In Russia, a younger nation than ours, the fables of Kriloff had a considerable sale at the beginning of this century, but they had a political meaning. 22 X over CHAPTER II. Defoe-Irony-Ode to the Pillory-The "Comical Pil- DE EFOE was born in 1663, and was the son of a butcher in St. Giles'. He first distinguised himself by writing in 1699 a poetical satire entitled "The True Born Englishman," in honour of King William and the Dutch, and in derision of the nobility of this country, who did not much appreciate the foreign court. The poem abounded with rough and rude sarcasm. After giving an uncomplimentary description of the English, he proceeds to trace their descent "These are the heroes that despise the Dutch Defoe. Dutch, Walloons, Flemings, Irishmen, and Scots, In good Queen Bess's charitable reign, 23 The first part concludes with a view of the low origin of some of our nobles. 66 'Innumerable city knights we know From Bluecoat hospitals and Bridewell flow, And lords, whose parents were the Lord knows who." So much keen and clever invective levelled at the higher classes of course had its reward in a wide circulation; but we are surprised to hear that the King noticed it with favour; the author was honoured with a personal interview, and became a still stronger partizan of the Defoe called the "True Born English court. man," "A contradiction In speech an irony, in fact a fiction;" and we may observe that he was particularly fond of an indirect and covert style of writing. He thought that he could thus use his weapons to most advantage, but his disguise was seen through by his enemies as well as by his friends. Irony-the stating the reverse of what is meant, whether good or bad-is often resorted to by those treading on dangerous ground, and admits of two very different interpretations. It is especially ambiguous in writing, and should be used with caution. Defoe's "Shortest Way with the Dissenters" was first attributed to a High Churchman, but soon was recognised as the work of a Dissenter. He explained that he intended the opposite of what he had said, and was merely deprecating measures being taken against his brethren; but his enemies considered that his real object was to exasperate them against the Government. Even if taken ironically, it hardly seemed venial to call furiously for the extermination of heretics, or to raise such lamentation as, "Alas! for the Church of England! What with popery on one hand, and schismatics on the other, how has she been crucified between two thieves!" Experience had not then taught that it was better to let such effusions pass for what they were worth, and Defoe was sentenced to stand in the pillory, and suffer fine and imprisionment. He does not seem to have been in such low spirits as we might have expected dnring his incarceration, for he employed part of his time in composing his "Hymn to the Pillory," "Hail hieroglyphic state machine, Contrived to punish fancy in: Men that are men in thee can feel no pain, Hymn to the Pillory. 25 He continues in a strong course of invective against certain persons whom he thinks really worthy of being thus punished, and proceeds "But justice is inverted when To prompt that vice thou shouldst reward, Justice expires of course, aud law's made void. "Thou like the devil dost appear Blacker than really thou art far, A wild chimeric notion of reproach Too little for a crime, for none too much, For crime is all the shame of punishment. Thou bugbear of the law stand up and speak Tell us who 'tis upon thy ridge stands there And from the paper on his hat, Let all mankind be told for what." These lines refer to his own condemnation, and the piece concludes,― "Tell them the men who placed him here Are friends unto the times, But at a loss to find his guile Defoe seems to have thoroughly imbibed the ascetic spirit of his brethren. He was fond of denouncing social as well as political vanities. The "Comical Pilgrim" contains a considerable amount of coarse humour, and in one |