his mind, by the letter of the Italian martyr Pomponius Algerius. "In this world," says that high-minded and triumphant witness for the truth, "there is no mansion firm to me; and therefore I will travel up to the New Jerusalem, which is in Heaven, and which offereth itself to me, without paying any fine or income. Behold, I have entered already on my journey, where my house standeth for me prepared, and where I shall have riches, kinsfolks, delights, honours never failing."

But original as Bunyan believed his own work to be, and as in the main undoubtedly it is, the same allegory had often been treated before him, so often indeed that to notice all preceding works of this kind would far exceed all reasonable limits here.

Some of these may have fallen in Bunyan's way, and modified his own conception when he was not aware of any such influence. Mr. Montgomery, in his very able Introductory Essay to the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' observes, "that a poem entitled 'the Pilgrimage,' in Whitney's Emblems,* and the emblem which accompanies it, may have suggested to him the first idea of his story; indeed, he says, if he had had Whitney's picture before him, he could not more accurately have copied it in words," than in the passage where Evangelist directs Christian to the Wicket-Gate.

Another book in which a general resemblance to the 'Pilgrim's Progress' has been observed, is the 'Voyage of the Wandering Knight,' of which a translation from the French of the Carmelite, Jean de Carthenay, was printed in the reign of Elizabeth, the Carmelite himself having (as Mr. Douce has kindly informed me) imitated a French poem (once very popular), composed A.D. 1310, by Guill. de Guilleville, a monk of Chanliz, and entitled the Pelerin de la Vie Humaine. There is a vague general resemblance in the subject of this work, and some occasional resemblance in the details; but the coincidences are such as the subject would naturally lead to, and the 'Pilgrim's Progress' might have been exactly what it is, whether Bunyan had ever seen this book or not. But he had† certainly

[* Printed at Leyden in 1586.]

+ Bunyan had evidently the following lively passage in his mind when he wrote the verses introductory to his Second Part:

seen Bernard's 'Isle of Man, or the Legal Proceedings in Manshire against Sin; wherein by way of a continued Allegory, the chief Malefactors disturbing both Church and Commonwealth are detected and attached; with their arraignment and judicial trial, according to the Laws of England.' This was a popular book in Bunyan's time,* printed in a cheap form for popular sale, and "to be sold by most booksellers." There is as much wit in it as in the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' and it is that vein of wit† which Bunyan has worked with such good success. It

"Well, I have clothed this Book as it is. It may be some humour took me, as once it did old Jacob, who apparelled Joseph differently from all the rest of his brethren in a party-coloured coat. It may also be that I look (as Jacob did on Joseph) with more delight on this lad than on twenty other of his brethren born before him, or on a younger Benjamin brought forth soon after him.-When I thus apparelled him, I intended to send him forth to his brethren, hoping thereby to procure him the more acceptance, where he happily should come; and my expectation hath not failed: deceived altogether I am not, as was Jacob in sending his Joseph among his envious brethren; for, not only hundreds, but some thousands, have welcomed him to their houses. They say they like his countenance, his habit, and manner of speaking well enough; though others, too nice, be not so well pleased therewith.

"But who can please all? or how can any one so write or speak, as to content every man? If any mistake me, and abuse him in their too carnal apprehension, without the truly intended spiritual use, let them blame themselves, and neither me nor him; for their fault is their own, which I wish them to amend. You that like him, I pray you still accept of him, for whose sake, to further your spiritual meditation, I have sent him out with these Contents, and more marginal notes. His habit is no whit altered, which he is constrained by me to wear, not only on working days, but even upon holydays and Sundays too, if he go abroad. A fitter garment I have not now for him; and if I should send out the poor lad naked, I know it would not please you. This his coat, though not altered in the fashion, yet it is made somewhat longer. For though from his first birth into the world it be near a year, yet he is grown a little bigger. But I think him to be come to his full stature; so he will be but as a little pigmy, to be carried abroad in any man's pocket. I pray you now this (second) time accept him and use him as I have intended for you, and you shall reap the fruit, though I forbid you not to be Christianly merry with him. So fare you well, in all friendly well wishes. R. B. May 28, 1627."

*The sixteenth edition was published in 1683. It was reprinted at Bristol about thirty years ago. [1808.]

In that vein Bernard has also been followed by Bishop Womack,-unless indeed that excellent divine intended in his Propria quæ maribus to satirize the absurd names given by the Puritans to their children: this however he might intend, and yet have imitated Bernard. The names of the Triers, in his Examination of Tilenus,' are Dr. Absolute, Mr. Fatality, Mr. Preterition, Mr. Efficax, Mr. Indefectible, Dr. Confidence, Mr. Meanwell, Mr. Simulant, Mr. Take-o'-Trust, Mr. Impertinent, Mr. Narrow-Grace, in whom Philip

wants the charm of story, and has nothing of that romantic interest which "holds children from sleep ;" and therefore its popularity has passed away. But it is written with great spirit and ability, and for its own merit, as well as for the traits of the times with which it abounds, well deserves to be reprinted.

No one who reads this little book can doubt that it had a considerable effect upon the style of Bunyan's invention. The Bee had been shown by this elder one where honey of a peculiar flavour might be extracted, but the new honey was of our Bee's own gathering.

