The paper, the printing, the plates, were all of the meanest description. In general, when the educated minority and the common people differ about the merit of a book, the opinion of the educated minority finally prevails. The Pilgrim's Progress is perhaps the only book about which, after the lapse of a hundred years, the educated minority has come over to the opinion of the common people. written in praise of the indulgence of 1672, of the Pilgrim's Progress were evidently and therefore hoped he might be equally meant for the cottage and the servants' hall. pleased with the indulgence of 1687. But fifteen years of thought, observation, and commerce with the world had made him wiser, nor were the cases exactly parallel. Charles was a professed Protestant: James was a professed Papist. The object of Charles' indulgence was disguised; the object of James' indulgence was patent. Bunyan was not deceived. He exhorted his hearers to prepare themselves by fasting and prayer for the danger which menaced their The attempts which have been made to civil and religious liberties, and refused improve and to imitate this book are not to even to speak to the courtier who came be numbered. It has been done into verse; down to remodel the corporation of Bedford, it has been done into modern English. The and who, as was supposed, had it in charge to offer some municipal dignity to the Bishop of the Baptists. Pilgrimage of Tender Conscience, the Pilgrimage of Good Intent, the Pilgrimage of Seek Truth, the Pilgrimage of Theophilus, Bunyan did not live to see the Revolution. the Infant Pilgrim, the Hindoo Pilgrim, are In the summer of 1688, he undertook to among the many feeble copies of the great plead the cause of a son with an angry original. But the peculiar glory of Bunyan father, and at length prevailed on the old is that those who most hated his doctrines man not to disinherit the young one. This have tried to borrow the help of his genius. good work cost the benevolent intercessor A Catholic version of his parable may be his life. He had to ride through heavy rain. seen with the head of the Virgin in the titleHe came drenched to his lodgings on Snow page. On the other hand, those AntiHill, was seized with a violent fever, and nomians for whom his Calvinism is not died in a few days. He was buried in Bun- strong enough, may study the pilgrimage of hill Fields; and the spot where he lies is Hephsibah, in which nothing will be found still regarded by the nonconformists with a which can be construed into an admission of feeling which seems scarcely in harmony free agency and universal redemption. But with the stern spirit of their theology. the most extraordinary of all the acts of Many Puritans to whom the respect paid by vandalism by which a fine work of art was Roman Catholics to the reliques and tombs ever defaced, was committed so late as the of saints seemed childish or sinful, are said year 1853. It was determined to transform to have begged with their dying breath that the Pilgrim's Progress into a Tractarian their coffins might be placed as near as pos- book. The task was not easy; for it was sible to the coffin of the author of the Pil- necessary to make the two sacraments the grim's Progress. most prominent objects in the allegory; and of all Christian theologians, avowed Quakers excepted, Bunyan was the one in whose system the sacraments held the least prominent place. However, the Wicket Gate became a type of baptism, and the House Beautiful of the Eucharist. The effect of this change is such as assuredly the ingenious person who made it never contemplated. For, as not a single pilgrim passes through the Wicket Gate in infancy, and as Faithful hurries past the House Beautiful without stopping, the lesson which the fable in its altered shape teaches, is that none but adults ought to be baptized, and that the Eucharist may safely be neglected. Nobody would The fame of Bunyan during his life, and during the century which followed his death, was indeed great, but was almost entirely confined to religious families of the middle and lower classes. Very seldom was he during that time mentioned with respect by any writer of great literary eminence. Young coupled his prose with the poetry of the wretched D'Urfey. In the Spiritual Quixote, the adventures of Christian are ranked with those of Jack the Giant-Killer or John Hickathrift. Cowper ventured to praise the great allegorist, but did not venture to name him. It is a significant circumstance that, till a recent period, all the numerous editions have discovered from the original Pilgrim's Such blunders must necessarily be committed Progress that the author was not a Pædo- by every man who mutilates parts of a great baptist. To turn his book into a book work, without taking a comprehensive view against Pædobaptism was an achievemeut of the whole. reserved for an Anglo-Catholic Divine. "New Granada: Twenty Months in the | a pit-owner who discovered the safety lamp; or Andes." By Isaac F. Holton, M.A., Profes- a mine-owner who improved pumping engines. sor of Chemistry and Natural History in Agriculture has not been improved by farmers. Middlebury College. With Maps and Illus- The sanitary movements, by which the health trations. New York: Harper, Brothers. and comforts of the lower orders