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The History and Remarkable Life of the Truly Honourable Colonel Jacque
The History and Remarkable Life of the Truly Honourable Colonel Jacque Author:Daniel Defoe This book contains a very informative introduction by G.H. Maynadier, Ph.D. from the Department of English in Harvard University. Defoe was more than just a good story-teller, but also a moralist, essayist, journalist, an enthusiastic and fairly shrewd business man, a patriot, a trusted adviser of a king, and an unscrupulous political spy. I... more »t was rather late in life that he hit on the kind of writing that gave him his greatest fame. Defoe is important in our literary history because he was such a great pioneer in written works of humble realism. At the end of the second volume are two of Defoe's earlier political satires: The True-Born Englishman and The Shortest Way with the Dissenters. Both writings had a strong impact upon both the general public and ruling classes. The former, the most celebrated piece of verse which Defoe wrote, was published in January 1701. The latter placed Defoe in the pillory and in prison, apparently for Queen Anne's pleasure. Like several of the main characters in Defoe's stories (Captain Singleton, Moll Flanders), Colonel Jacque never really knew his real parents; and he is always looking out for the main chance. His chief interest is commerce, and he becomes an Anglo-Saxon trader. It is the story of his successful trading which probably accounts for the continued popularity of this story throughout history. The following fairly well sums up the story of Colonel Jacque, (and was included on the title-page of earlier printings of this story which was first published in 1722)... "The History and Remarkable Life of the truly Honourable Colonel Jacque, vulgarly called Col. Jack, who was born a Gentleman; put 'Prentice to a Pickpocket; was six and twenty years a Thief, and then kidnapped to Virginia; came back a Merchant; was five times married to four Whores; went into the Wars, behaved bravely, got Preferment, was made Colonel of a Regiment; came over, and fled with the Chevalier, is still abroad Completing a Life of Wonders, and resolves to die a General."« less