The History and Remarkable Life of the Truly Honourable Colonel Jacque, Commonly Called Colonel Jack

The History and Remarkable Life of the Truly Honourable Colonel Jacque, Commonly Called Colonel Jack

Smollett bears witness to the popularity of Defoes Colonel Jacque. In the sixty-second chapter of Roderick Random, the hero of that novel is profoundly impressed by the genius of the disappointed poet, Melopoyn, the story of whose tragedy is Smolletts acrimonious version of the fate of his own first literary effort, The Regicide. Melopoyn tells Random that while waiting in vain for his tragedy to be produced, he wrote some pastorals which were rejected by one bookseller after another. A first said merely that the pastorals would not serve; a second advised Melopoyn to offer in their place something satirical or luscious; and a third asked if he had got never a piece of secret history, thrown into a series of letters, or a volume of adventures, such as those of Robinson Crusoe and Colonel Jack, or a collection of conundrums, wherewith to entertain the plantations? Smollett probably wrote this passage some time in the year 1747, for Roderick Random was published in January, 1748. It was twenty-four years earlierDecember twentieth, 1722that Colonel Jacque had been published, or, to give it the name set forth by its flaunting title-page: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. Surely a book for servants, readers of our time will be apt to think on looking at this title-page; and yet Colonel Jacque is found to-day in many a gentlemans library. This is no reason, though, why it should still retain considerable popularity in Smolletts day. In less time after their appearance, some books which live forever in literature have been forgotten by the great mass of readers. What was it now that kept Colonel Jacque popular a quarter of a century after its publication? ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 52603
Author: Defoe, Daniel
Release Date: Jul 18, 2016
Format: eBook
Language: English