with their veils, and so kept on their journey: the children also went on before: so at last they met together. Then they that came down to meet them came just up to the women, as if they would embrace them: but Christiana said, Stand back, or go peaceably as you should. Yet these two, as men that are deaf, regarded not Christiana's words, but began to lay hands upon them: at that Christiana, waxing very wroth, spurned at them with her feet. Mercy also, as well as she could, did what she could to shift them. Christiana again said to them, Stand back, and be gone, for we have no money to lose, being pilgrims, as you see, and such too as live upon the charity of our friends.

Then said one of the two men, We make no assault upon you for money, but are come to tell you, that if you will but grant one small request which we shall ask, we will make women of you for ever.

Now Christiana, imagining what they should mean, made answer again, We will neither hear, nor regard, nor yield to what you shall ask. We are in haste, and cannot stay: our business is a business of life and death. So again she and her companion made a fresh essay to go past them: but they letted them in their way.

And they said, We intend no hurt to your lives; 'tis another thing we would have.

Ay, quoth Christiana, you would have us body and soul, for I know. 'tis for that you are come; but we will die rather upon the spot, thansuffer ourselves to be brought into such snares as shall hazard our well-being hereafter. And with that they both shrieked out, and cried, Murder! Murder! and so put themselves under those laws that are provided for the protection of women. But the men still made their approach upon them, with design to prevail against them. They therefore cried out again.

Deut. 22. 25-27.

Now they being, as I said, not far from the gate in at which they came, their voice was heard from whence they were, thither: wherefore some of the house came out, and, knowing that it was Christiana's tongue, they made haste to her relief. But by that they were got within sight of them, the women were in a very great scuffle: the

then resists with that native power that indignantly repulses the first approach of audacious violence, and continues to hold her own, while yet she cries aloud for help.

Their voice was heard.-Prayer calls to God for aid, and is always acceptable in his sight,

whether it be the silent supplication, offered during the "still hour" of communion with his throne, or the sudden outcry of alarm, raised in the face of sudden danger. Never yet did an afflicted pilgrim cry unto the Lord, but some one of the army of relief has been

children also stood crying by. Then did he that came in for their relief call out to the ruffians, saying, What is that thing you do? Would you make my Lord's people to transgress? He also attempted to take them; but they did make their escape over the wall into the garden of the man to whom the great dog belonged: so the dog became their protector. This Reliever then came up to the women, and asked them how they did. So they answered, We thank thy Prince, pretty well; only we have been somewhat affrighted: we thank thee, also, that thou camest in to our help, for otherwise we had been overcome.

So, after a few more words, this Reliever said as followeth: I marvelled much, when you were entertained at the gate above, seeing ye knew that ye were but weak women, that you petitioned not the Lord for a conductor: then might you have avoided these troubles and dangers for he would have granted you one.

Alas! said Christiana, we were so taken with our present blessing, that dangers to come were forgotten by us: beside, who could have thought that so near the King's palace there could have lurked such naughty ones? Indeed, it had been well for us had we asked our Lord for one; but, since our Lord knew it would be for our profit, I wonder he sent not one along with us.

REL. It is not always necessary to grant things not asked for, lest by so doing they become of little esteem: but when the want of a thing is felt, it then comes under, in the eyes of him that feels it, that estimate that properly is its due; and so, consequently, it will be thereafter used. Had my Lord granted you a conductor, you would not, either, so have bewailed that oversight of yours in not asking for one, as now you have occasion to do. So all things work for good, and tend to make you more wary.

CHR. Shall we go back again to my Lord, and confess our folly, and ask one?

REL. Your confession of your folly I will present him with: to go

dispatched to the scene of danger, to repulse the Pilgrimage. The blessings and favours the assailants and to deliver the suppliant. they had received at the Wicket-gate seem So was it now, in the present emergency. to have filled their firmament with sunshine; This Reliever. The conversation of this and so, they prepared not for the storms and man discloses a hidden providence lurking tempests of the way. Accordingly, they must beneath this danger. The women had for- be practically taught how great danger they gotten their own weakness, and had omitted incurred by this neglect; and while they are to ask for one stronger than they, to con- yet near to the Gate, and within call of duct them through the severe discipline of ready help, Providence permits this sudden

Christiana tells her Dream to Mercy.

back again you need not; for in all places where you shall come you shall find no want at all: for in every one of my Lord's lodgings, which he has prepared for the reception of his pilgrims, there is sufficient to furnish them against all attempts whatsoever. But, as I said, he "will be inquired of by them, to do it for them :" and 'tis a poor thing that is not worth asking for. When he had thus said, he went back to his place, and the pilgrims went on

their way.

