He talked of the most distant Countries with an inimitable Exactness; and changing from one Place to another, the Company thought, of every Place or Country he named, that certainly he must have been born there.

He knew not only where every Thing was, but what everybody did in every Part of the World; I mean, what Businesses, what Trade, what Manufacture, was carrying on in every Part of the World; and had the History of almost all the Nations of the World in his Head--_yet this Man was no Scholar_." "This put me upon wondering, ever so long ago, what this _strange Thing_ called a Man of Learning _was_, and what is it that constitutes a _Scholar_?
For, _said I_, here's a man speaks five Languages and reads the Sixth, is a master of Astronomy, Geography, History, and abundance of other useful Knowledge (which I do not mention, that you may not guess at the Man, who is too Modest to desire it), and yet, they say _this Man is no Scholar_." How much of this learning Defoe acquired at school, and how much he picked up afterwards under the pressure of the necessities of his business, it is impossible to determine, but at any rate it was at least as good a qualification for writing on public affairs as the more limited and accurate scholarship of his academic rivals.

Whatever may have been the extent of his knowledge when he passed from Mr.Morton's tuition, qualified but no longer willing to become a Dissenting preacher, he did not allow it to rust unused; he at once mobilised his forces for active service.

They were keen politicians, naturally, at the Newington Academy, and the times furnished ample materials for their discussions.

As Nonconformists they were very closely affected by the struggle between Charles II.