THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS FROM THIS WORLD TO THAT WHICH IS TO COME. DELIVERED UNDER THE SIMILITUDE OF A DREAM. BY JOHN BUNYAN. EDINBURGH: M. DCCC.LV. 141.2.50 THE AUTHOR'S APOLOGY FOR HIS BOOK. WHEN at the first I took my pen in hand And thus it was: I writing of the way About their journey, and the way to glory, Like sparks that from the coals of fire do fly. *Without end. 4 THE AUTHOR'S APOLOGY. Thereby to please my neighbour: no, not I; Neither did I but vacant seasons spend From worser thoughts which make me do amiss. And quickly had my thoughts in black and white. Still as I pull'd, it came; and so I penn'd It down until it came at last to be, : For length and breadth, the bigness which you see. Well, when I had thus put mine ends together, I showed them others, that I might see whether They would condemn them, or them justify: And some said, Let them live; some, Let them die; Some said, John, print it; other said, Not so; Some said, It might do good; others said, No. Now was I in a strait, and did not see Which was the best thing to be done by me: At last I thought, Since ye are thus divided, I print it will; and so the case decided. For, thought I, some I see would have it done, I further thought, if now I did deny If that thou wilt not read, let it alone; I did too with them thus expostulate: |