New-York tribune., 1875-03-04
THE ORIGINAL PILGRIMS PROGRESS

FAC SMILE OF THE FIRST EDITION,
| FLAWS IN THE REPRoDUCTION-oNE COPY OF TIE
| ORIGINAL IN ENGLAND AND ANOTHER IN NEW
| NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. BORROWED FROM LATER
EDITIONS.
| 70 me Editor Of The Tribune.
SIR: Elliot Stock of London has just issued
what IS declared TO be fac sime reproduction Of the
first edition OF the Pilgrims Progress In the preface
il is aed that Tie first edition Of the Pilgrims Pro-
gress.' OF which exact reproduction Is now placed
before the public. issued by Nath Ponder ut the
Peacock the Poultrey near Cornhi.I. 1873 Az the
present time but copy of that edition Is known TO
cxst It's IN the library Of ii g. Hoford through whose
Kindness the publisher has been enabled to produce the
present fac smile. 1t is matter OF reii
importance for the reading pabc OF to-day to see what
Buuyan really wrote and issued in the first instance
To compass this end pains have been spared In all
those matters orthograpby, grammar, rough or quaint
expression, typographical peculiarity g., above re
ferred to- absolute reproduction has been the one aim
Indeed as regards typography the present edition is
strictly a ueal descendant Of that oil lCS lOr me type
now used has from molds made III 1920 which
were taken from the Dutch type used Tor that Lrst
issue"
Tie preface also claims that in the reproduction OF the
Second Part while the type slightly smaller the fac
se principle has adhered to- and on to state
that while the volume is pageorpage fac Shie oi
the original First Part, 1t has been thought neediui
to Incorporate the conversation between Cbrlsan ana
Mr. Worldly Wisemln who first appeared in the second
edition. printed the year rs the first, as being neces
sary to complete the of that part OF the book in
which it occurs Reference Is then made IN the preface
to the wood cuts, Which, like the other features OF tle
book have been produced in facsimile
This fac-simile edition has, in the First Part, rs
frontispece representation Of Buuyan dreaming. and
II other woodcut illustrations. Now, 1t Is very evident
that some been imposed upon ia the preparation
~
to-day" have not in this publication an exact repro
dueton the first edition printed by Ponder In 1913
In The Princeton Reoiep, for April 1882 in an article on
Editions of the Pilgrims Progross" it is stated that,
In addition Mr. HOlfOrds the only other known copy
of the first edition is IN the library Of James Lcnox OF
this city. This copy has the tile page the irst two
leaves OF the apology and the last page containing the
conclusions in fac-simile. The total number OF pages is
2i3 Il has neither portrait cuts. Stocks fac smie
has 277 pages all Further proof that Stocks edition
is not an exact reproduction OF the first edition may be
found in the fact that the initial letter Oh the first page
OF the Alegory is not the III the first edition.
and that the second third fourth and fifth paragraphs
of this fac-simile tpages g. aud are not IN the rst
edition. but are printed they added by Blnyan
in his second edition. The second edition had no cuts
but the third had portrait Of the author The
fourth and ftn also had portrait and in connection
with the latter edition, 1t was announced N6SW that
the publisher observing that many persons desired to
have IL illustrated with Pictures hath endcayOred to
crafty them III rein; and besides those that Ordi
narily printed 10 this fifth impression hath provided
thirteen copper cus curousy eneraven, for those who
desire them.' These were advertised 70 he SOLD SEP
ara,ey. The edition OF The Second Part has on the
reverse of the title note appointing Mr. Nath Ponder
and no Others print this book dated JAN 1884 and
aligned 81 g." and below 1t an advertisement OF pub
ucaon which recouuts "the marvellous delverance OF
Mr. Ockley and others from the miserable slavery OF
Aqiers" &c. This is not reproduced In the fac
smile The original indicates 224 pages with 1rdtd
The pages 100 to IC5 in larger type than the other
part OF the book and pages los TO 100 there is an
in pagination There is also an advertisement OF
Ponders Of three pages The fac-simile omts this, and
2o5 pages OF The in paginaton In
the original OF reduces the number OF pages by
l5 and so with pages in the fac smie.
1t Is difficult understand II the editor OF this fac
sime edition had TO Mr. HoOrd's original, how
he could have made these The preface certainly
conveys impression that the modern reader has in
this edition exact copy of the first edition. when
he has only copy made Of various later editions, with
internal evidence that the original was TO say the least
very careessy consulted. If IL carefully examined
and followed, how did the paragraphs pages and
OF the fac simile gain admission, inasmuch they
are not In the first edition at all There other points
of difference, but these will suffice. Xxx.
| Neu- York, March ], 1875.