the life of john bunyan-第27部分

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there　is　hardly　one　we　should　be　surprised　to　meet　any　day。　　This

life…like　power　of　characterization　belongs　in　the　highest　degree

to　〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress。〃　　It　is　hardly　inferior　in　〃The　Holy

War；〃　though　with　some　exceptions　the　people　of　〃Mansoul〃　have

failed　to　engrave　themselves　on　the　popular　memory　as　the

characters　of　the　earlier　allegory　have　done。　　The　secret　of　this

graphic　power；　which　gives　〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress〃　its　universal

popularity；　is　that　Bunyan　describes　men　and　women　of　his　own　day；

such　as　he　had　known　and　seen　them。　　They　are　not　fancy　pictures；

but　literal　portraits。　　Though　the　features　may　be　exaggerated；　and

the　colours　laid　on　with　an　unsparing　brush；　the　outlines　of　his

bold　personifications　are　truthfully　drawn　from　his　own　experience。

He　had　had　to　do　with　every　one　of　them。　　He　could　have　given　a

personal　name　to　most　of　them；　and　we　could　do　the　same　to　many。

We　are　not　unacquainted　with　Mr　Byends　of　the　town　of　Fair　Speech；

who　〃always　has　the　luck　to　jump　in　his　judgment　with　the　way　of

the　times；　and　to　get　thereby；〃　who　is　zealous　for　Religion　〃when

he　goes　in　his　silver　slippers；〃　and　〃loves　to　walk　with　him　in　the

streets　when　the　sun　shines　and　the　people　applaud　him。〃　　All　his

kindred　and　surroundings　are　only　too　familiar　to　us　…　his　wife；

that　very　virtuous　woman　my　Lady　Feigning's　daughter；　my　Lord　Fair…

speech；　my　Lord　Time…server；　Mr。　Facingbothways；　Mr。　Anything；　and

the　Parson　of　the　Parish；　his　mother's　own　brother　by　the　father's

side；　Mr。　Twotongues。　　Nor　is　his　schoolmaster；　one　Mr。　Gripeman；

of　the　market　town　of　Lovegain；　in　the　county　of　Coveting；　a

stranger　to　us。　　Obstinate；　with　his　dogged　determination　and

stubborn　common…sense；　and　Pliable　with　his　shallow

impressionableness；　are　among　our　acquaintances。　　We　have；　before

now；　come　across　〃the　brisk　lad　Ignorance　from　the　town　of

Conceit；〃　and　have　made　acquaintance　with　Mercy's　would…be　suitor；

Mr。　Brisk；　〃a　man　of　some　breeding　and　that　pretended　to　religion；

but　who　stuck　very　close　to　the　world。〃　　The　man　Temporary　who

lived　in　a　town　two　miles　off　from　Honesty；　and　next　door　to　Mr。

Turnback；　Formalist　and　Hypocrisy；　who　were　〃from　the　land　of

Vainglory；　and　were　going　for　praise　to　Mount　Sion〃；　Simple；　Sloth；

and　Presumption；　〃fast　asleep　by　the　roadside　with　fetters　on　their

heels；〃　and　their　companions；　Shortwind；　Noheart；　Lingerafterlust；

and　Sleepyhead；　we　know　them　all。　　〃The　young　woman　whose　name　was

Dull〃　taxes　our　patience　every　day。　　Where　is　the　town　which　does

not　contain　Mrs。　Timorous　and　her　coterie　of　gossips；　Mrs。　Bats…

eyes；　Mrs。　Inconsiderate；　Mrs。　Lightmind；　and　Mrs。　Knownothing；

〃all　as　merry　as　the　maids；〃　with　that　pretty　fellow　Mr。　Lechery　at

the　house　of　Madam　Wanton；　that　〃admirably　well…bred　gentlewoman〃？

Where　shall　we　find　more　lifelike　portraits　than　those　of　Madam

Bubble；　a　〃tall；　comely　dame；　somewhat　of　a　swarthy　complexion；

speaking　very　smoothly　with　a　smile　at　the　end　of　each　sentence；

wearing　a　great　purse　by　her　side；　with　her　hand　often　in　it；

fingering　her　money　as　if　that　was　her　chief　delight；〃　of　poor

Feeblemind　of　the　town　of　Uncertain；　with　his　〃whitely　look；　the

