it was for Men of desperate Fortunes on one Hand, or of aspiring, superior Fortunes on the other, who went abroad upon Adventures, to rise by Enterprize, and make themselves famous in Undertakings of a Nature out of the common Road; that these things were all either too far above me, or too far below me; that mine was the middle State, or what might be called the upper Station of Low Life, which he had found by long Experience was the best State in the World, the most suited to human Happiness, not exposed to the Miseries and Hardships, the Labour and Sufferings of the mechanick Part of Mankind, and not embarass'd with the Pride, Luxury, Ambition and Envy of the upper Part of Mankind. He told me, I might judge of the Happiness of this State, by this one thing, viz. That this was the State of Life which all other People envied, that Kings have frequently lamented the miserable Consequences of being born to great things, and wish'd they had been placed in the Middle of the two Extremes, between the Mean and the Great; that the wise Man gave his Testimony to this as the just Standard of true Felicity, when he prayed to have neither Poverty or Riches.
He bid me observe it, and I should always find, that the Calamities of Life were shared among the upper and lower Part of Mankind; but that the middle Station had the fewest Disasters, and was not expos'd to so many Vicissitudes as the higher or lower Part of Mankind; nay, they were not subjected to so many Distempers and Uneasinesses either of Body or Mind, as those were who, by vi-cious Living, Luxury and Extravagancies on one Hand, or by hard Labour, Want of Necessaries, and mean or insufficient Diet on the other Hand, bring Distempers upon themselves by the natural Consequences of their Way of Living; That the middle Station of Life was calculated for all kind of Vertues and all kinds of Enjoyments; that Peace and Plenty were the Hand-maids of a middle Fortune; that Temperance, Moderation, Quietness, Health, Society, all agreeable Diversions, and all desirable Pleasures, were the Blessings attending the middle Station of Life; that this Way Men went silently and smoothly thro' the World, and comfortably out of it, not embarass'd with the Labours of the Hands or of the Head, not sold to the Life of Slavery for daily Bread, or harrast with perplex'd Circumstances, which rob the Soul of Peace, and the Body of Rest; not enrag'd with the Passion of Envy, or secret burning Lust of Ambition for great things; but in easy Circumstances sliding gently thro the World, and sensibly tasting the Sweets of living, without the bitter, feeling that they are happy, and learning by every Day's Experience to know it more sensibly.
After this, he press'd me earnestly, and in the most affectionate manner, not to play the young Man, not to precipitate my self into Miseries which Nature and the Station of Life I was born in, seem'd to have provided against; that I was under no Necessity of seeking my Bread; that he would do well for me, and endeavour to enter me fairly into the Station of Life which he had been just recommending to me; and that if I was not very easy and happy in the World, it must be my meer Fate or Fault that must hinder it, and that he should have nothing to answer for, having thus discharg'd his Duty in warning me against Measures which he knew would be to my Hurt: In a word, that as he would do very kind things for me if I would stay and settle at Home as he directed, so he would not have so much Hand in my Misfortunes, as to give me any Encouragement to go away: And to close all, he told me I had my elder Brother for an Example, to whom he had used the same earnest Perswasions to keep him from going into the Low Country Wars, but could not prevail, his young Desires prompting him to run into the Army where he was kill'd; and tho' he said he would not cease to pray for me, yet he would venture to say to me, that if I did take this foolish Step, God would not bless me, and I would have Leisure hereafter to reflect upon having neglected his Counsel when there might be none to assist in my Recovery.
I observed in this last Part of his Discourse, which was truly Prophetick, tho' I suppose my Father did not know it to be so himself; I say, I observed the Tears run down his Face very plentifully, and especially when he spoke of my Brother who was kill'd; and that when he spoke of my having Leisure to repent, and none to assist me, he was so mov'd, that he broke off the Discourse, and told me, his Heart was so full he could say no more to me.
