"Made everyone a light coat" — illustration for Defoe's "Robinson Crusoe" (1891)

"Made everyone a light coat." (See p. 293). Paget has not employed any previous illustration as his model for Crusoe's tailor's supplying the young colonists with suitably civilised attire. Half of page 297, vignetted: 9.8 cm high by 12.4 cm wide. Running head: "My Cargo of Goods" (page 293).

Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham. [You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the person who scanned the image and (2) link your document to this URL in a web document or cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]

Passage Illustrated: The Colonists re-clothed in the latest Fashion

After this feast, at which we were very innocently merry, I brought my cargo of goods; wherein, that there might be no dispute about dividing, I showed them that there was a sufficiency for them all, desiring that they might all take an equal quantity, when made up, of the goods that were for wearing. As, first, I distributed linen sufficient to make every one of them four shirts, and, at the Spaniard’s request, afterwards made them up six; these were exceeding comfortable to them, having been what they had long since forgot the use of, or what it was to wear them. I allotted the thin English stuffs, which I mentioned before, to make every one a light coat, like a frock, which I judged fittest for the heat of the season, cool and loose; and ordered that whenever they decayed, they should make more, as they thought fit; the like for pumps, shoes, stockings, hats, &c. I cannot express what pleasure sat upon the countenances of all these poor men when they saw the care I had taken of them, and how well I had furnished them. They told me I was a father to them; and that having such a correspondent as I was in so remote a part of the world, it would make them forget that they were left in a desolate place; and they all voluntarily engaged to me not to leave the place without my consent. [Chapter VI, "The French Clergyman's Counsel," page 293]

Commentary

As Crusoe explains, his intention immediately after the celebratory feast for the young male colonists is to see them properly clothed, so that they will not have to resort to the quasi-barbaric goatskin clothing that he himself had to wear when his stock of European clothing was worn out. The well-dressed, middle-aged Governor (complete with cane, gold-braided coat, and topboots) seems very much concerned with keeping up appearances and not having his young men go native in appearance.

Related Material

Reference

Defoe, Daniel. The Life and Strange Exciting Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner, as Related by Himself. With 120 original illustrations by Walter Paget. London, Paris,and Melbourne: Cassell, 1891.

Last modified 4 April 2018