cast　in　his　eye；　and　his　trembling　speech；〃　of　Littlefaith；　as

〃white　as　a　clout；〃　neither　able　to　fight　nor　fly　when　the　thieves

from　Dead　Man's　Lane　were　on　him；　of　Ready…to…halt；　at　first　coming

along　on　his　crutches；　and　then　when　Giant　Despair　had　been　slain

and　Doubting　Castle　demolished；　taking　Despondency's　daughter

Muchafraid　by　the　hand　and　dancing　with　her　in　the　road？　　〃True；　he

could　not　dance　without　one　crutch　in　his　hand；　but　I　promise　you

he　footed　it　well。　　Also　the　girl　was　to　be　commanded；　for　she

answered　the　musick　handsomely。〃　　In　Bunyan's　pictures　there　is

never　a　superfluous　detail。　　Every　stroke　tells；　and　helps　to　the

completeness　of　the　portraiture。



The　same　reality　characterizes　the　descriptive　part　of　〃The

Pilgrim's　Progress。〃　　As　his　characters　are　such　as　he　must　meet

with　every　day　in　his　native　town；　so　also　the　scenery　and

surroundings　of　his　allegory　are　part　of　his　own　every…day　life；

and　reproduce　what　he　had　been　brought　up　amidst　in　his　native

county；　or　had　noticed　in　his　tinker's　wanderings。　　〃Born　and

bred；〃　writes　Kingsley；　〃in　the　monotonous　Midland；　he　had　no

natural　images　beyond　the　pastures　and　brooks；　the　town　and　country

houses；　he　saw　about　him。〃　　The　Slough　of　Despond；　with　its

treacherous　quagmire　in　the　midst　of　the　plain；　into　which　a

wayfarer　might　heedlessly　fall；　with　its　stepping…stones　half

drowned　in　mire；　Byepathmeadow；　promising　so　fair；　with　its　stile

and　footpath　on　the　other　side　of　the　fence；　the　pleasant　river

fringed　with　meadows；　green　all　the　year　long　and　overshadowed　with

trees；　the　thicket　all　overgrown　with　briars　and　thorns；　where　one

tumbled　over　a　bush；　another　stuck　fast　in　the　dirt；　some　lost

their　shoes　in　the　mire；　and　others　were　fastened　from　behind　with

the　brambles；　the　high　wall　by　the　roadside　over　which　the　fruit

trees　shot　their　boughs　and　tempted　the　boys　with　their　unripe

plums；　the　arbour　with　its　settle　tempting　the　footsore　traveller

to　drowsiness；　the　refreshing　spring　at　the　bottom　of　Hill

Difficulty；　all　are　evidently　drawn　from　his　own　experience。

Bunyan；　in　his　long　tramps；　had　seen　them　all。　　He　had　known　what

it　was　to　be　in　danger　of　falling　into　a　pit　and　being　dashed　to

pieces　with　Vain　Confidence；　of　being　drowned　in　the　flooded

meadows　with　Christian　and　Hopeful；　of　sinking　in　deep　water　when

swimming　over　a　river；　going　down　and　rising　up　half　dead；　and

needing　all　his　companion's　strength　and　skill　to　keep　his　head

above　the　stream。　　Vanity　Fair　is　evidently　drawn　from　the　life。

The　great　yearly　fair　of　Stourbridge；　close　to　Cambridge；　which

Bunyan　had　probably　often　visited　in　his　tinker　days；　with　its

streets　of　booths　filled　with　〃wares　of　all　kinds　from　all

countries；〃　its　〃shows；　jugglings；　cheats　games；　plays；　fools；

apes；　knaves；　and　rogues；　and　that　of　every　kind；〃　its　〃great　one

of　the　fair；〃　its　court　of　justice　and　power　of　judgment；　furnished

him　with　the　materials　for　his　picture。　　Scenes　like　these　he　draws

with　sharp　defined　outlines。　　When　he　had　to　describe　what　he　only

knew　by　hearsay；　his　pictures　are　shadowy　and　cold。　　Never　having

been　very　far　from　home；　he　had　had　no　experience　of　the　higher

types　of　beauty　and　grandeur　in　nature；　and　his　pen　moves　in

fetters　when　he　attempts　to　describe　them。　　When　his　pilgrims　come

to　the　Hill　Difficulty　and　the　Delectable　Mountains；　the　difference

