the life of john bunyan-第28部分

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

glories　through　the　opened　portals　…　is　not　every　stage　of　the

journey；　every　scene　of　the　pilgrimage；　indelibly　printed　on　our

memories；　for　our　warning；　our　instruction；　our　encouragement　in

the　race　we；　as　much　as　they；　have　each　one　to　run？　　Have　we　not

all；　again　and　again；　shared　the　Dreamer's　feelings　…　〃After　that

they　shut　up　the　Gates；　which；　when　I　had　seen；　I　wished　myself

among　them；〃　and　prayed；　God　helping　us；　that　our　〃dangerous

journey〃　…　ever　the　most　dangerous　when　we　see　its　dangers　the

least　…　might　end　in　our　〃safe　arrival　at　the　desired　country〃？



〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress〃　exhibits　Bunyan　in　the　character　by　which

he　would　have　most　desired　to　be　remembered；　as　one　of　the　most

influential　of　Christian　preachers。　　Hallam；　however；　claims　for

him　another　distinction　which　would　have　greatly　startled　and

probably　shocked　him；　as　the　father　of　our　English　novelists。　　As

an　allegorist　Bunyan　had　many　predecessors；　not　a　few　of　whom；

dating　from　early　times；　had　taken　the　natural　allegory　of　the

pilgrimage　of　human　life　as　the　basis　of　their　works。　　But　as　a

novelist　he　had　no　one　to　show　him　the　way。　　Bunyan　was　the　first

to　break　ground　in　a　field　which　has　since　then　been　so

overabundantly　worked　that　the　soil　has　almost　lost　its

productiveness；　while　few　novels　written　purely　with　the　object　of

entertainment　have　ever　proved　so　universally　entertaining。

Intensely　religious　as　it　is　in　purpose；　〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress〃

