played upon them, and turned what she had showed them into this

excellent song, saying

Eve's apple we have showed you,

Of that be you aware;

You have seen Jacob's ladder, too,
Upon which angels are ;

An anchor you received have;

But let not this suffice,

Until with Abra'am you have gave
Your best of sacrifice.

Now about this time one knocked at the door: so the porter opened, and, behold, Mr. Great-heart was there. But when he was come in, what joy was there! for it came now fresh again into their minds how but a while ago he had slain old Grim Bloody-man the giant, and had delivered them from the lions.

Then said Mr. Great-heart to Christiana and to Mercy, My Lord hath sent each of you a bottle of wine, and also some parched corn, together with a couple of pomegranates; he has also sent the boys some figs and raisins, to refresh you in your way.

Then they addressed themselves to their journey; and Prudence and Piety went along with them. When they came at the gate, Christiana asked the porter if any of late went by. He said, No, only one, some time since, who also told me that of late there had been a great robbery committed on the King's highway, as you go; but, said he, the thieves are taken, and will shortly be tried for their lives. Then Christiana and Mercy were afraid; but Matthew said, Mother, fear nothing, as long as Mr. Great-heart is to go with us, and to be our conductor.

Then said Christiana to the porter, Sir, I am much obliged to you for all the kindnesses that you have showed to me since I came hither; and also that you have been so loving and kind to my children: I know not how to gratify your kindness; wherefore, pray, as a token of my respect to you, accept of this small mite. So she put a gold angel into his hand; and he made her a low obeisance, and said, Let thy garments be always white, and let thy head want no ointment." Let Mercy live and not die, and let not her works be few. And to the boys he said, Do you flee youthful lusts, and follow after godliness with them that are grave and wise; so shall you put gladness into your mother's heart, and obtain praise of all that are soberminded. So they thanked the porter and departed.

Now I saw in my dream that they went forward, until they were come to the brow of the hill, where Piety, bethinking herself, cried out, Alas! I have forgot what I intended to bestow upon Christiana and her companions; I will go back and fetch it. So she ran and fetched

The Pilgrims leave the Palace Beautiful.

it. When she was gone, Christiana thought she heard in a grove, a little way off on the right hand, a most curious melodious note, with words much like these

Through all my life thy favour is

So frankly shown to me,
That in thy house for evermore
My dwelling-place shall be.

And listening still she thought she heard another answer it, saying—

For why? The Lord our God is good,

His mercy is for ever sure:

His truth at all times firmly stood,

And shall from age to age endure.

So Christiana asked Prudence what it was that made those curious notes. They are, said she, our country birds: they sing those notes but seldom, except it be at the spring, when the flowers appear and the sun shines warm, and then you may hear them all day long. I often, said she, go out to hear them: we also ofttimes keep them tame in our house. They are very fine company for us when we are melancholy; also they make the woods, and groves, and solitary places, places desirous to be in.

Song of Sol. 2.

II, 12.

By this time Piety was come again; so she said to Christiana, Look here, I have brought thee a scheme of all those things that thou hast seen at our house, upon which thou mayest look when thou findest thyself forgetful, and call those things again to remembrance, for thy edification and comfort.

CHAPTER VI.

THE VALLEY OF HUMILIATION.

THIS chapter includes, as though in one day's march, several consecutive stages of the former Pilgrimage. The company now proceed downwards to the continuously descending valleys-first to the Valley of Humility, thence to the Valley of Humiliation, thence deeper down to the Valley of the Shadow of Death. They thus walk the selfsame ground that CHRISTIAN had trod before them, and are enabled to recognise on the way some few memorials of his struggles and his victories. But how altered are these stages of the journey! Where CHRISTIAN had walked in the way of hard experience, these Pilgrims reap the benefit of his example-avoiding the slips and snares that he experienced, and walking in safer places under the guidance of their brave conductor. Under these favourable circumstances, the whole character of the valley is rendered, not only easy to pass through, but even desirable to dwell in. It is the abode of peace and plenty and loveliLilies grow upon its surface, and sheep are browsing on its grassy mead. Here the shepherd-boy sings his pastorals; and all its pilgrims are "clothed with humility." In such a place as this, no doubt, they would build to themselves habitations, and dwell therein. But this cannot be; they must pass through it, and out of it—into a lower valley still.

ness.