have already London Sampson Low, Son, and Co. been increased, did not originate with the guarAN American book, written with good taste dians of the poor. It is not to the well-sinkers and full of incident and information. The nat- that we go for an unlimited supply of water; uralist makes always the best traveller; he is nor is it to the routine doctors that we owe vacas a rule cheerful, quick in observation, and ob- cination, cod-liver oil, and chloroform. servant of such things as are most worthy of record. New Granada, too, is a part of the world about which, even in America, few travellers have had any thing to publish. Till Professor Holton's book appeared not a volume had been written on New Granada itself since the State made itself independent of the Spanish despotism. The quality of scientific men as travellers suggests to us a topic recently discussed by Dr. Inman, of Liverpool, who, on being elected President of the Philosophical Society of that town, dwelt in an inaugural address upon the error of the popular impression that a love of science and a close pursuit of it in any of its departments makes the practical physician or the engineer less competent for the performance of his duty. "Not only are these things generally true; it is equally certain that those who excel in an extraneous study which requires a constant stretch and exertion of mind, excel also in their own peculiar vocation. ..... "In fine, we may sum up by saying that the railroad carriage, which confines itself to a line mind of the routine and practical man is like a of rails from which it cannot go with safety; while the mind of the scientific man possesses the character of a horseman who can make excursions in all directions, and strike out new sources of interest, comfort, or wealth, to which rails may afterwards be laid down."-Examr. The Ladder of Life: a Heart-history. By "It was not a seaman who worked out the A TALE by an American lady, exhibiting conlaw of storms, but a general in the army; nor siderable acquaintance with some of the artwhen adopted were seamen the first to test it novels of George Sand, and with the works of thoroughly. The architects of England tried Charles Dickens. The literary execution is in vain to produce a gigantic building worthy of above the average of such productions, and the great exhibition, and were taught a new there are passages in which the author shows phase of their art by a gardener. Iron ship- that she has humor and ideas of her own, and builders and experienced captains lost many of if she could forget her European models, she their ships, without any advance on their might (we are inclined to believe) produce a knowledge how to adjust their compasses, and better work than the present. The plot of the are at length taught by a clergyman. Our Ladder of Life" has a very indefinite congenerals campaigned in the Crimea in the style nection with the title-being simply a story of a of two hundred years ago, and made no im- young Swiss girl-adopted by a lady of family provements till shown the way by the Crystal-heroically foregoing her improved position in Palace Company. Doctors were contented order to spare her patroness the disgrace of a with their miserable hospitals till shown how to mésalliance-stripped of every thing on her arimprove them by Florence Nightingale, a gentle rival in England by a female thief, who looms country lady. Dock-yard masters could give no awfully throughout the volume under the name explanation of mysterious fires till their Empe- of "Mrs. Jones"-raised to comparative afror put them on the scent; and I know that in fluence and a friendly rivalry with Malibran by some of the trials of the " big gun," an artil- a good voice and a series of fortuitous occurlery officer declared it to be an impossibility to rences, and finally consigned to happiness and traverse it on its then carriage, a thing which her first love at the expense to others of one was done in a few minutes by the man who death by violence,-one death by consumption, forged it. Gunpowder was not invented by a-and transportation for seven years to "Mrs. soldier. The laws of combustion have received Jones," who, it is to be hoped, has not yet obno attention from insurance offices. It was not tained her "ticket-of-leave.". Economist. be. All last night, uncle, I was trying to THE next morning wrought no change in the resolution at which Uncle Joseph had arrived overnight. Out of the amazement and confusion produced in his mind by his niece's avowal of the object that had brought her to Cornwall, he had contrived to extract one clear and definite conclusion-that she was obstinately bent on placing herself in a situation of uncertainty, if not of absolute peril. Once persuaded of this, his kindly instincts all sprang into action, his natural firmness on the side of self-sacrifice asserted itself, and his determination not to let Sarah proceed on her journey alone, followed as a matter of course. In that determination he took refuge from the doubt, the perplexity, the vague uneasiness and alarm which her looks, her language, and her conduct had caused in him. Strong in the self-denying generosity of his purpose-though strong in nothing else when he and his niece met in the morning, and when Sarah spoke self-reproachfully