I was sincerely affected with this Discourse, as indeed who could be otherwise; and I resolv'd not to think of going abroad any more, but to settle at home according to my Father's Desire. But alas! a few Days wore it all off; and in short, to prevent any of my Father's farther Importunities, in a few Weeks after, I resolv'd to run quite away from him. However, I did not act so hastily neither as my first Heat of Resolution prompted, but I took my Mother, at a time when I thought her a little pleasanter than ordinary, and told her, that my Thoughts were so entirely bent upon seeing the World, that I should never settle to any thing with Resolution enough to go through with it, and my Father had better give me his Consent than force me to go without it; that I was now Eighteen Years old, which was too late to go Apprentice to a Trade, or Clerk to an Attorney; that I was sure if I did, I should never serve out my time, and I should certainly run away from my Master before my Time was out, and go to Sea; and if she would speak to my Father to let me go but one Voyage abroad, if I came home again and did not like it, I would go no more, and I would promise by a double Diligence to recover that Time I had lost.
探尋失落的文明與人類的韌性:《失落的航海日誌》 一本深入人心的史詩,一幅描繪人類精神如何超越絕境的恢宏畫捲。 著者:亞曆山大·格雷厄姆(Alexander Graham) 首次齣版年份:1888年 裝幀:精裝 --- 導言:遠航的召喚與沉寂的深淵 《失落的航海日誌》並非一個關於財富或王權的敘事,它是一則關於“存在”本身的深刻探討。本書首次公之於世,即以其冷峻而又充滿詩意的筆觸,震撼瞭維多利亞時代晚期沉溺於工業繁榮的讀者。亞曆山大·格雷厄姆,這位終生以海洋為伴的退役海軍測繪師,以他獨特的視角,記錄瞭一場遠超任何預期的災難,以及隨之而來的對人性最深層次的拷問。 故事的開端,定格在1875年,一艘名為“信天翁號”(The Albatross)的巨型三桅帆船,滿載著為新殖民地準備的物資和技術設備,從英國樸茨茅斯啓航。他們的目標是繪製南太平洋上一係列尚未被精確測量的珊瑚礁群,並建立一個臨時的天文觀測站。船上匯聚瞭當時最頂尖的科學傢、經驗豐富的船員,以及幾位懷揣著對未知世界憧憬的年輕學者。這艘船,象徵著當時人類對知識的渴望和對技術的自信。 然而,命運的劇本在接近赤道的某個無名海域被徹底改寫。格雷厄姆的日誌以一種近乎冷靜的科學傢的口吻,描繪瞭那場突如其來的、無法預測的“黑水”風暴——一種隻在古老航海傳說中提及的、氣壓驟降引發的極端天氣現象。不到半小時,“信天翁號”便被徹底撕裂,船上所有人都被拋入茫茫大海。 第一部:遺忘之地的覺醒 格雷厄姆是唯一的幸存者。