The Isle Of Pines (1668) and An Essay in Bibliography by Worthington Chauncey Ford

by Henry Neville

"The Isle of Pines" by Henry Neville is a book published in 1668. When a British man and four women are shipwrecked on a fertile island, they establish a society based on abundant resources and sexual freedom. Three generations later, Dutch explorers discover their descendants have devolved into a primitive society on the brink of civil war. This early robinsonade explores questions of morality, productivity, and the consequences of idleness, presenting a colonial narrative with political undertones reflecting England's relationship with the Dutch Republic.