The Valley of the Shadow of Death now opens to their view, and GREAT-HEART leads the way. This valley is still filled with horrors; but it is less perilous to our present Pilgrims, because it is day, and the sun shines upon their path, and their dauntless guide is with them. Still, darkness suddenly descends, and intercepts their progress; and, like CHRISTIAN, they are made to feel the necessity and power of prayer; for, on the descent of darkness, they pray for light, and, lo, the blessed light of heaven doth again encompass them.

OW they began to go down the hill into the valley of Humiliation. It was a steep hill, and the way was slippery but they were very careful: so they got down pretty well. When they were down in the valley, Piety said to Christiana, This is the place where your husband met with the foul fiend Apollyon, and where they had that dreadful fight that they had: I know you cannot but have heard thereof. But be of good courage; as long as you have here Mr. Greatheart to be your guide and conductor, we hope you will fare the better. So when these two had committed the pilgrims unto the conduct of their guide, he went forward, and they went after.

Then said Mr. Great-heart, We need not be so afraid of this valley, for here is nothing to hurt us unless we procure it to ourselves. It is true Christian did here meet with Apollyon, with whom he had also a sore combat; but that fray was the fruit of those slips that he got in going down the hill: for they that get slips there must look for combats here. And hence it is that this valley has got so hard a name. For the common people, when they hear that some frightful thing has befallen such an one, in such a place, are of opinion that that place is haunted with some foul fiend or evil spirit; when, alas! it is for the fruit of their doing that such things do befall them there.

This Valley of Humiliation is of itself as fruitful a place as any the crow flies over; and I am persuaded, if we could hit upon it, we might find somewhere hereabout something that might give us an account why Christian was so hardly beset in this place.

Then James said to his mother, Lo, yonder stands a pillar, and it looks as if something was written thereon; let us go and see what it is. So they went, and found there written, "Let Christian's slips,

The Valley of Humiliation.-Once more we are introduced to the dangerous descent of the difficult hill. Difficulties and dangers, however, are greatly mitigated in the case of CHRISTIANA and her companions. Even here, though the descent was steep and slippery (as it always is), this company of Pilgrims, with care and caution, got down safely.

It is important to observe the position in

which the Lord of the hill has thus caused to be built this fair house of his-the Palace Beautiful, the abode of Christian communion and fellowship. At one side there is difficulty, in climbing to its elevation; this is so designed as to render Pilgrims conscious of their urgent need. At the other side, there is danger, in descending from its sublime enjoyments; this is also designed for a purpose-to suggest the

James 4. 6; I

Peter 5. 5.

ground, and, as you see, consisteth much in meadows; and if a man was to come here in the summer-time, as we do now, if he knew not anything before thereof, and if he also delighted himself in the sight of his eyes, he might see that which would be delightful to him. Song of Sol. 2. 1: Behold how green this valley is; also how beautiful with lilies. I have also known many labouring men that have got good estates in this Valley of Humiliation (for "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble"); for indeed it is a very fruitful soil, and doth bring forth by handfuls. Some also have wished that the next way to their FATHER's house were here, that they might be troubled no more with either hills or mountains to go over ; but the way is the way, and there is an end.

Now as they were going along and talking, they espied a boy feeding his father's sheep. The boy was in very mean clothes, but of a fresh and well-favoured countenance; and as he sat by himself, he sung. Hark! said Mr. Great-heart, to what the shepherd's boy saith. So they hearkened, and he said

Heb. 13. 5.

He that is down, needs fear no fall,

He that is low, no pride;

He that is humble ever shall
Have GOD to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,
Little be it, or much;

And, LORD, contentment still I crave,
Because thou savest such.

Fulness to such a burden is

That go on pilgrimage :

Here little, and hereafter bliss,

Is best from age to age.

Then said their guide, Do you hear him? I will dare to say, this boy lives a merrier life, and wears more of that herb called heart's case

circumspectly, and more dearly prize the strength he has received.

The best and most fruitful ground. It is plain it is something within ourselves, and not in the nature of the valley itself, that doth cause us to meet with hardships in the vale. It is a prolific ground, producing fruits and flowers in rich and rare abundance-meet emblem of the spirit of humility, that spiritual soil that is most productive of Christian virtues and heavenly graces. We are spiritually nearer to God, and more like to Christ, while dwelling in the low-lying valley of humility, or even in the still lower valley of humiliation, than when perched upon the mountain-top of