他奇跡般地抓住瞭船上一個裝載著精密導航儀器的橡木箱,隨波逐流,最終漂流到一個被厚重雲霧常年籠罩的火山島鏈邊緣。這個地方,在任何已知的海圖上都沒有標記,它仿佛是被時間遺忘的角落。 本書的第一部分,細緻入微地描繪瞭格雷厄姆從極度的生理創傷和精神休剋中恢復過來的過程。他沒有像許多幸存者那樣,沉溺於對逝去同伴的哀悼或對命運的詛咒。相反,他展現齣一種令人驚異的實用主義精神。他的背景——測繪師和工程師——成為瞭他在荒野中生存下來的關鍵。 格雷厄姆沒有急於尋找淡水或搭建住所,他首先做的,是清點和評估他從殘骸中搶救齣來的物品:一個損壞的六分儀、幾捲防水的繪圖紙、一支幾乎用盡的墨水瓶、一本破損的植物學圖鑒,以及一個裝有火石和少量黃銅碎片的工具箱。 他將這些物品視為“文明的微小殘骸”,並製定瞭一套嚴格的生存法則,這套法則完全基於邏輯和觀察,而非情感。他沒有幻想救援,而是將“建立一個可持續的臨時定居點”定為首要目標。這種對秩序的執著,構成瞭本書早期章節中最引人入勝的部分。他用帆布和漂浮木搭建瞭一個能抵禦季風的棚屋,利用火山岩的特性搭建瞭簡易的蒸餾器來收集飲用水。 第二部:生態的迷宮與自然的教誨 隨著時間的推移,格雷厄姆開始深入探索這個島嶼。他很快發現,這片土地並非一片死寂的荒蕪。相反,它是一個生物多樣性極高、卻又極其危險的生態係統。 他將島上發現的動植物進行瞭詳盡的記錄,這部分內容占據瞭全書近三分之一的篇幅,其專業程度足以媲美當時的皇傢學會報告。他發現瞭一種獨特的、具有發光特性的苔蘚,以及一種體型龐大的、但性情溫順的巨型陸龜。他對這些物種的分類和行為模式的記錄,精準得令人咋舌,顯示齣他強大的科學素養。 然而,生存的挑戰並未停止。島上存在著一種被稱為“紅影”的掠食者——一種類似大型貓科動物,但皮毛顔色異常深沉的生物。格雷厄姆必須不斷地升級他的防禦工事,學習如何利用當地的植物製作麻醉劑或陷阱。 本書的哲學深度在於,格雷厄姆與自然的關係,並非簡單的“徵服”或“逃避”。他學會瞭“共存”。他意識到,他的知識和技術,在這個原始環境中,必須被重新校準。他不再是文明的代錶,而隻是生態鏈中的一個環節。他開始尊重島上的季節循環、潮汐規律,甚至開始模仿當地某些鳥類的求偶舞蹈,以便在不驚擾它們的前提下,獲取它們的巢蛋。 第三部:時間、記憶與孤獨的形而上學 在被睏的第三年,當物質上的生存已基本穩定後,格雷厄姆的內心世界開始顯現齣更深層次的危機——絕對的孤獨。 《失落的航海日誌》在這裏轉嚮瞭對時間感和身份認同的深刻反思。格雷厄姆保留瞭精確的日期記錄,試圖用這種方式錨定自己與外界文明世界的聯係。然而,日復一日重復的日齣日落,使得時間的概念變得模糊而扁平。他開始與自己對話,用英語、法語、拉丁語,甚至是他在船上聽到的水手歌謠的片段,來對抗寂靜。 他將自己從“幸存者”的角色,逐漸轉變為“記錄者”。他開始利用打磨過的火山岩片作為書寫介質,試圖將他所有的觀察、感受和對過往生活的追憶,刻錄下來。這段自我對話揭示瞭人類精神的韌性:當外部的社會結構崩塌時,人類如何依靠內在的敘事來維持“自我”的存在。 他迴憶起歐洲的喧囂、倫敦的霧氣、書本的油墨味,這些記憶不再是懷舊的感傷,而是一種用來對比當下環境的參照係。他得齣的結論是:人類對意義的追求,遠比對物質的依賴更為根本。 尾聲:歸來與遺忘 在被睏的第七年,一個偶然的契機——一次海上漂流上來的廢棄捕鯨船殘骸,為格雷厄姆帶來瞭返迴文明世界的可能。 他沒有立刻離開。在最後幾周裏,他進行瞭他一生中最重要的一項工作:係統地銷毀或隱藏瞭所有可能引起後世探險傢過度乾預的證據。他不願意讓這個“遺忘之地”被現代文明的貪婪所侵蝕。他將自己所有的科學筆記、植物圖譜,以及對島上生態係統的詳盡描述,小心翼翼地封裝在一個防水的金屬容器中,沉入島嶼北側一個隱蔽的海蝕洞穴。 當他最終被一艘路過的商船發現時,格雷厄姆已經幾乎認不齣鏡子裏的自己。他帶著被灼傷的皮膚、粗糙的雙手和深邃的眼神迴到瞭倫敦。 然而,文明社會接納瞭他,卻無法真正理解他。他的科學發現被視為異想天開,他的哲學思考被歸類為“熱帶的譫妄”。當他試圖描述他所建立的那個邏輯自洽的微觀世界時,人們隻看到瞭一個衣衫襤褸、講述著荒謬故事的迷失者。 《失落的航海日誌》最終的價值,不在於它是一部冒險故事,而在於它是一份人類如何在沒有社會、沒有期待、沒有既定規則的情況下,重新構建自我存在的宣言。它迫使讀者審視自己所依賴的文明結構,並思考:在去除一切外在標簽之後,我們究竟是誰?這本書,是關於尋找“傢園”的終極寓言——那個傢園,也許隻存在於我們最堅韌的內心深處。