--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Daniel Defoe was an English writer…" description: "\"“Daniel Defoe was an English writer, journalist and spy, who gained enduring fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/daniel-defoe-1971_books_daniel-defoe-was-an-english-writer-journ_1683303.jpg" --- # Daniel Defoe was an English writer, journalist and spy… ![“Daniel Defoe was an English writer, journalist and spy, who gained enduring fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest practitioners of the novel and helped popularize the genre in Britain. In some texts he is even referred to as one of the founders, if not…” quote by Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/daniel-defoe-1971_books_daniel-defoe-was-an-english-writer-journ_1683303.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/daniel-defoe-1971_books_daniel-defoe-was-an-english-writer-journ_1683303.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/059/daniel-defoe-1971_books_daniel-defoe-was-an-english-writer-journ_1683303.jpg) > ““Daniel Defoe was an English writer, journalist and spy, who gained enduring fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest practitioners of the novel and helped popularize the genre in Britain. In some texts he is even referred to as one of the founders, if not the founder, of the English novel. A prolific and versatile writer, he wrote over five hundred books, pamphlets, and journals on various topics (including politics, crime, religion, marriage, psychology and the supernatural). He was also a pioneer of economic journalism. Source: Wikipedia”” [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defoe pioneered the modern novel, blending journalism, espionage, and diverse subjects, shaping literary and economic discourse. **In simple terms:** Defoe helped create the novel. Key Takeaway Explore varied genres and topics. Themes literature journalism history innovation economics Mood analytical curious Type biographical educational When to use this quote - creative writing - historical research - media studies Key Concepts novel development cross‑disciplinary writing Questions to Reflect On - How does versatility affect mastery? - What are the trade‑offs of being a polymath? A Different Perspective His broad output may dilute depth in any single field. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Crusoe Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crusoe-defoe-978897/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/daniel-defoe-917414/) [Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defoe-710616/) [Defoe English](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defoe-english-978899/) [Defoe Notable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defoe-notable-978898/) [Robinson crusoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/robinson-crusoe/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [“The novels of Daniel Defoe are fundamental to eighteenth-century ways of thinking. They range from the quasi-factual A Journal of the Plague Year, an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-carter/the-novels-of-daniel-defoe-are-fundamental-to-eighteenth-century-ways/) [Ronald Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-carter/) > [“Wherever God erects a house of prayer the Devil always builds a chapel there; And t’will be found, upon examination, the latter has the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/wherever-god-erects-a-house-of-prayer-the-devil-always-builds-a-2/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“and in that one night's wickedness I drowned all my repentance,all my reflections upon my past conduct,and all my resolution for the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/and-in-that-one-night-s-wickedness-i-drowned-all-my-repentance-all-my/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“...and for which the very name of a Spaniard is reckoned to be frightful and terrible, to all people of humanity or of Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/and-for-which-the-very-name-of-a-spaniard-is-reckoned-to-be-frightful/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“shook hands very cordially; and yet I always feel him shrinking sensitively from me, as a woman, a clever woman, an up to date…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/shook-hands-very-cordially-and-yet-i-always-feel-him-shrinking/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She is a character in a novel, he says. The product of a male author’s imagination. This Defoe, is he French? No, I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-leine/she-is-a-character-in-a-novel-he-says-the-product-of-a-male-author-s/) [Kim Leine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-leine/) > [Jermaine Defoe was from my area. Rio Ferdinand used to come into my barbershop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kano/jermaine-defoe-was-from-my-area-rio-ferdinand-used-to-come-into-my/) [Kano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kano/) > [Defoe was level and anyone who says otherwise is picking hairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-motson/defoe-was-level-and-anyone-who-says-otherwise-is-picking-hairs/) [John Motson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-motson/) > [Defoe says that there were a hundred thousand country fellows in his time ready to fight to the death against popery, without knowing whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-hazlitt/defoe-says-that-there-were-a-hundred-thousand-country-fellows-in-his/) [William Hazlitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-hazlitt/) > [Robbie Keane's not the second choice, he's my first choice. But Jermain Defoe is as well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jol/robbie-keane-s-not-the-second-choice-he-s-my-first-choice-but-jermain/) [Martin Jol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jol/) > [Des Bulpin discovered me and, along with my dad, would be the biggest influence on my career. I remember him telling me when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-crouch/des-bulpin-discovered-me-and-along-with-my-dad-would-be-the-biggest/) [Peter Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-crouch/) > [Which class is happiest, the rich, the middle class or the poor? A very successful executive of a large organization touches upon this vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/which-class-is-happiest-the-rich-the-middle-class-or-the-poor-a-very/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [“All right, little boy, he tried kidding himself, calm down now. Santa Claus is coming to town with all the nice answers. No longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-matheson/all-right-little-boy-he-tried-kidding-himself-calm-down-now-santa/) [Richard Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-matheson/) > [“every man is an island and at the same time also robinson crusoe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryce-courtenay/every-man-is-an-island-and-at-the-same-time-also-robinson-crusoe/) [Bryce Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryce-courtenay/) > [The point I wish plainly to bring before you on this occasion is the individuality of each human soul--our Protestant idea, the right of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/the-point-i-wish-plainly-to-bring-before-you-on-this-occasion-is-the/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) ## More by Daniel Defoe > [“Strah od opasnosti je deset tisuća puta snažniji nego sama opasnost kad se pojavi pred očima.