the life of john bunyan-第30部分
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taken down and transported 〃every stick and stone〃 to Emmanuel's
land； and there set up for the Father's habitation in such strength
and glory as it never saw before。 No Diabolonian shall be able to
creep into its streets； burrow in its walls； or be seen in its
borders。 No evil tidings shall trouble its inhabitants； nor sound
of Diabolian drum be heard there。 Sorrow and grief shall be ended；
and life； always sweet； always new； shall last longer than they
could even desire it； even all the days of eternity。 Meanwhile let
those who have such a glorious hope set before them keep clean and
white the liveries their Lord has given them； and wash often in the
open fountain。 Let them believe in His love； live upon His word；
watch； fight； and pray； and hold fast till He come。
One more work of Bunyan's still remains to be briefly noticed； as
bearing the characteristic stamp of his genius； 〃The Life and Death
of Mr。 Badman。〃 The original idea of this book was to furnish a
contrast to 〃The Pilgrim's Progress。〃 As in that work he had
described the course of a man setting out on his course
heavenwards； struggling onwards through temptation； trials； and
difficulties； and entering at last through the golden gates into
the city of God； so in this later work his purpose was to depict
the career of a man whose face from the first was turned in the
opposite direction； going on from bad to worse； ever becoming more
and more irretrievably evil； fitter and fitter for the bottomless
pit； his life full of sin and his death without repentance； reaping
the fruit of his sins in hopeless sinfulness。 That this was the
original purpose of the work； Bunyan tells us in his preface。 It
came into his mind； he says； as in the former book he had written
concerning the progress of the Pilgrim from this world to glory； so
in this second book to write of the life and death of the ungodly；
and of their travel from this world to hell。 The new work；
however； as in almost every respect it differs from the earlier
one； so it is decidedly inferior to it。 It is totally unlike 〃The
Pilgrim's Progress〃 both in form and execution。 The one is an
allegory； the other a tale； describing without imagery or metaphor；
in the plainest language； the career of a 〃vulgar； middle…class；
unprincipled scoundrel。〃 While 〃The Pilgrim's Progress〃 pursues
the narrative form throughout； only interrupted by dialogues
between the leading characters； 〃Mr。 Badman's career〃 is presented
to the world in a dialogue between a certain Mr。 Wiseman and Mr。
Attentive。 Mr。 Wiseman tells the story； and Mr。 Attentive supplies
appropriate reflections on it。 The narrative is needlessly
burdened with a succession of short sermons； in the form of
didactic discourses on lying； stealing； impurity； and the other
vices of which the hero of the story was guilty； and which brought
him to his miserable end。 The plainness of speech with which some
of these evil doings are enlarged upon； and Mr。 Badman's indulgence
in them described； makes portions of the book very disagreeable；
and indeed hardly profitable reading。 With omissions； however； the
book well deserves perusal； as a picture such as only Bunyan or his
rival in lifelike portraiture； Defoe； could have drawn of vulgar
English life in the latter part of the seventeenth century； in a
commonplace country town such as Bedford。 It is not at all a
pleasant picture。 The life described； when not gross； is sordid
and foul； is mean and commonplace。 But as a description of English
middle…class life at the epoch of the Restoration and Revolution；
it is invaluable for those who wish to put themselves in touch with
that period。 The anecdotes introduced to illustrate Bunyan's
positions of God's judgment upon swearers and sinners； convicting
him of a credulity and a harshness of feeling one is sorry to think
him capable of； are very interesting for the side…lights they throw
upon the times and the people who lived in them。 It would take too
long to give a sketch of the story； even if a summary could give
any real estimate of its picturesque and vivid power。 It is
certainly a remarkable； if an offensive book。 As with 〃Robinson
Crusoe〃 and Defoe's other tales； we can hardly believe that we have
not a real history before us。 We feel that there is no reason why
the events recorded should not have happened。 There are no
surprises； no unlooked…for catastrophes； no providential
interpositions to punish the sinner or rescue the good man。
Badman's pious wife is made to pay the penalty of allowing herself
to be deceived by a tall； good…looking； hypocritical scoundrel。 He
himself pursues his evil way to the end； and 〃dies like a lamb； or
as men call it； like a Chrisom child sweetly and without fear；〃 but
the selfsame Mr。 Badman still； not only in name； but in condition；
sinning onto the last； and dying with a heart that cannot repent。
Mr。 Froude's summing up of this book is so masterly that we make no
apology for presenting it to our readers。 〃Bunyan conceals
nothing； assumes nothing； and exaggerates nothing。 He makes his
bad man sharp and shrewd。 He allows sharpness and shrewdness to
bring him the reward which such qualities in fact command。 Badman
is successful； is powerful； he enjoys all the pleasures which money
can bring； his bad wife helps him to ruin； but otherwise he is not
unhappy； and he dies in peace。 Bunyan has made him a brute；
because such men do become brutes。 It is the real punishment of
brutal and selfish habits。 There the figure stands … a picture of
a man in the rank of English life with which Bunyan was most
familiar； travelling along the primrose path to the everlasting
bonfire； as the way to Emmanuel's Land was through the Slough of
Despond and the Valley of the Shadow of Death。 Pleasures are to be
found among the primroses； such pleasures as a brute can be
gratified by。 Yet the reader feels that even if there was no
bonfire； he would still prefer to be with Christian。〃
Footnotes
（1） A small enclosure behind a cottage。
End
