the life of john bunyan-第18部分

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he　confesses　he　stood　in　need；　and　which　he　takes　it　kindly　of　him

to　send；　even　though　his　feet　stand　upon　Mount　Zion；　and　the　gaol

is　to　him　like　a　hill　from　which　he　could　see　beyond　this　world；

and　take　his　fill　of　the　blessedness　of　that　which　remains　for　the

Christian。　　Though　in　bonds　his　mind　is　free；　and　can　wander　where

it　will。





〃For　though　men　keep　my　outward　man

Within　their　locks　and　bars；

Yet　by　the　faith　of　Christ；　I　can

Mount　higher　than　the　stars。〃





Meanwhile　his　captivity　is　sweetened　by　the　thought　of　what　it　was

that　brought　him　there：…





〃I　here　am　very　much　refreshed

To　think；　when　I　was　out；

I　preached　life；　and　peace；　and　rest；

To　sinners　round　about。



My　business　then　was　souls　to　save

By　preaching　grace　and　faith；

Of　which　the　comfort　now　I　have

And　have　it　shall　till　death。



That　was　the　work　I　was　about

When　hands　on　me　they　laid。

'Twas　this　for　which　they　plucked　me　out

And　vilely　to　me　said；



'You　heretic；　deceiver；　come；

To　prison　you　must　go；

You　preach　abroad；　and　keep　not　home；

You　are　the　Church's　foe。'



Wherefore　to　prison　they　me　sent；

Where　to　this　day　I　lie；

And　can　with　very　much　content

For　my　profession　die。



The　prison　very　sweet　to　me

Hath　been　since　I　came　here；

And　so　would　also　hanging　be

If　God　would　there　appear。



To　them　that　here　for　evil　lie

The　place　is　comfortless；

But　not　to　me；　because　that　I

Lie　here　for　righteousness。



The　truth　and　I　were　both　here　cast

Together；　and　we　do

Lie　arm　in　arm；　and　so　hold　fast

Each　other；　this　is　true。



Who　now　dare　say　we　throw　away

Our　goods　or　liberty；

When　God's　most　holy　Word　doth　say

We　gain　thus　much　thereby？〃





It　will　be　seen　that　though　Bunyan's　verses　are　certainly　not　high…

class　poetry；　they　are　very　far　removed　from　doggerel。　　Nothing

indeed　that　Bunyan　ever　wrote；　however　rugged　the　rhymes　and

limping　the　metre；　can　be　so　stigmatized。　　The　rude　scribblings　on

the　margins　of　the　copy　of　the　〃Book　of　Martyrs；〃　which　bears

Bunyan's　signature　on　the　title…pages；　though　regarded　by　Southey

as　〃undoubtedly〃　his；　certainly　came　from　a　later　and　must　less

instructed　pen。　　And　as　he　advanced　in　his　literary　career；　his

claim　to　the　title　of　a　poet；　though　never　of　the　highest；　was　much

strengthened。　　The　verses　which　diversify　the　narrative　in　the

Second　Part　of　〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress〃　are　decidedly　superior　to

