the life of john bunyan-第29部分

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

the　sons　marry　and　have　children。　　These　same　children　also　cause

the　reader　no　little　perplexity；　when　he　finds　them　in　the　course

of　the　supposed　journey　transformed　from　sweet　babes　who　are

terrified　with　the　Mastiffs　barking　at　the　Wicket　Gate；　who　catch

at　the　boughs　for　the　unripe　plums　and　cry　at　having　to　climb　the

hill；　whose　faces　are　stroked　by　the　Interpreter；　who　are

catechised　and　called　〃good　boys〃　by　Prudence；　who　sup　on　bread

crumbled　into　basins　of　milk；　and　are　put　to　bed　by　Mercy　…　into

strong　young　men；　able　to　go　out　and　fight　with　a　giant；　and　lend　a

hand　to　the　pulling　down　of　Doubting　Castle；　and　becoming　husbands

and　fathers。　　We　cannot　but　feel　the　want　of　VRAISEMBLANCE　which

brings　the　whole　company　of　pilgrims　to　the　banks　of　the　dark　river

at　one　time；　and　sends　them　over　in　succession；　following　one

another　rapidly　through　the　Golden　Gate　of　the　City。　　The　four　boys

with　their　wives　and　children；　it　is　true；　stay　behind　awhile；　but

there　is　an　evident　incongruity　in　their　doing　so　when　the　allegory

has　brought　them　all　to　what　stands　for　the　close　of　their　earthly

pilgrimage。　　Bunyan's　mistake　was　in　gratifying　his　inventive

genius　and　making　his　band　of　pilgrims　so　large。　　He　could　get　them

together　and　make　them　travel　in　company　without　any　sacrifice　of

dramatic　truth；　which；　however；　he　was　forced　to　disregard　when　the

time　came　for　their　dismissal。　　The　exquisite　pathos　of　the

description　of　the　passage　of　the　river　by　Christian　and　Hopeful

blinds　us　to　what　may　be　almost　termed　the　impossibility　of　two

persons　passing　through　the　final　struggle　together；　and　dying　at

the　same　moment；　but　this　charm　is　wanting　in　the　prosaic　picture

of　the　company　of　fellow…travellers　coming　down　to　the　water's

edge；　and　waiting　till　the　postman　blows　his　horn　and　bids　them

cross。　　Much　as　the　Second　Part　contains　of　what　is　admirable；　and

what　no　one　but　Bunyan　could　have　written；　we　feel　after　reading　it

that；　in　Mr。　Froude's　words；　the　rough　simplicity　is　gone；　and　has

been　replaced　by　a　tone　of　sentiment　which　is　almost　mawkish。

〃Giants；　dragons；　and　angelic　champions　carry　us　into　a　spurious

fairyland　where　the　knight…errant　is　a　preacher　in　disguise。　　Fair

ladies　and　love…matches；　however　decorously　chastened；　suit　ill

with　the　sternness　of　the　mortal　conflict　between　the　soul　and

sin。〃　　With　the　acknowledged　shortcomings　of　the　Second　Part　of

〃The　Pilgrim's　Progress；〃　we　may　be　well　content　that　Bunyan　never

carried　out　the　idea　hinted　at　in　the　closing　words　of　his

allegory：　　〃Shall　it　be　my　lot　to　go　that　way　again；　I　may　give

those　that　desire　it　an　account　of　what　I　am　here　silent　about；　in

the　meantime　I　bid　my　reader　…　Adieu。〃



Bunyan's　second　great　allegorical　work；　〃The　Holy　War；〃　need　not

detain　us　long。　　Being　an　attempt；　and　in　the　nature　of　things　an

unsuccessful　attempt；　to　clothe　what　writers　on　divinity　call　〃the

plan　of　salvation〃　in　a　figurative　dress；　the　narrative；　with　all

its　vividness　of　description　in　parts；　its　clearly　drawn　characters

with　their　picturesque　nomenclature；　and　the　stirring　vicissitudes

of　the　drama；　is　necessarily　wanting　in　the　personal　interest　which

