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They were coarse； indeed； but they showed a keen mother wit； a great
command of the homely mother tongue； an intimate knowledge of the
English Bible； and a vast and dearly… bought spiritual experience。 They
therefore； when the corrector of the press had improved the syntax and the
spelling； were well received by the humbler class of Dissenters。
Much of Bunyan's time was spent in controversy。 He wrote sharply
against the Quakers； whom he seems always to have held in utter
abhorrence。 It is； however； a remarkable fact that he adopted one of their
peculiar fashions： his practice was to write； not November or December；
but eleventh month and twelfth month。
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
He wrote against the liturgy of the Church of England。 No two things；
according to him； had less affinity than the form of prayer and the spirit of
prayer。 Those； he said with much point； who have most of the spirit of
prayer are all to be found in gaol； and those who have most zeal for the
form of prayer are all to be found at the alehouse。 The doctrinal articles；
on the other hand； he warmly praised； and defended against some
Arminian clergymen who had signed them。 The most acrimonious of all
his works is his answer to Edward Fowler； afterwards Bishop of
Gloucester； an excellent man； but not free from the taint of Pelagianism。
Bunyan had also a dispute with some of the chiefs of the sect to which
he belonged。 He doubtless held with perfect sincerity the distinguishing
tenet of that sect； but he did not consider that tenet as one of high
importance； and willingly joined in communion with quiet Presbyterians
and Independents。 The sterner Baptists； therefore； loudly pronounced him
a false brother。 A controversy arose which long survived the original
combatants。 In our own time the cause which Bunyan had defended with
rude logic and rhetoric against Kiffin and Danvers was pleaded by Robert
Hall with an ingenuity and eloquence such as no polemical writer has ever
surpassed。
During the years which immediately followed the Restoration；
Bunyan's confinement seems to have been strict。 But； as the passions of
1660 cooled； as the hatred with which the Puritans had been regarded
while their reign was recent gave place to pity； he was less and less
harshly treated。 The distress of his family； and his own patience； courage；
and piety softened the hearts of his persecutors。 Like his own Christian in
the cage； he found protectors even among the crowd of Vanity Fair。 The
bishop of the Diocese； Dr Barlow； is said to have interceded for him。 At
length the prisoner was suffered to pass most of his time beyond the walls
of the gaol； on condition； as it should seem； that he remained within the
town of Bedford。
He owed his complete liberation to one of the worst acts of one of the
worst governments that England has ever seen。 In 1671 the Cabal was in
power。 Charles II。 had concluded the treaty by which he bound himself to
set up the Roman Catholic religion in England。 The first step which he
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
took towards that end was to annul； by an unconstitutional exercise of his
prerogative； all the penal statutes against the Roman Catholics； and； in
order to disguise his real design； he annulled at the same time the penal
statutes against Protestant nonconformists。 Bunyan was consequently set
at large。 In the first warmth of his gratitude he published a tract in which
he compared Charles to that humane and generous Persian king who；
though not himself blest with the light of the true religion； favoured the
chosen people； and permitted them after years of captivity； to rebuild their
beloved temple。 To candid men； who consider how much Bunyan had
suffered； and how little he could guess the secret designs of the court； the
unsuspicious thankfulness with which he accepted the precious boon of
freedom will not appear to require any apology。
Before he left his prison he had begun the book which has made his
name immortal。 The history of that book is remarkable。 The author was； as
he tells us； writing a treatise； in which he had occasion to speak of the
stages of the Christian progress。 He compared that progress； as many
others had compared it； to a pilgrimage。 Soon his quick wit discovered
innumerable points of similarity which had escaped his predecessors。
Images came crowding on his mind faster than he could put them into
words； quagmires and pits； steep hills； dark and horrible glens； soft vales；
sunny pastures； a gloomy castle of which the courtyard was strewn with
the skulls and bones of murdered prisoners； a town all bustle and
splendour； like London on the Lord Mayor's Day； and the narrow path；
straight as a rule could make it； running on up hill and down hill； through
city and through wilderness； to the Black River and the Shining Gate。 He
had found out； as most people would have said； by accident； as he would
doubtless have said； by the guidance of Providence； where his powers lay。
He had no suspicion； indeed； that he was producing a masterpiece。 He
could not guess what place his allegory would occupy in English literature；
for of English literature he knew nothing。 Those who suppose him to have
studied the Fairy Queen might easily be confuted； if this were the proper
place for a detailed examination of the passages in which the two
allegories have been thought to resemble each other。 The only work of
fiction； in all probability； with which he could compare his Pilgrim； was
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THE MISCELLANEOUS WRITINGS AND SPEECHES OF LORD MACAULAY。
his old favourite； the legend of Sir Bevis of Southampton。 He would have
thought it a sin to borrow any time from the serious business of his life；
from his expositions； his controversies； and his lace tags； for the purpose
of amusing himself with what he considered merely as a trifle。 It was only；
he assures us； at spare moments that he returned to the House Beautiful；
the Delectable Mountains； and the Enchanted Ground。 He had no
assistance。 Nobody but himself saw a line； till the whole was complete。 He
then consulted his pious friends。 Some were pleased。 Others were much
scandalised。 It was a vain story； a mere romance； about giants； and lions；
and goblins； and warriors； sometimes fighting with monsters and
sometimes regaled by fair ladies in stately palaces。 The loose atheistical
wits at Will's might write such stuff to divert the painted Jezebels of the
court： but did it become a minister of the gospel to copy the evil fashions
of the world？ There had been a time when the cant of such fools would
have made Bunyan miserable。 But that time was passed； and his mind was
now in a firm and healthy state。 He saw that； in employing fiction to make
truth clear and goodness attractive； he was only following the example
which every Christian ought to propose to himself； and he determined to
print。
The 〃Pilgrim's Progress〃 stole silently into the world。 Not a single
copy of the first edition is known to be in existence。 The year of
publication has not been ascertained。 It is probable that； during some
months； the little volume circulated only among poor and obscure
sectaries。 But soon the irresistible charm of a book which gratified the
imagination of the reader with all the action and scenery of a fairy tale；
which exercised his ingenuity by setting him to discover a multitude of
curious analogies； which interested his feelings for human beings； frail
like himself； and struggling with temptations from within and from
without； which every moment drew a smile from him by some stroke of
quaint yet s