Scattered throughout his various works are the materials for a tolerably complete autobiography.

This is in one respect an advantage for any one who attempts to give an account of his life.

But it has a counterbalancing disadvantage in the circumstance that there is grave reason to doubt his veracity, Defoe was a great story-teller in more senses than one.

We can hardly believe a word that he says about himself without independent confirmation.
Defoe was born in London, in 1661.

It is a characteristic circumstance that his name is not his own, except in the sense that it was assumed by himself.