attaches　to　an　individual　man；　like　Christian；　and　those　who　are

linked　with　or　follow　his　career。　　In　fact；　the　tremendous

realities　of　the　spiritual　history　of　the　human　race　are　entirely

unfit　for　allegorical　treatment　as　a　whole。　　Sin；　its　origin；　its

consequences；　its　remedy；　and　the　apparent　failure　of　that　remedy

though　administered　by　Almighty　hands；　must　remain　a　mystery　for

all　time。　　The　attempts　made　by　Bunyan；　and　by　one　of　much　higher

intellectual　power　and　greater　poetic　gifts　than　Bunyan　…　John

Milton　…　to　bring　that　mystery　within　the　grasp　of　the　finite

intellect；　only　render　it　more　perplexing。　　The　proverbial　line

tells　us　that　…





〃Fools　rush　in　where　angels　fear　to　tread。〃





Bunyan　and　Milton　were　as　far　as　possible　from　being　〃fools〃；　but

when　both　these　great　writers；　on　the　one　hand；　carry　us　up　into

the　Council　Chamber　of　Heaven　and　introduce　us　to　the　Persons　of

the　ever…blessed　Trinity；　debating；　consulting；　planning；　and

resolving；　like　a　sovereign　and　his　ministers　when　a　revolted

province　has　to　be　brought　back　to　its　allegiance；　and；　on　the

other　hand；　take　us　down　to　the　infernal　regions；　and　makes　us

privy　to　the　plots　and　counterplots　of　the　rebel　leaders　and

hearers　of　their　speeches；　we　cannot　but　feel　that；　in　spite　of　the

magnificent　diction　and　poetic　imagination　of　the　one；　and　the

homely　picturesque　genius　of　the　other；　the　grand　themes　treated　of

are　degraded　if　not　vulgarized；　without　our　being　in　any　way　helped

to　unravel　their　essential　mysteries。　　In　point　of　individual

personal　interest；　〃The　Holy　War〃　contrasts　badly　with　〃The

Pilgrim's　Progress。〃　　The　narrative　moves　in　a　more　shadowy　region。

We　may　admire　the　workmanship；　but　the　same　undefined　sense　of

unreality　pursues　us　through　Milton's　noble　epic；　the　outcome　of　a

divinely…fired　genius；　and　Bunyan's　humble　narrative；　drawing　its

scenes　and　circumstances；　and　to　some　extent　its　DRAMATIS　PERSONAE；

from　the　writer's　own　surroundings　in　the　town　and　corporation　of

Bedford；　and　his　brief　but　stirring　experience　as　a　soldier　in　the

great　Parliamentary　War。　　The　catastrophe　also　is　eminently

unsatisfactory。　　When　Christian　and　Hopeful　enter　the　Golden　Gates

we　feel　that　the　story　has　come　to　its　proper　end；　which　we　have

been　looking　for　all　along。　　But　the　conclusion　of　〃The　Holy　War〃

is　too　much　like　the　closing　chapter　of　〃Rasselas〃　…　〃a　conclusion

in　which　nothing　is　concluded。〃　　After　all　the　endless　vicissitudes

of　the　conflict；　and　the　final　and　glorious　victory　of　Emmanuel　and

his　forces；　and　the　execution　of　the　ringleaders　of　the　mutiny；　the

issue　still　remains　doubtful。　　The　town　of　Mansoul　is　left　open　to

fresh　attacks。　　Diabolus　is　still　at　large。　　Carnal　Sense　breaks

prison　and　continues　to　lurk　in　the　town。　　Unbelief；　that　〃nimble

Jack；〃　slips　away；　and　can　never　be　laid　hold　of。　　These；

therefore；　and　some　few　others　of　the　more　subtle　of　the

Diabolonians；　continue　to　make　their　home　in　Mansoul；　and　will　do

so　until　Mansoul　ceases　to　dwell　in　the　kingdom　of　Universe。　　It　is

true　they　turn　chicken…hearted　after　the　other　leaders　of　their

party　have　been　taken　and　executed；　and　keep　themselves　quiet　and

close；　lurking　in　dens　and　holes　lest　they　should　be　snapped　up　by

Emmanuel's　men。　　If　Unbelief　or　any　of　his　crew　venture　to　show

