Swiss Family Robinson

Johann David Wyss
ᣪ
The Swiss Family Robinson; or Adventures in a?by Johann David Wyss, Illustrated by John Gilbert

The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Swiss Family Robinson; or Adventures in a
Desert Island, by Johann David Wyss, Illustrated by John Gilbert
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: The Swiss Family Robinson; or Adventures in a Desert Island
Author: Johann David Wyss
Release Date: March 24, 2004 [eBook #11703]
Language: English
Character set encoding: iso-8859-1
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON; OR ADVENTURES IN A DESERT ISLAND***
E-text prepared by The Internet Archive Children's Library; University of Florida; and Charlie Kirschner, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team

Note: Project Gutenberg's library contains other versions of this book; see E-book #3836C etext03/sfrbn10.txt and etext03/sfrbn10.zip http://www.gutenberg.net/browse/BIBREC/BR3836.HTM or E-book #6692 etext04/sfros10.txt and etext04/sfros10.zip http://www.gutenberg.net/browse/BIBREC/BR6692.HTM or E-book #5902 etext04/blnd310.txt and etext04/blnd310.zip http://www.gutenberg.net/browse/BIBREC/BR5902.HTM
Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 11703-h.htm or 11703-h.zip: (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/7/0/11703/11703-h/11703-h.htm) or (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/7/0/11703/11703-h.zip)
Images of the original pages are available through the Florida Board of Education, Division of Colleges and Universities, PALMM Project, 2001. (Preservation and Access for American and British Children's Literature, 1850-1869.) See http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/tc/juv/UF00001866.jpg or http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/tc/juv/UF00001866.pdf

THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON;
OR, ADVENTURES IN A DESERT ISLAND.
WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN GILBERT.

[Illustration: THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON]
[Illustration: "Our first care was to kneel down and thank God, to whom we owed our lives."]

PREFACE.
Many years ago, an English translation of the first part of this charming tale appeared; and few books have obtained such deserved popularity. The gradual progress of the family from utter destitution and misery, to happiness and abundance, arising from their own labour, perseverance, and obedience, together with the effect produced on the different characters of the sons by the stirring adventures they met with, created a deep and absorbing interest. Every young reader patronized either the noble Fritz, the studious Ernest, or the generous Jack, and regarded him as a familiar personal acquaintance. The book had but one defect--the death of the talented author left it unfinished, and every reader regretted its abrupt termination.
This conclusion was happily supplied by one of the most accomplished and elegant writers of her day, the Baroness de Montolieu; and, sanctioned and approved by the son of the lamented author, the entire work was published in France, and has for many years held a distinguished rank in the juvenile libraries there. For the gratification of a little family circle, this now appears in English; and as, on examining the first part in the original, it was found, that "some new discoveries might be made," it was thought best to re-translate it, subduing the tone of the whole to English taste. The unanimous voices of the beloved circle, for whom the pleasant task was undertaken, have pronounced the result to be eminently successful, and they generously wish, that the whole of the juvenile public of England should share in their satisfaction, and possess a complete Swiss Robinson.

INTRODUCTION.
It is very well known that, some years ago, Counsellor Horner, a Swiss, made a voyage round the world in the Russian vessel Le Podesda, commanded by Capt. Krusenstern. They discovered many islands, and, amongst others, one very large and fertile, till then unknown to navigators, to the S.W. of Java, near the coast of New Guinea. They landed here, and to the great surprise of Mr. Horner, he was received by a family who spoke to him in German. They were a father and mother, and four robust and hardy sons.
Their history was very interesting. The father was a Swiss clergyman, who, in the Revolution of 1798, had lost all his fortune, and had determined to emigrate, in order to seek elsewhere the means of supporting his family. He went first to England, with his wife and children, consisting of four sons, between the ages of twelve and five. He there undertook the office of missionary to Otaheite; not that he intended to remain on that uncivilized island, but he wished to proceed from thence to Port Jackson as a free colonist. He invested his little capital in seeds of every description, and some cattle, to take out with him. They had a prosperous voyage till they were near the coast of New Guinea, when they were overtaken by a frightful storm. At this period he commenced his journal, which he afterwards committed to the care of Mr. Horner, to be forwarded to his friends in Switzerland.
Some time before, a boat from an English vessel, the Adventurer, had visited them, and the father had sent the first part of his journal by Lieut. Bell to the captain, who remained in the vessel. A violent
Continue reading on your phone by scaning this QR Code

 / 156
Tip: The current page has been bookmarked automatically. If you wish to continue reading later, just open the Dertz Homepage, and click on the 'continue reading' link at the bottom of the page.