CRUSOE’S STRANGE GUESTS, 879

prostrating himself in thankfulness for his deliverance: in which I
unhappily and unseasonably disturbed him, really thinking he had
been in a swoon; but he spake calmly, thanked me, told me he
was giving God thanks for his deliverance, and begged me to leave
him a few moments, and that next to his Maker he would give me
thanks also.

I was heartily sorry that I disturbed him, and not only left
him, but kept others from interrupting him also. He continued
in that posture about three minutes, or little more, after I left
him, then came to me, as he had said he would, and with a great
deal of seriousness and affection, but with tears in his eyes, thanked
me that had, under God, given him and so many miserable crea-
tures their lives. I told him I had no room to move him to thank
God for it, rather than me; but I added, that it was nothing but
what reason and humanity dictated to all men, and that we had as
much reason as he to give thanks to God, who had blessed us so
far as to make us the instruments of his mercy to so many of his
creatures.

After this, the young priest applied himself to his country-folks ;
l&boured to compose them, persuaded, entreated, argued, reasoned
with them, and did his utmost to keep them within the exercise
of their reason ; and with some he had success, though others were
for a time out of all government of themselves.

I cannot help committing this to writing, as perhaps it may be
useful to those into whose hands it may fall, for the guiding them-
selves in all the extravagances of their passion; for if an excess of
joy can carry men out to such a length beyond the reach of their
reason, what will not the extravagances of anger, rage, and a pro-
voked mind, carry us to? And, indeed, here I saw reason for
keeping an exceeding watch over our passions of every kind, as
well those of joy and satisfaction, as those of sorrow and anger.

We were something disordered by these extravagances among
our new guests for the first day; but when they had been retired,
lodgings provided for them as well as our ship would allow, and
they had slept heartily, as most of them did, they were quite
another sort of people the next day.

Nothing of good manners or civil acknowledgments for the