Ezek. 36. 37.

Then said Mercy, What a sudden blank is here! I made account we had been past all danger, and that we should never see sorrow

more.

Thy innocence, my sister, said Christiana to Mercy, may excuse thee much but, as for me, my fault is so much the greater for that I saw the danger before I came out of the doors, and yet did not provide for it when provision might have been had. I am much to be blamed.

Then said Mercy, How knew Pray open to me this riddle.

CHR. Why, I will tell you.

you this before

you came from home? Before I set foot out of doors, one

night, as I lay in my bed, I had a dream about this: for methought I saw two men, as like these as ever any in the world could look, stand at my bed's feet, plotting how they might prevent my salvation. I will tell you their very words: they said (it was when I was in my troubles), What shall we do with this woman? for she cries out, waking and sleeping, for forgiveness; if she be suffered to go on as she begins, we shall lose her as we have lost her husband. This, you know, might have made me take heed, and have provided when provision might have been had.

Well, said Mercy, as by this neglect we have an occasion ministered unto us to behold our own imperfections, so our Lord has taken occasion thereby to make manifest the riches of his grace; for he, as we see, has followed us with unasked kindness, and has delivered us from their hands that were stronger than we, of his mere good pleasure.

peril to present itself; and, in the relief sub- | were necessary to have such help, God would sequently vouchsafed, reminds them of the oversight, and urges them instantly to repair the mistake.

It is in vain to excuse ourselves, as CHRISTIANA attempted to do, by saying that if it

have granted it. This is altogether to ignore the duty of prayer, and the responsibility that devolves upon us, of asking for such things as be needful. Surely, what is worth having, is worth asking for!

ONCE, again, we have arrived at the gate of the INTERPRETER'S House, and, under the guidance of the good INTERPRETER, we are about to be conducted through the "significant rooms" of this fair house, built for the refreshment and instruction of pilgrims. Those of our readers who expect to see such perfect pictures and lively representations as in the former visit, will, no doubt, be disappointed. The brilliant imaginings of the former description are not at all equalled by the subsequent delineation of this wondrous house. Bunyan seems to have poured forth his sublimest thoughts in his lucid pencillings of CHRISTIAN'S visit, and to have almost exhausted himself for any second attempt to create pictures and representations for the soul's instruction. The Dreamer seems, indeed, to be conscious of his failure to produce an effect as glowing and as grand as that of the former visit; for he introduces this apology, saying "I choose to lead you into the room where such things are, because you are women, and they are easy for you."

Albeit the scenes of this second visit are not based on such grand conceptions, and lack that system and symmetry of arrangement which characterised the former view, we shall yet find scope ample enough for instruction in the things of God and of the soul. The service of Mammon described in the scene of the Muck-rake, and the power of energetic and trusting faith, indicated by the Spider, are both instructive scenes; the one representing the downward, and the other the upward, tendency of the soul, according as the heart is fixed on things above or on things beneath. The call and constant care of God are, after the fashion of one of Christ's own similitudes, beautifully set forth in the illustration of the Hen and her youthful brood. Here we also read other lucid representations-of patience under sufferings; the discharge of our rightful duty in our appointed place; the worthlessness of mere profession without fruits answerable thereto; and the inconsistency of carnal appetites with the fair-seeming externals of religion. These lively emblems are further strengthened and supported by the weighty aphorisms enunciated by the wisdom of the INTERPRETER, and are followed up by the experience of the Pilgrims, as related by them to the good man of the house, who sends them forth upon their way rejoicing, under the protection of the brave champion of the road, whose name is GREAT-HEART.

HUS now, when they had talked away a little more time, they drew near to a house which stood in the way; which house was built for the relief of pilgrims, as you will find more fully related in the first part of these records of the Pilgrim's Progress. So they drew on towards the house (the house of the Interpreter); and, when they came to the door, they heard a great talk in the house : then they gave ear, and heard, as they thought, Christiana mentioned

For the relief of Pilgrims.- To CHRIS- | outer road. (2) It was also for their relief, TIANA and her companions the INTER- inasmuch as they there received those abiding PRETER'S house was "a relief" in a double helps, and gifts, and graces, and tokens of sense. (1) They had been alarmed and acceptance, which they so consistently retained affrighted by the "ill-favoured men" who had even to their journey's end. encountered them on the way; and now they enter this house of rest, for the purpose of peaceful retirement from the dangers of the

Christiana mentioned by name. The tidings of this woman's conversion had been flashed on lightning wings all along the route of the