those　in　the　First　Part；　and　some　are　of　high　excellence。　　Who　is

ignorant　of　the　charming　little　song　of　the　Shepherd　Boy　in　the

Valley　of　Humiliation；　〃in　very　mean　clothes；　but　with　a　very　fresh

and　well…favoured　countenance；　and　wearing　more　of　the　herb　called

Heartsease　in　his　bosom　than　he　that　is　clad　in　silk　and　velvet？〃　…





〃He　that　is　down　need　fear　no　fall；

He　that　is　low；　no　pride；

He　that　is　humble；　ever　shall

Have　God　to　be　his　guide。



I　am　content　with　what　I　have；

Little　be　it　or　much；

And；　Lord；　contentment　still　I　crave；

Because　Thou　savest　such。



Fulness　to　such　a　burden　is

That　go　on　Pilgrimage；

Here　little；　and　hereafter　Bliss

Is　best　from　age　to　age。〃





Bunyan　reaches　a　still　higher　flight　in　Valiant…for…Truth's　song；

later　on；　the　Shakesperian　ring　of　which　recalls　Amiens'　in　〃As　You

Like　It；〃





〃Under　the　greenwood　tree；

Who　loves　to　lie　with　me。　。　。

Come　hither；　come　hither；〃





and　has　led　some　to　question　whether　it　can　be　Bunyan's　own。　　The

resemblance；　as　Mr。　Froude　remarks；　is　〃too　near　to　be　accidental。〃

〃Perhaps　he　may　have　heard　the　lines；　and　the　rhymes　may　have　clung

to　him　without　his　knowing　whence　they　came。〃





〃Who　would　true　Valour　see；

Let　him　come　hither；

One　here　will　constant　be；

Come　wind；　come　weather。

There's　no　discouragement

Shall　make　him　once　relent

His　first　avowed　intent

To　be　a　Pilgrim。



Who　so　beset　him　round

With　dismal　stories；

Do　but　themselves　confound

His　strength　the　more　is。

No　lion　can　him　fright；

He'll　with　a　giant　fight；

But　he　will　have　a　right

To　be　a　Pilgrim。



Hobgoblin　nor　foul　fiend

Can　daunt　his　spirit；

He　knows　he　at　the　end

Shall　life　inherit。

Then　fancies　fly　away

He'll　fear　not　what　men　say；

He'll　labour　night　and　day

To　be　a　Pilgrim。〃





All　readers　of　〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress〃　and　〃The　Holy　War〃　are

familiar　with　the　long　metrical　compositions　giving　the　history　of

these　works　by　which　they　are　prefaced　and　the　latter　work　is

closed。　　No　more　characteristic　examples　of　Bunyan's　muse　can　be

found。　　They　show　his　excellent　command　of　his　native　tongue　in

racy　vernacular；　homely　but　never　vulgar；　and　his　power　of

expressing　his　meaning　〃with　sharp　defined　outlines　and　without　the

waste　of　a　word。〃



Take　this　account　of　his　perplexity；　when　the　First　Part　of　his

〃Pilgrim's　Progress〃　was　finished；　whether　it　should　be　given　to

the　world　or　no；　and　the　characteristic　decision　with　which　he

settled　the　question　for　himself：…





〃Well；　when　I　had　then　put　mine　ends　together；

I　show'd　them　others　that　I　might　see　whether

They　would　condemn　them；　or　them　justify；

And　some　said　Let　them　live；　some；　Let　them　die。

Some　said；　John；　print　it；　others　said；　Not　so；

Some　said　it　might　do　good；　others　said　No。

Now　was　I　in　a　strait；　and　did　not　see

Which　was　the　best　thing　to　be　done　by　me；

At　last　I　thought　since　you　are　thus　divided


I　print　it　will；　and　so　the　case　decided；〃





or　the　lines　in　which　he　introduces　the　Second　Part　of　the　Pilgrim

to　the　readers　of　the　former　part：…





〃Go　now；　my　little　Book；　to　every　place

Where　my　first　Pilgrim　hath　but　shown　his　face：

Call　at　their　door：　　If　any　say；　'Who's　there？'

