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THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS.

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THE

PILGRIM'S PROGRESS

FROM

This World to That which is to Come.

DELIVERED UNDER THE SIMILITUDE OF A DREAM.

BY

JOHN BUNYAN.

LONDON:

T. NELSON AND SONS, PATERNOSTER ROW
EDINBURGH; AND NEW YORK.

1871.

141. K. 452

Life of the Author.

HE celebrated author of the "Pilgrim's Progress" was born, A.D. 1628, at Elstow, a small village near Bedford. His father earned his

bread by the low occupation of a common tinker; but he bore a fair character, and took care that his son, whom he brought up to the same business, should be taught to read and write. We are told, indeed, that he quickly forgot all he had learned, through his extreme profligacy; yet it is probable that he retained so much as enabled him to recover the rest, when his mind became better disposed.

The materials from which an account of this valuable man must be compiled are very scanty and confused. He seems from his earliest youth to have been greatly addicted to impiety and profligacy; yet he was interrupted in his course by continual alarms and convictions, which were sometimes peculiarly overwhelming, but had no other effect at the time than to extort from him the most absurd wishes that can be imagined.

During the early part of his life he was twice preserved from the most imminent danger of drowning; and was thus reserved by the all-disposing hand of God for better purposes. He seems, however, to have made progressive advances in wickedness, and to have become the ringleader of youth in every kind of profaneness and

excess.

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