of the sacrifice that he was mak-You are readier than I am, uncle; you said ing, of the serious hazards to to which he was exposing himself for her sake, he refused to listen to her just as obstinately as he had refused the previous night. There was no need, he said, to speak another word on that subject. If she had abandoned her intention of going to Porthgenna, she had only to say 80. If she had not, it was mere waste of breath to talk any more, for he was deaf in both ears to every thing in the shape of a remonstrance that she could possibly address to him. Having expressed himself in these uncompromising terms, Uncle Joseph abruptly dismissed the subject, and tried to turn the conversation to a cheerful everyday topic, by asking his niece how she had passed the night? I was too anxious to sleep," she answered, "I can't fight with my fears and misgivings as some people can. All night long they keep me waking and thinking as if it was day." 66 Thinking about what?" asked Uncle Joseph. "About the letter that is hidden? about the house of Porthgenna? about the Myrtle Room?", "About how to get into the Myrtle Room," she said. "The more I try to plan and ponder, and settle beforehand what I shall do, the more confused and helpless I seem to LIVING AGE. VOL. XVII. 20 DCLXXV. 4 last night that you would think about how 80 Uncle Joseph nodded assentingly, assumed a look of the profoundest gravity, and slowly laid his fore-finger along the side of his nose. 1 "What did I promise you last night?"" he said. "Was it not to o take my pipe and ask him sk him to make me think? Good. Ismoke three pipes and think three thoughts. My first thought is Wait! My second thought is again-Wait: My third thought is yet once ce more-Wait! You say you will be easy, Sarah, if I tell you the end of all my thoughts, Good. I have told you. There is end-you are easy- -it is all right." "Wait?" repeated Sarah, with a look of bewilderment which suggested any thing rather than a mind at ease. "I am afraid, uncle, I don't quite understand. Wait for what? Wait till when?" "Wait till we arrive at the house, to be sure! Wait till we are got outside the door,; then is time enough to think k how we are to get in," said Uncle Joseph, with an air of conviction. "You understand now?" "Yes-at least, I understand better than I But, there is still another difficulty did. left. Uncle I must tell y A little key that you have lost?" asked "Good. Then I'may finish my packingup, and go ask about the coach. First and foremost, Mozart must put on his great coat, and travel with us." He took up the musical box, and placed it carefully in a leather case, which he slung by a ya strap over one shoulder. Next, there is my pipe, the tobacco to feed him with, and the matches to set him alight. Last, here is my old German knapsack, which I pack up last night. See! here is shirt, night-cap, comb, pocket handkerchief, sock. Say I am an emperor, and what do I want more than that? Good. I have Mozart, I have the pipe, I have the knapsack, I have-stop stop! there is the old leather purse; he must not be forgotten. Look! here he is. Listen! Ting, ting, ting! He jingles; he has in his inside, money. Aha, my friend, my good Leather, you shall be lighter and leaner before you come home again. So, so it is all complete; we are ready for the march now, from our tops to our toes. Good-by, Sarah, my cl child, for a little half-hour; you shall boy dund stylu Jawait here and amuse yourself while I go ask for a coach." "I threw it down the well in the village, on the morning when I made my escape from Porthgenna. O, if I had only kept it about me! If it had only crossed my mind that I might want it again! Well, well; there is no no help for that now. Tell me, Sarah, what the something is which the letter is hidden in.”600-399 afraid of the very walls hearing me." What nonsense! Come! whisper it to She looked all round her distrustfully When Uncle Joseph came back, he then whispered into the old man's ear. listened eagerly, and laughed when she was silent again. "Bah!" he cried. "If that is all, make yourself happy. As you wicked English people say, it is as easy as lying. Why, my child, you can burst him open for yourself!" "Burst it open? How?" 1 brought his niece information that a coach would pass through Truro in an hour's time, which would set them down at a stage not more than five or six miles distant from the regular post-town of Porthgenna. The only direct conveyance to the post-town was a night-coach which carried the letter-bags, Uncle Joseph went to the window-seat, and which stopped to change horses at Truro which was made on the old-fashioned plan, at the very inconvenient h hour of two tó serve the purpose of a chest as well as a o'clock in the morning. Being of opinion seat. He opened the lid, searched among that to travel at bed-time was to make a toil some tools which lay in the receptacle be- of pleasure, Uncle Joseph recommended takneath, and took out a chisel. "See," he ing places in the day-coach, and hiring any said, demonstrating on the top of the win- conveyance that could be afterwards obtained dow-seat the use to which the tool was to be to carry his niece and himself on to the put, “You push him in so-crick! Then post-town. By this arrangement they would you pull him up so-crack! It is the busi- not only secure their own comfort, but gain ness of one little moment-crick! crack!