Then　answer　that　Christiana　is　here。

If　they　bid　thee　come　in；　then　enter　thou

With　all　thy　boys。　　And　then；　as　thou　knowest　how；

Tell　who　they　are；　also　from　whence　they　came；

Perhaps　they'll　know　them　by　their　looks　or　name。

But　if　they　should　not；　ask　them　yet　again

If　formerly　they　did　not　entertain

One　Christian；　a　pilgrim。　　If　they　say

They　did；　and　were　delighted　in　his　way：

Then　let　them　know　that　these　related　are

Unto　him；　yea；　his　wife　and　children　are。

Tell　them　that　they　have　left　their　house　and　home；

Are　turned　Pilgrims；　seek　a　world　to　come；

That　they　have　met　with　hardships　on　the　way；

That　they　do　meet　with　troubles　night　and　day。〃





How　racy；　even　if　the　lines　are　a　little　halting；　is　the　defence　of

the　genuineness　of　his　Pilgrim　in　〃The　Advertisement　to　the　Reader〃

at　the　end　of　〃The　Holy　War。〃





〃Some　say　the　Pilgrim's　Progress　is　not　mine；

Insinuating　as　if　I　would　shine

In　name　or　fame　by　the　worth　of　another；

Like　some　made　rich　by　robbing　of　their　brother；

Or　that　so　fond　I　am　of　being　sire

I'll　father　bastards；　or　if　need　require；

I'll　tell　a　lie　or　print　to　get　applause。

I　scorn　it。　　John　such　dirt…heap　never　was

Since　God　converted　him。　。　。

Witness　my　name；　if　anagram'd　to　thee

The　letters　make　NU　HONY　IN　A　B。

IOHN　BUNYAN。〃





How　full　of　life　and　vigour　his　sketch　of　the　beleaguerment　and

deliverance　of　〃Mansoul；〃　as　a　picture　of　his　own　spiritual

experience；　in　the　introductory　verses　to　〃The　Holy　War〃！　…





〃For　my　part　I；　myself；　was　in　the　town；

Both　when　'twas　set　up；　and　when　pulling　down；

I　saw　Diabolus　in　possession；

And　Mansoul　also　under　his　oppression。

Yes；　I　was　there　when　she　crowned　him　for　lord；

And　to　him　did　submit　with　one　accord。

When　Mansoul　trampled　upon　things　divine；

And　wallowed　in　filth　as　doth　a　swine；

When　she　betook　herself　unto　her　arms；

Fought　her　Emmanuel；　despised　his　charms：

Then　I　was　there；　and　did　rejoice　to　see

Diabolus　and　Mansoul　so　agree。

I　saw　the　prince's　armed　men　come　down

By　troops；　by　thousands；　to　besiege　the　town；

I　saw　the　captains；　heard　the　trumpets　sound；

And　how　his　forces　covered　all　the　ground；

Yea；　how　they　set　themselves　in　battle　array；

I　shall　remember　to　my　dying　day。〃





Bunyan's　other　essays　in　the　domain　of　poetry　need　not　detain　us

long。　　The　most　considerable　of　these　…　at　least　in　bulk　…　if　it　be

really　his；　is　a　version　of　some　portions　of　the　Old　and　New

Testaments：　　the　life　of　Joseph；　the　Book　of　Ruth；　the　history　of

Samson；　the　Book　of　Jonah；　the　Sermon　on　the　Mount；　and　the　General

Epistle　of　St。　James。　　The　attempt　to　do　the　English　Bible　into

verse　has　been　often　made　and　never　successfully：　　in　the　nature　of

things　success　in　such　a　task　is　impossible；　nor　can　this　attempt

be　regarded　as　happier　than　that　of　others。　　Mr。　Froude　indeed；　who

undoubtingly　accepts　their　genuineness；　is　of　a　different　opinion。

He　styles　the　〃Book　of　Ruth〃　and　the　〃History　of　Joseph〃　〃beautiful

idylls；〃　of　such　high　excellence　that；　〃if　we　found　them　in　the

collected　works　of　a　poet　laureate；　we　should　consider　that　a

difficult　task　had　been　accomplished　successfully。〃　　It　would　seem

almost　doubtful　whether　Mr。　Froude　can　have　read　the　compositions

that　he　commends　so　largely；　and　so　much　beyond　their　merit。　　The

following　specimen；　taken　haphazard；　will　show　how　thoroughly

Bunyan　or　the　rhymester；　whoever　he　may　be；　has　overcome　what　Mr。

Froude　regards　as　an　almost　insuperable　difficulty；　and　has　managed

to　〃spoil　completely　the　faultless　prose　of　the　English

translation〃：…





〃Ruth　replied；

Intreat　me　not　to　leave　thee　or　return；

For　where　thou　goest　I'll　go；　where　thou　sojourn

I'll　sojourn　also　…　and　what　people's　thine；

And　who　thy　God；　the　same　shall　both　be　mine。

Where　thou　shalt　die；　there　will　I　die　likewise；

And　I'll　be　buried　where　thy　body　lies。

The　Lord　do　so　to　me　and　more　if　I

Do　leave　thee　or　forsake　thee　till　I　die。〃





The　more　we　read　of　these　poems；　not　given　to　the　world　till　twelve

years　after　Bunyan's　death；　and　that　by　a　publisher　who　was　〃a

repeated　offender　against　the