The Shasta courier., 1872-11-23
BOOKS WRITTEN IN PRISON.

The two mos celebrated men who come
into the list of writers of books in prison,
in the first half of the seventeenth century,
are Raleigh and Cervantes. The gallant
Sir Walter, after serving when young as a
gentleman volunteer, went with Sir Hum
phrey Gilbert to America, returned, and
was knighted raised volunteer squadron
against the Spanish Armada, and became a
courtier. Something he did or said gave
offense at court, and he resided abroad for
several years. When Elizabeth died, and
James l. succeeded to the throne, Raleigh
returned to England but he was arrested,
and found guilty Of treason by packed
jury. Twelve years of his life were passed
continuously in prison; and here he wrote
his History Of the World"-a marvellous
work to execute under such circumstance.
IN order really to begin at the beginning,
he begins with the creation, and gravely
discusses the opinions expressed by the
learned as to Paradise being as high up as
the moon, or only as high as mid air, or
under the equinoc,ial line. But still, the
''His.Ury of the World" is a noble frag-
ment, which could only have been written
by one who had read much ani travelled
much. Hapless Raleigh. King James
hated him with all the hatred which mar
row mind feels toward an intellectual supe,
rior, and sent him to the scaffold.
The other great man whose name we
have coupled with Raleigh was the Span.
ish novelist, Cervantes, the author of the
world-rcnowned "Don Quixote." He was
first student, then chamberlain to cardi,
nal, andzthen "a soldier. He was twice
wounded at the battle of Lepanto, was taken
prisoner BY the corsairs, kept five years in
captivity, and ransomed by his friends
Returning to Spain, he married, entered
upon civil employments, traversed wide
regions Of his native country, and watched
well the habits and peculiarities of his
countrymen. Monetary embarrassments,
rather than political or religious discord
threw him more than once into prison
but his Imprisonment was great thing fol
the world, since it was occupied by the
planning and commencement Of dor
Quixots."
Open the portals wide let us admit tn.
greatest prison writer of the second half o.
the seventeenth century-John Bunyan
tinker preacher, and author of religious
allegory which is said to have been trans
lated into greater number of languages
than any other book in the world, will
two exceptions--the Bible, and the "Imita
tion of Christ" He was thrown into Bed
ford Jail because he would not renouuce
dissent, and there he supported himself fol
twelve years by making tagged boot laces
He wrote many controversial tracts, preach
ed to his fellow-prisoners, and read to them
"Fox's Book of Martyrs"
1t was fine answer that he gave 10 the
clerk of the peace, who advised him to re.
gain his liberty by recanting: "Sir, the
law hath provided two ways of obeying-
the one to do that which 1 believe am
bound to do actively and when l can.
not by activity, then am willing to lie
down and suffer whatever they shall do
uuto me-" And it showed a vein of hum
or in his character, when he replied to a
Quaker who had come to visit him, and
who declared that the Lord had ordered
him to search for Bunyan in half the pri.
sons in England: "If the Lord had sent
you, you need not have taken so much
trouble to find me out for the Lord knows
| have been prisoner in Bedford Jail for
the last twelve years." lie wrote the first
part OF the Pilgrims Progress" in prison
"a fact that ought to endear his imprison-
meut 10 US.