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/strah-od-opasnosti-je-deset-tisu-a-puta-sna-niji-nego-sama-opasnost/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“He told me it was for men of desperate fortunes on one hand, or of aspiring, superior fortune on the other, who when abroad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/he-told-me-it-was-for-men-of-desperate-fortunes-on-one-hand-or-of/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“From this moment I began to conclude in my mind that it was possible for me to be more happy in this forsaken, solitary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/from-this-moment-i-began-to-conclude-in-my-mind-that-it-was-possible/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [Wit is the Fruitful Womb where Thoughts conceive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/wit-is-the-fruitful-womb-where-thoughts-conceive/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [Wherever God erects a house of prayer the Devil always builds a chapel there; And 't will be found, upon examination, the latter has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/wherever-god-erects-a-house-of-prayer-the-devil-always-builds-a/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [Wit, like the Belly, if it be not fed, Will starve the Members, and distract the Head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/wit-like-the-belly-if-it-be-not-fed-will-starve-the-members-and/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“was to prepare more land, for I had now seed enough to sow above an acre of ground. Before I did this, I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/was-to-prepare-more-land-for-i-had-now-seed-enough-to-sow-above-an/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [Justice is always Violence to the Party offending, for every Man is Innocent in his own Eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/justice-is-always-violence-to-the-party-offending-for-every-man-is/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“and in that one night's wickedness I drowned all my repentance,all my reflections upon my past conduct,and all my resolution for the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/and-in-that-one-night-s-wickedness-i-drowned-all-my-repentance-all-my/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“Thus fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/thus-fear-of-danger-is-ten-thousand-times-more-terrifying-than-danger/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [As for women that do not think their own safety worth their thought, that impatient of their present state, resolve as they call it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/as-for-women-that-do-not-think-their-own-safety-worth-their-thought/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“It is as reasonable to represent one kind of imprisonment by another as it is to represent anything that really exists by that which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/it-is-as-reasonable-to-represent-one-kind-of-imprisonment-by-another/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [So possible is it for us to roll ourselves up in wickedness, till we grow invulnerable by conscience; and that sentinel, once dozed, sleeps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/so-possible-is-it-for-us-to-roll-ourselves-up-in-wickedness-till-we/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [Now, said I aloud, My dear Father's Words are come to pass: God's Justice has overtaken me, and I have none to help or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/now-said-i-aloud-my-dear-father-s-words-are-come-to-pass-god-s/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“I stood still an hour or thereabouts without trespassing on our orders (for so long the caravan was in passing the gate), to look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/i-stood-still-an-hour-or-thereabouts-without-trespassing-on-our/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) [Explore all 173 Daniel Defoe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) ## More Books quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [My sentences got sharper and my stories more efficient, and I gradually learned to imagine the reader more clearly and to empathize with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-thompson-walker/my-sentences-got-sharper-and-my-stories-more-efficient-and-i/) [Karen Thompson Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-thompson-walker/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [“Within the pages of books, I've journeyed to Mandalay, the Milky Way and Santa Fe, without once having to leave my armchair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-ansbro/within-the-pages-of-books-i-ve-journeyed-to-mandalay-the-milky-way/) [Kevin Ansbro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-ansbro/) > [The Rosary is the book of the blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/the-rosary-is-the-book-of-the-blind/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [“Tacitus did not write a most dangerous book. His readers made it so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-k-krebs/tacitus-did-not-write-a-most-dangerous-book-his-readers-made-it-so/) [Christopher K. Krebs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-k-krebs/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [I think books in which people are really happy and things are going well are probably the most challenging novels there are to write,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/i-think-books-in-which-people-are-really-happy-and-things-are-going/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's like the query letter problem that I just mentioned, magnified a hundredfold. You might be good at telling a story, but that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/it-s-like-the-query-letter-problem-that-i-just-mentioned-magnified-a/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/) [Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/) > [But editors are still the world's readers. And thus the eyes of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/but-editors-are-still-the-world-s-readers-and-thus-the-eyes-of-the/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) [Browse all 59,485 Books quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Daniel Defoe was an English writer, journalist and spy, who gained enduring fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest practitioners of the novel and helped popularize the genre in Britain. In some texts he is even referred to as one of the founders, if not the founder, of the English novel. 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