Availability: Usually ships within 48 hours. Ships from and sold by Babblebooks.com.Running time: 11 hr 18 min
The unabridged classic on MP3 audio, narrated by Anais 9000. Three playback speeds on one disk; etext edition included. Running time: 11.3 hours (slow), 10.3 hours (medium), 9.4 hours (fast).
Chapter I
I was born, as my friends told me, at the city of Poitiers,
in the province or county of Poitou in France, from whence I was brought
to England by my parents, who fled for their religion about the year 1683,
when the Protestants were banished from France by the cruelty of their
persecutors.
I, who knew little or nothing of what I was brought over
hither for, was well enough pleased with being here. London, a large and
gay city, took with me mighty well, who from my being a child loved a crowd
and to see a great many fine folks.
I retained nothing of France but the language. My father
and mother, being people of better fashion than ordinarily the people called
refugees at that time were, and having fled early while it was easy to secure
their effects, had, before their coming over, remitted considerable sums
of money, or, as I remember, a considerable value in French brandy, paper,
and other goods; and these selling very much to advantage here, my father
was in very good circumstances at his coming over, so that he was far from
applying to the rest of our nation that were here for countenance and relief.
On the contrary, he had his door continually thronged with miserable objects
of the poor starving creatures, who at that time fled hither for shelter
on account of conscience or something else.
I have indeed heard my father say that he was pestered
with a great many of those who for any religion they had might e'en have
stayed where they were, but who flocked over hither in droves for what they
call in English a livelihood; hearing with what open arms the refugees were
received in England, and how they fell readily into business, being by the
charitable assistance of the people in London encouraged to work in their
manufactures, in Spitalfields, Canterbury, and other places, and that they
had a much better price for their work than in France and the like.
My father, I say, told me that he was more pestered with
the clamours of these people than of those who were truly refugees and fled
in distress merely for conscience.
I was about ten years old when I was brought over hither,
where, as I have said, my father lived in very good circumstances and died
in about eleven years more; in which time, as I had accomplished myself for
the sociable part of the world, so I had acquainted myself with some of our
English neighbours, as is the custom in London; and as, while I was young,
I had picked up three or four play-fellows and companions suitable to my
years, so as we grew bigger we learnt to call one another intimates and friends,
and this forwarded very much the finishing me for conversation and the world.
I went to English schools, and, being young, I learnt
the English tongue perfectly well, with all the customs of the English young
women; so that I retained nothing of the French but the speech, nor did I
so much as keep any remains of the French language tagged to my way of speaking,
as most foreigners do, but spoke what we call natural English, as if I had
been born here.
Being to give my own character, I must be excused to give
it as impartially as possible, and as if I was speaking of another body;
and the sequel will leave you to judge whether I flatter myself or no.
I was (speaking of myself as about fourteen years of age)
tall and very well made, sharp as a hawk in matters of common knowledge,
quick and smart in discourse, apt to be satirical, full of repartee, and
a little too forward in conversation; or, as we call it in English, bold,
though perfectly modest in my behaviour. Being French born, I danced, as
some say, naturally, loved it extremely, and sang well also; and so well,
that, as you will hear, it was [...]
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