is　at　once　seen。　　All　his　nobler　imagery　is　drawn　from　Scripture。

As　Hallam　has　remarked；　〃There　is　scarcely　a　circumstance　or

metaphor　in　the　Old　Testament　which　does　not　find　a　place　bodily

and　literally　in　'The　Pilgrim's　Progress；'　and　this　has　made　his

imagination　appear　more　creative　than　it　really　is。〃



It　would　but　weary　the　reader　to　follow　the　details　of　a　narrative

which　is　so　universally　known。　　Who　needs　to　be　told　that　in　the

pilgrimage　here　described　is　represented　in　allegorical　dress　the

course　of　a　human　soul　convinced　of　sin；　struggling　onwards　to

salvation　through　the　trials　and　temptations　that　beset　its　path　to

its　eternal　home？　　The　book　is　so　completely　wrought　into　the　mind

and　memory；　that　most　of　us　can　at　once　recall　the　incidents　which

chequer　the　pilgrim's　way；　and　realize　their　meaning；　the　Slough　of

Despond；　in　which　the　man　convinced　of　his　guilt　and　fleeing　from

the　wrath　to　come；　in　his　agonizing　self…consciousness　is　in　danger

of　being　swallowed　up　in　despair；　the　Wicket　Gate；　by　which　he

enters　on　the　strait　and　narrow　way　of　holiness；　the　Interpreter's

House；　with　his　visions　and　acted　parables；　the　Wayside　Cross；　at

the　sight　of　which　the　burden　of　guilt　falls　from　the　pilgrim's

back；　and　he　is　clothed　with　change　of　raiment；　the　Hill

Difficulty；　which　stands　right　in　his　way；　and　which　he　must

surmount；　not　circumvent；　the　lions　which　he　has　to　pass；　not

knowing　that　they　are　chained；　the　Palace　Beautiful；　where　he　is

admitted　to　the　communion　of　the　faithful；　and　sits　down　to　meat

with　them；　the　Valley　of　Humiliation；　the　scene　of　his　desperate

but　victorious　encounter　with　Apollyon；　the　Valley　of　the　Shadow　of

Death；　with　its　evil　sights　and　doleful　sounds；　where　one　of　the

wicked　ones　whispers　into　his　ear　thoughts　of　blasphemy　which　he

cannot　distinguish　from　the　suggestions　of　his　own　mind；　the　cave

at　the　valley's　mouth；　in　which；　Giant　Pagan　having　been　dead　this

many　a　day；　his　brother；　Giant　Pope；　now　sits　alone；　grinning　at

pilgrims　as　they　pass　by；　and　biting　his　nails　because　he　cannot

get　at　them；　Vanity　Fair；　the　picture　of　the　world；　as　St。　John

describes　it；　hating　the　light　that　puts　to　shame　its　own　self…

chosen　darkness；　and　putting　it　out　if　it　can；　where　the　Pilgrim's

fellow；　Faithful；　seals　his　testimony　with　his　death；　and　the

Pilgrim　himself　barely　escapes；　the　〃delicate　plain〃　called　Ease；

and　the　little　hill；　Lucre；　where　Demas　stood　〃gentlemanlike；〃　to

invite　the　passersby　to　come　and　dig　in　his　silver　mine；　Byepath

Meadow；　into　which　the　Pilgrim　and　his　newly…found　companion　stray；

and　are　made　prisoners　by　Giant　Despair　and　shut　up　in　the　dungeons

of　Doubting　Castle；　and　break　out　of　prison　by　the　help　of　the　Key

of　Promise；　the　Delectable　Mountains　in　Immanuel's　Land；　with　their

friendly　shepherds　and　the　cheering　prospect　of　the　far…off

heavenly　city；　the　Enchanted　Land；　with　its　temptations　to

spiritual　drowsiness　at　the　very　end　of　the　journey；　the　Land　of

Beulah；　the　ante…chamber　of　the　city　to　which　they　were　bound；　and；

last　stage　of　all；　the　deep　dark　river；　without　a　bridge；　which　had

to　be　crossed　before　the　city　was　entered；　the　entrance　into　its

heavenly　gates；　the　pilgrim's　joyous　reception　with　all　the　bells

in　the　city　ringing　again　for　joy；　the　Dreamer's　glimpse　of　its