mmerce with the world
had made him wiser. Nor were the cases exactly parallel. Charles was
a professed Protestant: James was a professed Papist. The object of
Charles's indulgence was disguised; the object of James's indulgence
was patent. Bunyan was not deceived. He exhorted his hearers to prepare
themselves by fasting and prayer for the danger which menaced their
civil and religious liberties, and refused even to speak to the courtier
who came down to remodel the corporation of Bedford, and who, as was
supposed, had it in charge to offer some municipal dignity to the Bishop
of the Baptists.

Bunyan did not live to see the Revolution. In the summer of 1688 he
undertook to plead the cause of a son with an angry father, and at
length prevailed on the old man not to disinherit the young one. This
good work cost the benevolent intercessor his life. He had to ride
through heavy rain. He came drenched to his lodgings on Snow Hill, was
seized with a violent fever, and died in a few days. He was buried in
Bunhill Fields; and the spot where he lies is still regarded by the
Nonconformists with a feeling which seems scarcely in harmony with the
stern spirit of their theology. Many Puritans, to whom the respect paid
by Roman Catholics to the reliques and tombs of saints seemed childish
or sinful, are said to have begged with their dying breath that their
coffins might be placed as near as possible to the office of the author
of the "Pilgrim's Progress."

The fame of Bunyan during his life, and during the century which
followed his death, was indeed great, but was almost entirely confined
to religious families of the middle and lower classes. Very seldom
was he during that time mentioned with respect by any writer of great
literary eminence. Young coupled his prose with the poetry of the
wretched D'Urfey. In the Spiritual Quixote, the adventures of Christian
are ranked with those of Jack the Giant-Killer and John Hickathrift.
Cowper ventured to praise the great allegorist, but did not venture to
name him. It is a significant circumstance that, till a recent period,
all the numerous editions of the "Pilgrim's Progress" were evidently
meant for the cottage and the servants' hall. The paper, the printing,
the plates, were all of the meanest description. In general, when the
educated minority and the common people differ about the merit of
a book, the opinion of the educated minority finally prevails. The
"Pilgrim's Progress" is perh