may　be　safely　styled　the　first　English　novel。　　〃The　claim　to　be　the

father　of　English　romance；〃　writes　Dr。　Allon；　〃which　has　been

sometimes　preferred　for　Defoe；　really　pertains　to　Bunyan。　　Defoe

may　claim　the　parentage　of　a　species；　but　Bunyan　is　the　creator　of

the　genus。〃　　As　the　parent　of　fictitious　biography　it　is　that

Bunyan　has　charmed　the　world。　　On　its　vivid　interest　as　a　story；

its　universal　interest　and　lasting　vitality　rest。　　〃Other

allegorises；〃　writes　Lord　Macaulay；　〃have　shown　great　ingenuity；

but　no　other　allegorist　has　ever　been　able　to　touch　the　heart；　and

to　make　its　abstractions　objects　of　terror；　of　pity；　and　of　love。〃

Whatever　its　deficiencies；　literary　and　religious；　may　be；　if　we

find　incongruities　in　the　narrative；　and　are　not　insensible　to　some

grave　theological　deficiencies；　if　we　are　unable　without

qualification　to　accept　Coleridge's　dictum　that　it　is　〃incomparably

the　best　'Summa　Theologiae　Evangelicae'　ever　produced　by　a　writer

not　miraculously　inspired；〃　even　if；　with　Hallam；　we　consider　its

〃excellencies　great　indeed；　but　not　of　the　highest　order；〃　and　deem

it　〃a　little　over…praised；〃　the　fact　of　its　universal　popularity

with　readers　of　all　classes　and　of　all　orders　of　intellect　remains；

and　gives　this　book　a　unique　distinction。　　〃I　have；〃　says　Dr。

Arnold；　when　reading　it　after　a　long　interval；　〃always　been　struck

by　its　piety。　　I　am　now　struck　equally　or　even　more　by　its　profound

wisdom。　　It　seems　to　be　a　complete　reflexion　of　Scripture。〃　　And　to

turn　to　a　critic　of　very　different　character；　Dean　Swift：　　〃I　have

been　better　entertained　and　more　improved；〃　writes　that　cynical

pessimist；　〃by　a　few　pages　of　this　book　than　by　a　long　discourse　on

the　will　and　intellect。〃　　The　favourite　of　our　childhood；　as　〃the

most　perfect　and　complex　of　fairy　tales；　so　human　and

intelligible；〃　read；　as　Hallam　says；　〃at　an　age　when　the　spiritual

meaning　is　either　little　perceived　or　little　regarded；〃　the

〃Pilgrim's　Progress〃　becomes　the　chosen　companion　of　our　later

years；　perused　with　ever　fresh　appreciation　of　its　teaching；　and

enjoyment　of　its　native　genius；　〃the　interpreter　of　life　to　all　who

are　perplexed　with　its　problems；　and　the　practical　guide　and　solace

of　all　who　need　counsel　and　sympathy。〃



The　secret　of　this　universal　acceptableness　of　〃The　Pilgrim's

Progress〃　lies　in　the　breadth　of　its　religious　sympathies。　　Rigid

Puritan　as　Bunyan　was；　no　book　is　more　completely　free　from

sectarian　narrowness。　　Its　reach　is　as　wide　as　Christianity　itself；

and　it　takes　hold　of　every　human　heart　because　it　is　so　intensely

human。　　No　apology　is　needed　for　presenting　Mr。　Froude's　eloquent

panegyric：　　〃The　Pilgrim；　though　in　Puritan　dress；　is　a　genuine

man。　　His　experience　is　so　truly　human　experience　that　Christians

of　every　persuasion　can　identify　themselves　with　him；　and　even

those　who　regard　Christianity　itself　as　but　a　natural　outgrowth　of

the　conscience　and　intellect；　and　yet　desire　to　live　nobly　and　make

the　best　of　themselves；　can　recognize　familiar　footprints　in　every

step　of　Christian's　journey。　　Thus　'The　Pilgrim's　Progress'　is　a

book　which　when　once　read　can　never　be　forgotten。　　We　too；　every

one　of　us；　are　pilgrims　on　the　same　road；　and　images　and

illustrations　come　back　to　us　from　so　faithful　an　itinerary；　as　we

encounter　similar　trials；　and　learn　for　ourselves　the　accuracy　with

which　Bunyan　has　described　them。　　Time　cannot　impair　its　interest；

or　intellectual　progress　make　it　cease　to　be　true　to　experience。〃

Dr。　Brown's　appreciative　words　may　be　added：　　〃With　deepest　pathos

it　enters　into　the　stern　battle　so　real　to　all　of　us；　into　those

heart…experiences　which　make　up；　for　all；　the　discipline　of　life。

It　is　this　especially　which　has　given　to　it　the　mighty　hold　which

it　has　always　had　upon　the　toiling　poor；　and　made　it　the　one　book

above　all　books　well…thumbed　and　torn　to　tatters　among　them。　　And

it　is　this　which　makes　it　one　of　the　first　books　translated　by　the

missionary　who　seeks　to　give　true　thoughts　of　God　and　life　to

heathen　men。〃



The　Second　Part　of　〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress〃　partakes　of　the

character　of　almost　all　continuations。　　It　is；　in　Mr。　Froude's

words；　〃only　a　feeble　reverberation　of　the　first　part；　which　has

given　it　a　popularity　it　would　have　hardly　attained　by　its　own

merits。　　Christiana　and　her　children　are　tolerated　for　the

pilgrim's　sake　to　whom　they　belong。〃　　Bunyan　seems　not　to　have　been

insensible　of　this　himself；　when　in　his　metrical　preface　he　thus

introduces　his　new　work：





〃Go　now　my　little　book　to　every　place

Where　my　first　Pilgrim　has　but　shown　his　face。

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

Then　answer　thus；　'Christiana　is　here。'

