ver at
last: the pilgrims arrive at the land of Beulah, the beautiful sunset
after the storms were all past. Doubting Castle can be seen no more,
and between them and their last rest there remains only the deep river
over which there is no bridge, the river of Death. On the hill beyond
the waters glitter the towers and domes of the Celestial City; but
through the river they must first pass, and they find it deeper or
shallower according to the strength of their faith. They go through,
Hopeful feeling the bottom all along; Christian still in character,
not without some horror, and frightened by hobgoblins. On the other
side they are received by angels, and are carried to their final home,
to live for ever in the Prince's presence. Then follows the only
passage which the present writer reads with regret in this admirable
book. It is given to the self-righteous Ignorance who, doubtless, had
been provoking with 'his good motives that comforted him as he
walked;' but Bunyan's zeal might have been satisfied by inflicting a
lighter chastisement upon him. He comes up to the river. He crosses
without the difficulties which attended Christian and Hopeful. 'It
happened that there was then at the place one Vain Hope, a Ferryman,
that with his boat' (some viaticum or priestly absolution) 'helped him
over.' He ascends the hill, and approaches the city, but no angels are
in attendance, 'neither did any man meet him with the least
encouragement.' Above the gate there was the verse written--'Blessed
are they that do His commandments that they may have right to the Tree
of Life, and may enter in through the gate into the city.' Bunyan, who
believed that no man could keep the commandments, and had no right to
anything but damnation, must have introduced the words as if to mock
the unhappy wretch who, after all, had tried to keep the commandments
as well as most people, and was seeking admittance, with a conscience
moderately at ease. 'He was asked by the men that looked over the
gate--Whence come you and what would you have?' He answered, 'I have
eaten and drunk in the presence of the King, and he has taught in our
street.' Then they asked him for his certificate, that they might go
in and show it to the king. So he fumbled in his bosom for one and
found none. Then said they, 'Have you none?' But the man answered
never a word. So they told the king but he would not come down to see
him, but commanded the two shining ones that conducted Chr