themselves　in　the　streets；　the　whole　town　is　up　in　arms　against

them；　the　very　children　raise　a　hue　and　cry　against　them　and　seek

to　stone　them。　　But　all　in　vain。　　Mansoul；　it　is　true；　enjoys　some

good　degree　of　peace　and　quiet。　　Her　Prince　takes　up　his　residence

in　her　borders。　　Her　captains　and　soldiers　do　their　duties。　　She

minds　her　trade　with　the　heavenly　land　afar　off；　also　she　is　busy

in　her　manufacture。　　But　with　the　remnants　of　the　Diabolonians

still　within　her　walls；　ready　to　show　their　heads　on　the　least

relaxation　of　strict　watchfulness；　keeping　up　constant

communication　with　Diabolus　and　the　other　lords　of　the　pit；　and

prepared　to　open　the　gates　to　them　when　opportunity　offers；　this

peace　can　not　be　lasting。　　The　old　battle　will　have　to　be　fought

over　again；　only　to　end　in　the　same　undecisive　result。　　And　so　it

must　be　to　the　end。　　If　untrue　to　art；　Bunyan　is　true　to　fact。

Whether　we　regard　Mansoul　as　the　soul　of　a　single　individual　or　as

the　whole　human　race；　no　final　victory　can　be　looked　for　so　long　as

it　abides　in　〃the　country　of　Universe。〃　　The　flesh　will　lust

against　the　spirit；　the　regenerated　man　will　be　in　danger　of　being

brought　into　captivity　to　the　law　of　sin　and　death　unless　he　keeps

up　his　watchfulness　and　maintains　the　struggle　to　the　end。



And　it　is　here；　that；　for　purposes　of　art；　not　for　purposes　of

truth；　the　real　failing　of　〃The　Holy　War〃　lies。　　The　drama　of

Mansoul　is　incomplete；　and　whether　individually　or　collectively；

must　remain　incomplete　till　man　puts　on　a　new　nature；　and　the

victory；　once　for　all　gained　on　Calvary；　is　consummated；　in　the

fulness　of　time；　at　the　restitution　of　all　things。　　There　is　no

uncertainty　what　the　end　will　be。　　Evil　must　be　put　down；　and　good

must　triumph　at　last。　　But　the　end　is　not　yet；　and　it　seems　as　far

off　as　ever。　　The　army　of　Doubters；　under　their　several　captains；

Election　Doubters；　Vocation　Doubters；　Salvation　Doubters；　Grace

Doubters；　with　their　general　the　great　Lord　Incredulity　at　their

head；　reinforced　by　many　fresh　regiments　under　novel　standards；

unknown　and　unthought　of　in　Bunyan's　days；　taking　the　place　of

those　whose　power　is　past；　is　ever　making　new　attacks　upon　poor

Mansoul；　and　terrifying　feeble　souls　with　their　threatenings。

Whichever　way　we　look　there　is　much　to　puzzle；　much　to　grieve　over；

much　that　to　our　present　limited　view　is　entirely　inexplicable。

But　the　mind　that　accepts　the　loving　will　and　wisdom　of　God　as　the

law　of　the　Universe；　can　rest　in　the　calm　assurance　that　all；

however　mysteriously；　is　fulfilling　His　eternal　designs；　and　that

though　He　seems　to　permit　〃His　work　to　be　spoilt；　His　power　defied；

and　even　His　victories　when　won　made　useless；〃　it　is　but　seeming；　…

that　the　triumph　of　evil　is　but　temporary；　and　that　these　apparent

failures　and　contradictions；　are　slowly　but　surely　working　out　and

helping　forward





〃The　one　unseen　divine　event

To　which　the　whole　creation　moves。〃





〃The　mysteries　and　contradictions　which　the　Christian　revelation

leaves　unsolved　are　made　tolerable　by　Hope。〃　　To　adopt　Bunyan's

figurative　language　in　the　closing　paragraph　of　his　allegory；　the

day　is　certainly　coming　when　the　famous　town　of　Mansoul　shall　be

taken　down　and　transported　〃every　stick　and　stone〃　to　Emmanuel's

land；　and　there　set　up　for　the　Father's　h