If　they　bid　thee　come　in；　then　enter　thou

With　all　thy　boys。　　And　then；　as　thou　know'st　how；

Tell　who　they　are；　also　from　whence　they　came；

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





But　although　the　Second　Part　must　be　pronounced　inferior；　on　the

whole；　to　the　first；　it　is　a　work　of　striking　individuality　and

graphic　power；　such　as　Bunyan　alone　could　have　written。　　Everywhere

we　find　strokes　of　his　peculiar　genius；　and　though　in　a　smaller

measure　than　the　first；　it　has　added　not　a　few　portraits　to

Bunyan's　spiritual　picture　gallery　we　should　be　sorry　to　miss；　and

supplied　us　with　racy　sayings　which　stick　to　the　memory。　　The　sweet

maid　Mercy　affords　a　lovely　picture　of　gentle　feminine　piety；　well

contrasted　with　the　more　vigorous　but　still　thoroughly　womanly

character　of　Christiana。　　Great…Heart　is　too　much　of　an

abstraction：　　a　preacher　in　the　uncongenial　disguise　of　a　knightly

champion　of　distressed　females　and　the　slayer　of　giants。　　But　the

other　new　characters　have　generally　a　vivid　personality。　　Who　can

forget　Old　Honesty；　the　dull　good　man　with　no　mental　gifts　but　of

dogged　sincerity；　who　though　coming　from　the　Town　of　Stupidity；

four　degrees　beyond　the　City　of　Destruction；　was　〃known　for　a　cock

of　the　right　kind；〃　because　he　said　the　truth　and　stuck　to　it；　or

his　companion；　Mr。　Fearing；　that　most　troublesome　of　pilgrims；

stumbling　at　every　straw；　lying　roaring　at　the　Slough　of　Despond

above　a　month　together；　standing　shaking　and　shrinking　at　the

Wicket　Gate；　but　making　no　stick　at　the　Lions；　and　at　last　getting

over　the　river　not　much　above　wetshod；　or　Mr。　Valiant　for　Truth；

the　native　of　Darkland；　standing　with　his　sword　drawn　and　his　face

all　bloody　from　his　three　hours'　fight　with　Wildhead；

Inconsiderate；　and　Pragmatick；　Mr。　Standfast；　blushing　to　be　found

on　his　knees　in　the　Enchanted　Ground；　one　who　loved　to　hear　his

Lord　spoken　of；　and　coveted　to　set　his　foot　wherever　he　saw　the

print　of　his　shoe；　Mr。　Feeblemind；　the　sickly；　melancholy　pilgrim；

at　whose　door　death　did　usually　knock　once　a　day；　betaking　himself

to　a　pilgrim's　life　because　he　was　never　well　at　home；　resolved　to

run　when　he　could；　and　go　when　he　could　not　run；　and　creep　when　he

could　not　go；　an　enemy　to　laughter　and　to　gay　attire；　bringing　up

the　rear　of　the　company　with　Mr。　Readytohalt　hobbling　along　on　his

crutches；　Giant　Despair's　prisoners；　Mr。　Despondency；　whom　he　had

all　but　starved　to　death　…　and　Mistress　Much…afraid　his　daughter；

who　went　through　the　river　singing；　though　none　could　understand

what　she　said？　　Each　of　these　characters　has　a　distinct

individuality　which　lifts　them　from　shadowy　abstractions　into

living　men　and　women。　　But　with　all　its　excellencies；　and　they　are

many；　the　general　inferiority　of　the　history　of　Christiana　and　her

children's　pilgrimage　to　that　of　her　husband's　must　be

acknowledged。　　The　story　is　less　skilfully　constructed；　the

interest　is　sometimes　allowed　to　flag；　the　dialogues　that　interrupt

the　narrative　are　in　places　dry　and　wearisome　…　too　much　of　sermons

in　disguise。　　There　is　also　a　want　of　keeping　between　the　two　parts

of　the　allegory。　　The　Wicket　Gate　of　the　First　Part　has　become　a

considerable　building　with　a　summer　parlour　in　the　Second；　the

shepherds'　tents　on　the　Delectable　Mountains　have　risen　into　a

palace；　with　a　dining…room；　and　a　looking…glass；　and　a　store　of

jewels；　while　Vanity　Fair　has　lost　its　former　bad　character；　and

has　become　a　respectable　country　town；　where　Christiana　and　her

family；　seeming　altogether　to　forget　their　pilgrimage；　settled　down

comfortably；　enjoy　the　society　of　the　good　people　of　the　place；　and

the　sons　marry　and　have　chil