CHAP. XIII.-The Pilgrims kill Giant Despair and his wife; and totally demolish his castle-They proceed to the Delectable Mountains ..... CHAP. XIV. The company joined by Mr. Valiant and Mr. Standfast-They pass over the Enchanted Ground-A description of Madam Bubble ...... 143 CHAP. XV.-The Pilgrims arrive at the land of Beu- lah; where they wait for the summons of their King Christiana and several of her companions The Pilgrim's Progress. PART THE FIRST. CHAP. I. The Author's imprisonment and dream-Christian, convinced of sin, flies from the wrath to come, and is directed by the Gospel, to Christ. As I walked through the wilderness of this world, I lighted on a certain place, where was a Den, and laid me down in that place to sleep; and as I slept, I dreamed a dream. I dreamed, and behold, I saw a man clothed with rags, standing in a certain place, with his face from his own house, a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back. I looked, and saw him open the book, and read therein; and, as he read, he wept and trembled; and, not being able longer to contain, he broke out with a lamentable cry, saying, "What shall I do?" In this plight therefore he went home, and refrained himself as long as he could, that his wife and children should not perceive his distress; but he could not be silent long, because that his trouble increased: wherefore at length he brake his mind to his wife and children: and thus he began to talk to them: "O my dear wife (said he), and you the B "children of my bowels, I, your dear friend, am in "myself undone, by reason of a burden that lieth "hard upon me: Moreover, I am certainly in"formed, that this our city will be burned with fire "from heaven; in which fearful overthrow, both "myself, with thee my wife, and you my sweet "babes, shall miserably come to ruin, except (the "which yet I see not) some way of escape may be "found, whereby we may be delivered." At this his relations were sore amazed; not for that they believed that what be said to them was true, but because they thought some frenzy distemper had got into his head; therefore, it drawing towards night, and they hoping that sleep might settle his brains, with all haste they got him to bed: but the night was as troublesome to him as the day; wherefore, instead of sleeping, he spent it in sighs and tears. So when the morning was come, they would know how he did; he told them worse and worse; he also set to talking to them again, but they began to be hardened. They also thought to drive away his distemper by harsh and surly carriage to him: sometimes they would deride, sometimes they would chide, and sometimes they would quite neglect him. Wherefore he began to retire himself to his chamber, to pray for and pity them; and also to condole his own misery: he would also walk solitary in the fields, sometimes reading and sometimes praying; and thus for some days he spent his time. Now I saw, upon a time, when he was walking in the fields, that he was (as he was wont) reading in his book, and greatly distressed in his mind; and as be read, he burst out, as he had done before, crying, "What shall I do to be saved ?”: I I saw also, that he looked this way, and that way, as if he would run; yet he stood still, because (as I perceived) he could not tell which way to go. looked then, and saw a man, named Evangelist, coming to him, and asked, Wherefore dost thou cry? He answered, Sir, I perceive, by the book in my hand, that I am condemned to die, and after that to come to judgment; and I find that I am not willing to do the first, nor able to do the second (a). Then said Evangelist, Why not willing to die, since this life is attended with so many evils? The man answered, Because I fear that this burden that is upon my back, will sink me lower than the grave, and I shall fall into Tophet (b). And, Sir, if I be not fit to go to prison, I am not fit to go to judgment, and from thence to execution; and the thoughts of these things make me cry. Then said Evangelist, if this be thy condition, Why standest thou still? He answered, Because I know not whither to go. Then he gave him a parchment roll; and there was written within, Fly from the wrath to come (c)." The man therefore read it, and looking upon Evangelist very carefully, said, Whither must I fly? Then said Evangelist (pointing with his finger over averywide field), Do you see yonder Wicket-gate (d)? The man said, No: then said the other, Do you see yonder shining light (e)? He said I think I do. Then said Evangelist, keep that light in your eye, and go up directly thereto, so shalt thou see the gate; at which, when thou knockest, it shall be told thee what thou shalt do. EXPLANATORY NOTES. To MR. BUNYAN was imprisoned twelve years in Bedford gaol, for preaching the gospel as a nonconformist, or dissenter. this he refers, when he speaks of the Den." Blessed be God for the Act of Toleration, and the religious liberty now enjoyed in consequence of it! Our Author, thus prevented from preaching, turned his thoughts to writing; and, during (a) Heb. ix. 27. Job. xvi. 21, 22, Ezek. xxii. 14. (b) Isa. XXX. 33. (c) Matt. ii. 7. (d) Matt. vii. 13, 14. (e) Psal, cxix. 105. 2 Pet. i. 19.1 his confinement, composed THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS, and many other useful works. The Lord frequently causes" the wrath of man to praise him." The servants of Christ, when restrained by penal laws, from publishing the word of life from the pulpit, have become more abundantly useful by their writings. The first chapter exhibits, in a figurative manner, THE CONVICTION OF A SINNER; or that work of the Spirit of God, whereby a person, who, like the world in general, was careless about his soul, is deeply convinced of his dangerous condition. He is represented as "clothed with rags:" for every awakened sinner perceives that "his own righteousness is as filthy rags," Isa. Ixiv. 6.-He turns his face from his own house;" that is, he forsakes the world, as Christ requires all his disciples to do, Luke xiv. 33.—He is seen with “a book in his hand."-He begins now to read his Bible, which before he neglected; perhaps, despised.-And he has also "a great burden on his back" that is, in the words of the Communion Service of the Church of England, The remembrance of his sins is grievous, and the burden of them is intolerable." In this painful state of mind (as in any other painful state), how natural is it to cry out, "What shall I do?" Such was the language of conviction and fear, uttered by the three thousand on the day of Pentecost, and by the' Philippian jailer, Acts ii. 37. and xvi, 30, 31.-When distress of soul is felt in a great degree, it cannot long be concealed. It will be discovered by the countenance or the conduct, if not by word. Indeed, genuine concern for our own souls is always accompanied with concern for the souls of others, more particularly of our dear relations. Persons, thus awakened to a just sense of their state, must not be surprised, if, like Christian, they become the objects of scorn or pity. Their carual friends will think them mad; and propose company-amusements-and a cheerful glass, as expedients to ch se away their enthusiastic fears. In the mean time, Christian betakes himself to prayer. So certain is it, that a converted man wili immediate y attempt to pray, though perhaps "with groanings which cannot be uttered," Rom. viii. 26.. Reader!-be persuaded to pause a moment;-and- if you would derive true advan age from this book, ask yourself the question 11 -What is my case-Did I ever feel a deep concern about my soul? Did I ever see my danger, as a sinner?— Did I ever exclaim, in the agony of my spirit, "What must |