New-York tribune., 1905-08-13


mat makes necessary another life of Bunyan /
nor has he IL late years at least lacked ,,anaraI
appreciation and the studious attention of com |
iheniatoTs work that has held for more than |
'No centuries the position Of the Pilgrims |
fFosress Is as sure Of the unaltera ble approval |
"i mankind as any product of human genius ,,, /
Ut t4ie passage OF time changes the atti-
Auue OF the world toward the objects of its ad |
hllr@lon Bunyan's great work means 10 rs |
something very different from what il meant IN
MS contemporaries Ii means something more
a wen as something less. With his intensity |
u coANiehon ne made his allegory a medium of |
''S' ~ e'4lloh OF their every day religion to the
fla-A people OF England We have learned In /
-' '-''I me story IS elemental, far above /
''e i~iioN confines Of a sect or a nationality /
having It's roots deep in the heart of man and /
Ne reverence, even If We cannot altogether real
lze- the passionate earnestness of the ma, ,,to
I've Was q burning desire TO bring salvation - /
men, We recognize the fine imaginativeness tbat |
could aothe such distractions as Cireat-Heart /
freAIe-Allnd and Ready-to-Halt with flesh and |
b-ood and human attributes, and We delight in /
me pure and limDid English that flowed so /
smoothly from has pen and that was so natu-
I'---y NE Irult OF close study Of the Bible at I /
'iHe When King James's version was still new
II comes about therefore, that a generation |
which sends fashionable audiences troopine 10
hear q mediaeval miracle play has time and |
heed for new thoughts about John Bunyan and 4
his ~-lesorles- II would be quite beside the
mark 10 consider here whether the spirit Of
hliEanf could II 1e consulted. would view with
satisfaction or even equaniInitv the worlds ,,e-
cl.t cr has labors. That lofty souI was not 4
s,A-'-s ZANE To one whose being was con-
sLhled 7ith longing TO lead men TO righteous
ness. II would be poor reward 10 find that he /
A-l ol-y won himself 4 place among the i'm
of
generation, a period of which Mr. White saws
.- "~s lime IN every way inconceivable TO rs
H.H and IL Is farther from Us in reality than the
age ot julius Cesar" and which leads him "a /
T.l---rk that, singular Il may now appear to /
u.s. Lne English squire in the first half of the /
sesenteenth century held that il was al in,port-
art 10 c man whether he believed in Free Grace
o- Election And the child Of that day. drop
f-- The theological controversies il which he /
eA.---ed. has 50 touched with his genius the /
a.lssory II q human life that We give il to our
children 70 read, and publish il in sunptuous
editions that would have shocked the simple (
heart Of The author II find any difficulty in I
e.-aprehending John Bunyan, he in turn would /
Dr. iafed and beWildered by US
AS BELTS one Of series Of Literary Lives " |
che present essay is largely devoted TO the /
csseription and exposition OF Bunyan's several /
works These are taken up one by one and /
--LtIaI s4IlO running comment their
drift and purport are made plain. The facts Of |
tae simple, uneyentful life are briefly treated, /
and z passing reference TO the thousands who |
tLrOlged 10 hear him preach sufficiently attests
THE eloquence OF one who is termed this won
Lerrul orator II is the authors view that his
subjects lack OF early advantages has been un- /
duly dwelt upon even by those who have pro- /
fessed 10 admire him.
Bunyan had to work with his own hand for his
bread the but ms humble origin and Occupa-
uCl the real reason why superior people. F.
genius, have heeSs decided that
win vulgarlty something almost than crime
10 English respectablty- Other great writers have
been born low down, and have known neither Greek
The real reason for the charge that Bunyan was
= uOn-cOnfOrmst- The inSepaTable association or I
nOn-cOufOFInlty with VulgarITy and Of geDtity with
the Church is curious chaFa acterlstlc Of TIE Eng
llsh Tnperfectly educated people. II not I
true. however. tlar EuDyaT not well educated. I
n Z DisSeuter that he cared nuhc
Dissent He knew % mother
tongue with purity and force This d accom-
T}llSfTlenr tlch even university
iTlparr Properly speaking he has STyle-that is
winch I'D ms mind The glass is COiored. !
Although ne not tech ulclllV q
distinguished by quality Of the best poetry. The
word which goes straight "a the mark used eyi-
him any Of those dead phrases which best u
thors nowadays cannot avoid tyrannical Is
power % cheap and easy attempt O
initiate IsuuEau would b. foolish but may .
from hIn 10 speak simply and not mecEanIcaly.
Tho "a sszoe o1lorc7 NAV stand ilI,rst~a