登陆注册
4705400000511

第511章

It is not so with the Pilgrim's Progress. That wonderful book, while it obtains admiration from the most fastidious critics, is loved by those who are too simple to admire it. Dr. Johnson, all whose studies were desultory, and who hated, as he said, to read books through, made an exception in favour of the Pilgrim's Progress. That work was one of the two or three works which he wished longer. It was by no common merit that the illiterate sectary extracted praise like this from the most pedantic of critics and the most bigoted of Tories. In the wildest parts of Scotland the Pilgrim's Progress is the delight of the peasantry.

In every nursery the Pilgrim's Progress is a greater favourite than Jack the Giant-killer. Every reader knows the straight and narrow path as well as he knows a road in which he has gone backward and forward a hundred times. This is the highest miracle of genius, that things which are not should be as though they were, that the imaginations of one mind should become the personal recollections of another. And this miracle the tinker has wrought.

There is no ascent, no declivity, no resting-place, no turn-stile, with which we are not perfectly acquainted. The wicket-gate, and the desolate swamp which separates it from the City of Destruction, the long line of road, as straight as a rule can make it, the Interpreter's house and all its fair shows, the prisoner in the iron cage, the palace, at the doors of which armed men kept guard, and on the battlements of which walked persons clothed all in gold, the cross, and the sepulchre, the steep hill and the pleasant arbour, the stately front of the House Beautiful by the wayside, the chained lions crouching in the porch, the low green valley of Humiliation, rich with grass and covered with flocks, all are as well known to us as the sights of our own street. Then we come to the narrow place where Apollyon strode right across the whole breadth of the way, to stop the journey of Christian, and where, afterwards, the pillar was set up to testify how bravely the pilgrim had fought the good fight. As we advance, the valley becomes deeper and deeper. The shade of the precipices on both sides falls blacker and blacker. The clouds gather overhead.

Doleful voices, the clanking of chains, and the rush of many feet to and fro, are heard through the darkness. The way, hardly discernible in gloom, runs close by the mouth of the burning pit, which sends forth its flames, its noisome smoke, and its hideous shapes to terrify the adventurer. Thence he goes on, amidst the snares and pitfalls, with the mangled bodies of those who have perished lying in the ditch by his side. At the end of the long dark valley he passes the dens in which the old giants dwelt, amidst the bones of those whom they had slain.

Then the road passes straight on through a waste moor, till at length the towers of a distant city appear before the traveller; and soon he is in the midst of the innumerable multitudes of Vanity Fair. There are the jugglers and the apes, the shops and the puppet-shows. There are Italian Row, and French Row, and Spanish Row, and British Row, with their crowds of buyers, sellers, and loungers, jabbering all the languages of the earth.

Thence we go on by the little hill of the silver mine, and through the meadow of lilies, along the bank of that pleasant river which is bordered on both sides by fruit-trees. On the left branches off the path leading to the horrible castle, the courtyard of which is paved with the skulls of pilgrims; and right onward are the sheepfolds and orchards of the Delectable Mountains.

From the Delectable Mountains, the way lies through the fogs and briars of the Enchanted Ground, with here and there a bed of soft cushions spread under a green arbour. And beyond is the land of Beulah, where the flowers, the grapes, and the songs of birds never cease, and where the sun shines night and day. Thence are plainly seen the golden pavements and streets of pearl, on the other side of that black and cold river over which there is no bridge.

同类推荐
  • 翠屏集

    翠屏集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 漕运通志

    漕运通志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 坐禅三昧法门经

    坐禅三昧法门经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 洞玄灵宝太上真人问疾经

    洞玄灵宝太上真人问疾经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 古文观止

    古文观止

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 明伦汇编交谊典趋附部

    明伦汇编交谊典趋附部

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 田园娇宠:夫君,太给力!

    田园娇宠:夫君,太给力!

