of his majefty's furveyors, have been employed for above this fixteen hundred years about this patch of ground, if perhaps it might have been mended: yea, and to my knowledge, faid he, here have been Iwallowed up at leaft twenty thousand, yea millions, of cart loads of wholefome inftructions, which have, at all feasons, been brought from all places of the king's dominions (and those who can tell, do fay, that thefe are the best materials to make good ground of the place), if fo be it might have been mended; but, it is the Slough of Defpond ftill; and fo will be, when they have done all they can do.--True, there are, by the direction of the lawgiver, certain good and fubftantial fteps, placed even through the very midft of this flough; but at the time when this place doth much fpue out its filth, as it doth againft change of weather, thefe steps are hardly feen; or, if they be, men, through the dizzinefs of their heads, ftep befide; and then they are bemired to purpofe, notwithstanding the steps be there. But the ground is good when they are once got in at the gate.

Now I faw, in my dream, that by this time Pliable was got home to his houfe. So his neighbours came to vifit him; and some of them called him wife man for coming back; and fome called him fool for hazarding himfelf with Chriftian; others again did mock at his cowardlinefs; faying, Surely, fince you began to venture, I would not have been fo bafe as to have given out for a few difficulties.

So

So Pliable fat fneaking among them. But at laft he got more confidence, and then they all turned their tales, and began to deride poor Christian behind his back. Thus much concerning Pliable. Now, as Chriftian was walking folitarily by himself, he efpied one afar off, croffing over the field to meet him, and their hap was to meet just as they were croffing the way to each other. The gentleman's name who met him was Mr. Worldly Wiseman; he dwelt in the town of Carnal Policy, a very great town, and hard by that from whence Christian came. This man then, meeting with Christian, and having fome knowledge of him by report (for Christian's fetting forth from the city of Destruction was much noifed abroad, not only in the town where he dwelt, but alfo it began to be the town-talk in fome other places); therefore Mr. Worldly Wifeman, having fome guefs of him, by beholding his laborious going, by obferving his fighs and groans, and the like, began thus to enter into fome talk with Chriftian ".

• Pliable, on his return home, is at firft fcouted by his neighbours; but he foon gets more bold, and joins in the laugh against Christian :-thus the last state of that man is worfe than the beginning.

P In this difcourfe between Chriftian and Worldly Wiseman we fee the spirit of the world, and the doctrine which is most pleasing to the flesh. It is a moft bewitching doctrine; the Galatians were bewitched by it, we fee that Chriftian was bewitched by it. This is that way which appears right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

3

World.

World. How now, good fellow, whither away after this burdened manner?

Chr. Burdened indeed, as ever, I think, poor creature was! Whereas you afk me, "Whither away?" I tell you, Sir, I am going to yonder wicket gate before me; for there, as I am informed, I fhall be put in a way to be rid of my heavy burden.

World. Haft thou a wife and children?

Chr. Yes; but I am fo laden with this burden, that I cannot take that pleasure in them as formerly: methinks I am as though I had none.

World. Wilt thou hearken to me if I give thee counfel?

Chr. If it be good, I will: I ftand in need of good counfel.

World. I would advise thee then, with all speed, to get rid of thy burden; thou wilt never be settled in thy mind till then: nor canft thou enjoy the benefits of the bleffings which God hath bestowed upon thee till then.

Chr. That is what I feek for, to be rid of this heavy burden; but get it off myself I cannot; nor is there a man in our own country who can take it off my shoulders; therefore am I going this way, as I told you, that I may be rid of my burden. World. Who bid thee go this way to be rid of thy burden?

Chr. A man who appeared to me to be a very great and honourable perfon; his name, as I remember, is Evangelift.

World.

World. Befhrew him for his counfel; there is not a more dangerous and troublesome way in the world, than this is to which he hath directed thee; and that thou fhalt find, if thou wilt be ruled by his counsel. Thou haft met with fomething, I perceive, already;

fee the dirt of the Slough of Defpond upon thee; that Slough is the beginning of thofe forrows which do attend thofe who go on in that way Hear me; I am older than thou: in the way which thou goest, thou art like to meet with wearisomeness, painfulnefs, hunger, perils, nakednefs, fword, lions, dragons, darknefs, and, in a word, death; and what not? Thefe things are certainly true, having been confirmed by many teftimonies. Why should a man fo carelessly cast away himself, by giving heed, to a stranger?

Chr. This burden, Sir, upon my back is more terrible to me than are all these things which you have mentioned. Methinks, I care not what I meet with in my way, if fo be I can alfo meet with deliverance from my burden.

World. How cameft thou by the burden at first? : Chr. By reading this book in my hand?

World. I thought fo: it has happened unto thee as to other weak men; who, meddling with things too high for them, do fuddenly fall into thy diftractions; which distractions do not only unman men (as thine I perceive have done thee), but they run them upon desperate ventures, to obtain they know not what.

Chr.

Chr. I know what I would obtain; it is ease from my heavy burden.

World. But why wilt thou feek for eafe this way, feeing fo many dangers attend it? efpecially, fince (hadft thou but patience to hear me) I could direct thee to the obtaining of what thou defireft, without the dangers which in this way thou wilt run thyself into. Yea, and the remedy is at hand. Befides, I will add, that, inftead of thefe dangers, thou fhalt meet with much fafety, friendship, and

content.

Chr. Pray, Sir, open this fecret to me?

World. Why, in yonder village, the village is named Morality, there dwells a gentleman, whofe name is Legality, a very judicious man, and a man of a very good name, who has skill to help men cff with fuch burdens as thine from their fhoulders; yea, to my knowledge, he has done a great deal of good this way. Befides, he hath fkill to cure thofe who are fomewhat crazed in their wits with their burden. To him, as I faid, thou mayeft go, and be helped presently: his house is not quite a mile from this place; and if he should not be at home himself, he hath a fon, a pretty young man, whofe name is Civility, he can do it as well as the old gentleman himself: there, I fay, thou mayest be eafed of thy burden: and, if thou art not minded to go back to thy former habitation, as indeed I would not wish thee to do, thou mayeft fend for thy wife and chilс dren