Lately, however, a charge has been brought against John the Bee of direct and knavish plagiarism. The following paragraph appeared in some London journal, and was generally copied into the provincial newspapers:-" "The friends of John Bunyan will be much surprised to hear that he is not the author of the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' but the mere translator. It is, however, an act of plagiarism to publish it in such a way as to mislead his readers; but it is never too late to call things by their right names. The truth is, that the work was even published in French, Spanish, and Dutch, besides other languages, before John Bunyan saw it; and we have ourselves seen a copy in the Dutch language, with numerous plates, printed long previous to Bunyan's time.” "It is very difficult," says Mr. Montgomery, "to imagine for what purpose such a falsehood (if it be one) should be framed; or how such a fact (if it be a fact) could have been so long concealed; or when declared thus publicly, why it should never have been established by the production of this Dutch copy, with its numerous plates. Be this as it may, till the story is anthenticated it must be regarded as utterly unworthy of credit."

I also, upon reading this notable paragraph in a newspaper, felt as Montgomery had done, and as "it is never too soon to call things by their right names," bestowed upon it at once its proper qualification. It would indeed be as impossible for me Nye was personated; Mr. Know-Little, who stood for Hugh Peters: Dr. Dubious, whom nobody doubts to be the representation of Baxter; and Dr. Dam-Man, a name which was that of one of the secretaries of the Dort Synod, and which to an English ear perfectly designated his rigid principles.

This curious tract has been reprinted in Mr. Nichols's 'Calvinism and Arminianism Compared,' a work of more research concerning the age of James and Charles the First than any other in our language,

to believe that Bunyan did not write the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' as that Porson did write a certain copy of verses entitled the Devil's Thoughts.* There must have been a grievous want of common sense in the person who wrote the paragraph, to suppose that such a plagiarism could have escaped detection till he discovered it; Bunyan's book having been translated into those languages (and current in them), in one of which, according to him, the original, and in the others, earlier versions of that original than the English Pilgrim's Progress' were existing! 6 But there

must have been a more grievous want of fidelity in his assertions. If he had been able to read the book which he saw, this gross accusation could never have been brought against John Bunyan.

The book in question (to which, without reference to this supposed plagiarism, Mr. Douce, with his wonted knowledge, had previously directed my attention) I have had an opportunity of perusing, through the kindness of its possessor, Mr. Offor. A person looking (like Bunyan's accuser) at the prints, and not understanding the language in which the book is written, might have supposed that hints had been taken from them for the adventures at the Slough of Despond, and at Vanity Fair; but that the Pilgrim's Progress' was not a translation from the work he must have known, for the Pilgrims in the prints are women; and it required no knowledge of Dutch to perceive that the book is written not as a narrative, but in a series of Dialogues.

Bolswert the engraver is the author of this book, which is entitled the Pilgrimage of Dovekin and Willekin to their Beloved in Jerusalem. The author was a true lover of his mother tongue, and more than once laments over the fashion of corrupting it with words borrowed from other languages: all the examples which he adduces of such adulterations are French. The book, though totally neglected now, was once very popular; my venerable friend Bilderdijk tells me "that it was one of the delights of his childhood." I am obliged to Mr. Major for a

[* See Southey's Poetical Works (ed. 1844), p. 165.]

Duyfkens ende Willemynkens Pelgrimagie tot haren beminden binnen Jerusalem; haerlieder teghenspoet, belet ende eynde. Beschreven ende met sin-spelende beelden wtghegheven door Boetius a Bolswert. T’ Antwerpen, by Hieronimus Verdussen, A°. 1627.

[See Southey's Poetical Works (ed. 1844), p. 210.]

French translation of it, in which some intermediate possessor has drawn his pen through the name of Rousseau, that name appearing, upon comparing it with a fac-simile in Rees's Cyclopædia, and with an autograph also, to be in the hand-writing of Jean Jacques. The French translator, as might be expected, has carefully got rid of everything which relates to Flemish manners and feelings, and the raciness of the original is completely lost in his version.

The two sisters Dovekin and Willekin are invited in a dream by the Beloved, in the language of the Canticles, to arise and come away. Willekin, who is for a little more sleep, a little more slumber, is not inclined to accept the invitation, and disparages her lover, saying that he is no better than Joseph the Carpenter, and Peter the Fisherman, with whom he used to keep company. Dovekin, however, persuades her to rise, and set off upon their pilgrimage to him; it is but a day's journey: they wash at their outset in a river of clear water, which has its source in Rome, and (taking the Netherlands in its way) flows to Jerusalem; and by this river they are to keep, or they will lose themselves. They gather flowers also at the beginning of their journey, for the purpose of presenting them to the Bridegroom and his mother, whose favour Dovekin says it is of the utmost importance to obtain, and who, she assures her sister, dearly loves the Netherlanders. The wilful sister collects her flowers without any choice or care, loses them, over-heats herself, and is obliged to go to the river to wash herself after eating; she then finds her flowers again, and they proceed till they come to a village, where it happens to be fair time, and Willekin will not be dissuaded by her prudent sister from stopping to look at some Mountebanks. The print annexed is what was supposed to represent Vanity Fair, whereas the story relates merely to a Flemish Kermes; and the only adventure which befalls the idle sister there is that she brings away from it certain living and loathsome parasites of humanity, who pass under a generic appellation in the French version, but in the honest Dutch original are called by their own name.

*Voyage de Deux Sœurs, Colombelle et Volontairette, vers leur Bien-Aime en la Cité de Jérusalem: contenant plusieurs incidens arrivez pendant leur voyage. Par Boece de Bolswert. Nouvelle Edition corrigée et chatice selon le stile du tems, et enrichie de figures en taille-douce. A Liège, 1734.