Fattening the Text

Inclusions such as these as I explained are meant to satisfy the readers with a real account of the myth. But it is almost as likely or more likely that these were included to lengthen the respective editions as a marketing device and to be sold at higher prices. It was interesting actually to see the variations in prices (when they were actually printed on the title page) and how they increased over the decades after 1719. Other means used to increase the size of the Robinson Crusoe text were Introductions, facsimiles of the title page and frontpiece of the first edition, biographies of Defoe and bibliographies of his works, descriptions of Juan Fernandez Island, and many illustrations.