Weston super Mare.
_Daniel De Foe_ (Vol. v., p. 392.).--Your correspondent, on referring to
Wilson's _Life of De Foe_ (vol. iii. p. 648.), will find some mention of
John Joseph De Foe, his unfortunate great-grandson (not grandson), who
was executed at Tyburn, January 2, 1771. In the _Sessions Papers for
1770-1_ (p. 25.), he will also find the trial of John Clark and John
Joseph Defoe, otherwise Brown, otherwise Smith, for the robbery, on the
King's highway, of Alexander Fordyce, Esq. There seems to have been no
distinct identification of De Foe as one of the parties committing the
robbery; but in those days juries did not stand upon trifles, and he had
but little grace accorded to him. He was probably the grandson of
Daniel's second son, Bernard Norton De Foe, the abused of Pope; but this
is not quite certain.
Of the descendant of Daniel De Foe, who lived in or adjoining Hungerford
Market, your correspondent will also find mention in Wilson (vol. iii.
p. 649.). In all probability there are many descendants of this great
man now living in this country or abroad.
Your correspondent is under a mistake as to Robert Drury's Journal. The
first edition of that work, which I have now before me, came out in
1729, and therefore could not have been made use of by De Foe in writing
_Robinson Crusoe_, published ten years before. How far Drury's Journal
is true or fictitious, and by whom it was written, are curious
questions; but to attempt their solution would be out of place in this
reply.