ROBINSON CRUSOE. = age 34f

men, who at present are your subjects, under your absolute
government and dominion, are allowed by you to live in open
adultery ?”

I confess I was struck with the thing itself, but much more
with the convincing arguments he supported it with ; for it was
certainly true that, though they had no clergyman upon the
spot, yet a formal contract on both sides, made before witnesses,
and confirmed by any token which they had all agreed to be
bound by, though it had been but breaking a stick between
them, engaging the men to own these women for their wives
upon all occasions, and never to abandon them or their children,
and the women to the same with their husbands, had been an
effectual lawful marriage in the sight of God; and it was a
great neglect that it was not done. But I thought to have got
off my young priest by telling him that all that part was done
when I was not there ; and that they had lived so many years
with them now, that if it was adultery, it was past remedy ;
nothing could be done in it now.

“ Sir,” says he, “asking your pardon for such freedom, you
are right in this, that, it being done in your absence, you could
not be charged with that part of the crime ; but, I beseech you,
flatter not yourself that you are not, therefore, under an obliga-
tion to do your utmost now to put an end to it. How can you
think but that, let the time past lie on whom it will, all the
guilt, for the future, will lie entirely upon you? because it is
certainly in your power now to put an end to it, and in nobody’s
power but yours.”

I was so dull still that I did not understand him right ; but
I imagined that, by putting an end to it, he meant that I should
part them, and not suffer them to live together any longer ; and
I said to him I could not do that by any means, for that would
put the whole island into confusion. He seemed surprised
that I should so far mistake him. “No, sir,” said he, “I do
not mean that you should now separate them, but legally and
effectually marry them ; and as, sir, my way of marrying them
may not be easy to reconcile them to, though it will be effec-
tual, even by your own laws, so your way may be as well before
God, and as valid among men. I mean by a written contract,
signed by both man and woman, and by all the witnesses
present, which all the laws of Europe would decree to be
valid.”

I was amazed to see so much true piety, and so much sin-
cerity of zeal, besides the unusual impartiality in his discourse
as to his own party or church, and such true warmth for pre-