- the additional advantage of losing as little and the lock is chisel time as possible at Truro before proceeding locks done for. Tako s paper the yourself, wrap him up in a bit of that stout on their journey to Porthgenna. and put him in your pocket. The plan thus proposed, was the plan folWhat are you waiting for? Do you want lowed. When the coach stopped to change me to show you again, or d you think you horses, Uncle cle or places by it. They found can do it now for yourself?" ing to take I should like you to show me again, Uncle Joseph, but not now-not till we have got to the end of our journey." and his niece were wait all the inside seats but one disengaged, were set down two hours afterwards at the stage that was nearest to the destination for which 307 they were bound, hired a pony-chaise there, I stopped, looked her earnestly and kindly in and reached the post-town between one and the face, and laid his hand on hers. two o'clock in the afternoon. "There is yet one thing more I want to ask you, my child," he said. "The journey has put it out of my head, but it has been in my heart all the time. When we leave this place of Porthgenna, and get back to my house, you will not go away? you will not leave Uncle Joseph again? Are you in service still, Sarah? Are you not your own master yet? J Dismissing their conveyance at the inn, from motives of caution which were urged by Sarah, they set forth to walk across the moor to Porthgenna. On their way out of the town, they met the postman returning from his morning's delivery of letters in the surrounding district. His bag had been much heavier, and his walk much longer, that morning than usual. Among the extra letters that had taken him out of his ordinary course, was one addressed to the housekeeper at Porthgenna Tower, which he had delivered early in the morning, when he first started on his rounds. "I was in service a few days since," she answered, "But I am free now. I have lost my place." "Aha! You have lost your place; and why? "So! BO! 80!" he exclaimed. You have had a quarrel, Sarah? ?? "What! "I am Because I would not hear an innocent Throughout the whole journey, Uncle Jo-person unjustly blamed. Because—” seph had not made a single reference to the She checked herself. But the few words object for which it had been undertaken. she had said were spoken with such a sudPossessing a child's simplicity of nature, he denly heightened color, and with such an was also endowed with a child's elasticity of extraordinary emphasis and resolution of disposition. The doubts and forebodings tone, that the old man opened his eyes as which troubled his niece's spirit, and kept widely as possible, and looked at his niece in her silent, and thoughtful, and sad, cast no undisguised astonishment. darkened shadow over the natural sunshine of his mind. If he had really been travelling for pleasure alone, he could not have Hush! Don't ask me any more quesenjoyed more thoroughly than he did the dif- tions now!" she pleaded earnestly. ferent sights and events of the journey. All too anxious and too frightened to answer. the happiness which the passing minute had Uncle! this is Porthgenna Moor-this is the to give him, he took as readily and gratefully road I passed over, sixteen years ago, when I as if there were no uncertainty in the future, ran away to you. O let us get on, pray no doubt, difficulty, or danger lying in wait let us get on! I can't think of any thing for him at the journey's end. Before he had now but the house we are so near, and the been half an hour in the coach, he had begun risk we are going to run.” to tell the third inside passenger-a rigid old lady, who stared at him in speechless amazement the whole history of the musical box, ending the narrative by setting it playing, in defiance of all the noise that the rolling wheels could make. When they left There below them was the dark, lonesome, the coach, he was just as sociable afterwards spacious structure of Porthgenna Tower, with the driver of the chaise, vaunting the with the sunlight already stealing round tosuperiority of German beer over Cornish wards the windows of the west front! There cider, and making his remarks upon the ob- was the path winding away to it gracefully jects which they passed on the road with the over the brown moor, in curves of dazzling pleasantest familiarity, and the heartiest en- white! There, lower down, was the solijoyment of his own jokes. It was not till he tary old church, with the peaceful burialand Sarah were well out of the little town, ground nestling by its side. There, lower and away by themselves on the great moor still, were the little scattered roofs of the which stretched beyond it, that his manner fishermen's cottages! And there, beyond altered and his talk ceased altogether. After all, was the changeless glory of the sea, with walking on in silence for some little time, its old seething lines of white foam, with with his niece's árm in his, he suddenly the old winding margin of its yellow shores! They went on quickly in silence. Halfan-hour's rapid walking brought them to the highest elevation on the moor, and gave the whole western prospect grandly to their view. |