    睁开眼,她重力将他碾压,身后追兵紧逼,她着初遇美男跳入深湖险境中求生……再遇,清尘楼岸间两人相对而视。“顾墨辰,我给你赎身,以后你就是我的人!”男人深情凝视:“这辈子,你注定是我的妻!”季雨薇一直想要将美男收为己用,不让其他女子窥视他天工俊貌,而顾墨辰将错就错,步步带她进他的囚笼……小女人终得美人归,方知:“顾墨辰,你个大骗子。”男人认真点头:“嗯,本王骗了你的心,但夫人你也将我的心偷走了!”雨薇原想抱着美男隐居山间生包子,竟不知对方身份不一般。已有百万完本作品《天降宠妃:高冷王爷,撩不停》欢迎大家入坑!
  • 孟子旁通

    孟子旁通

    全书包括三个主要部分:第一部分“讲在前面”介绍了春秋战国时期的历史大势,以人物和重大事件为纲,作为切入点予以介绍;第二、三部分则是以《孟子》梁惠王篇为核心,详解文字,对文字所反映的政治、经济、文化等领域的问题,进行贯通式专题性地分析与讲解,使得全书内容不拘泥于《孟子》原文,使读者获得大量通识性的知识,体现了南先生独特的历史观与哲学观。
  • 原谅我无法爱你

    原谅我无法爱你

    人格双重的轩曼萱同时过着两种截然不同的生活。白天她是跨国集团里的小职员,借助机遇和努力,成为公司高富帅总裁空谷足音的贴身秘书。夜晚她化身妩媚蛇妖,在酒吧邂逅帅气温情的调酒师暗天,并与之感情至深。美丽、妖娆、清纯、智慧集一身的轩曼萱因此同时拥有了两个优秀男人的爱,不想,运气弄人,生活从此不再安宁,以致她在孤儿院长大时不为人知的身世被揭穿后,失去了总裁的信任与爱。又因暗天的嫉恨与报复,掀起一场豪门商业大战,她陷入其中,苦不堪言。当矛盾至巅峰时,命运的假象依次撕开,真相毕露,给他们三人带来更深的痛楚……在无法化解的恩怨面前,轩曼萱只能违背心愿地做出痛彻心扉的抉择,转身之后,华丽一片虚无。
  • 向诸葛亮借智慧

    向诸葛亮借智慧

    本书从管理学和心理学角度出发,运用人力资源管理和组织行为学的知识,解读诸葛亮的一生,对三顾茅庐、舌战群儒、赤壁大战、空城计、斩马谡、六出祁山等大事件都有精辟的分析,从一个崭新的角度观察历史人物和历史事件,既讲故事也分析规律,并与当今现实生活相结合,古为今用,总结出能在现实生活中运用的规律和技巧。
  • 遇见你,才知朝阳暖

    遇见你,才知朝阳暖

    陆筱十分憧憬着大学里的生活,满心期待的走进了校园。四年的时间,都没能让她说出那句话……顾晨总是在陆筱最需要帮助的时候,瞬间出现在身边,就好像每次的出现,都像是特意一样。但是始终没有勇气迈出那一步。
  • 妖孽皇帝给我滚

    妖孽皇帝给我滚

    “今天出了一道新菜式,皇帝哥哥,要不要尝尝啊?”某女笑着说道,“哦?今天又放了什么毒,我倒是想尝尝。”某妖孽说道。“算了算了,每次都被你猜出来了,不玩了”“哈哈,没事,继续继续,我不说话了好吗?”“嘿嘿嘿,不可能”
  • 只想和你到白昼

    只想和你到白昼

    【悬疑x军文x言情】五年前她是如梦阁最闻名的戏子,却也是逆党的傀儡,而他是人人可以欺负的军二代。可怜的遭遇牵起了这段缘分。五年后,她是一个医生助理被安排在高高在上的他的身边,一起出生入死,五年前她调戏他,五年后他调戏她……
  • 薄爷的小娇妻羞答答

    薄爷的小娇妻羞答答

    他遇见她的第一次,她救了他。第二次,他成了她的监护人。然后,金屋藏娇,日久生情。
  • 总裁说我玩儿游戏时候可帅了

    总裁说我玩儿游戏时候可帅了

    会玩儿游戏的酷女孩儿在总裁先生的带领下,在《鹊桥》游戏系统中过五关斩六将。酷女孩儿致力于走感情线,总裁先生致力于收集积分。殊途同归的旅程,大家都是赢家。伪电竞。真VR。快穿剧情流。主角可能有隐藏身份。目前更新:收藏爱好者科学家X居无定所飘荡型法师(星际)雷厉风行女总裁X腹黑护花小奶狗(都市)