ItisnotsowiththePilgrim’sProgress。Thatwonderfulbook，whileitobtainsadmirationfromthemostfastidiouscritics，islovedbythosewhoaretoosimpletoadmireit。Dr。Johnson，allwhosestudiesweredesultory，andwhohated，ashesaid，toreadbooksthrough，madeanexceptioninfavourofthePilgrim’sProgress。Thatworkwasoneofthetwoorthreeworkswhichhewishedlonger。ItwasbynocommonmeritthattheilliteratesectaryextractedpraiselikethisfromthemostpedanticofcriticsandthemostbigotedofTories。InthewildestpartsofScotlandthePilgrim’sProgressisthedelightofthepeasantry。
IneverynurserythePilgrim’sProgressisagreaterfavouritethanJacktheGiant—killer。Everyreaderknowsthestraightandnarrowpathaswellasheknowsaroadinwhichhehasgonebackwardandforwardahundredtimes。Thisisthehighestmiracleofgenius，thatthingswhicharenotshouldbeasthoughtheywere，thattheimaginationsofonemindshouldbecomethepersonalrecollectionsofanother。Andthismiraclethetinkerhaswrought。
Thereisnoascent，nodeclivity，noresting—place，noturn—stile，withwhichwearenotperfectlyacquainted。Thewicket—gate，andthedesolateswampwhichseparatesitfromtheCityofDestruction，thelonglineofroad，asstraightasarulecanmakeit，theInterpreter’shouseandallitsfairshows，theprisonerintheironcage，thepalace，atthedoorsofwhicharmedmenkeptguard，andonthebattlementsofwhichwalkedpersonsclothedallingold，thecross，andthesepulchre，thesteephillandthepleasantarbour，thestatelyfrontoftheHouseBeautifulbythewayside，thechainedlionscrouchingintheporch，thelowgreenvalleyofHumiliation，richwithgrassandcoveredwithflocks，allareaswellknowntousasthesightsofourownstreet。ThenwecometothenarrowplacewhereApollyonstroderightacrossthewholebreadthoftheway，tostopthejourneyofChristian，andwhere，afterwards，thepillarwassetuptotestifyhowbravelythepilgrimhadfoughtthegoodfight。Asweadvance，thevalleybecomesdeeperanddeeper。Theshadeoftheprecipicesonbothsidesfallsblackerandblacker。Thecloudsgatheroverhead。
Dolefulvoices，theclankingofchains，andtherushofmanyfeettoandfro，areheardthroughthedarkness。Theway，hardlydiscernibleingloom，runsclosebythemouthoftheburningpit，whichsendsforthitsflames，itsnoisomesmoke，anditshideousshapestoterrifytheadventurer。Thencehegoeson，amidstthesnaresandpitfalls，withthemangledbodiesofthosewhohaveperishedlyingintheditchbyhisside。Attheendofthelongdarkvalleyhepassesthedensinwhichtheoldgiantsdwelt，amidstthebonesofthosewhomtheyhadslain。
Thentheroadpassesstraightonthroughawastemoor，tillatlengththetowersofadistantcityappearbeforethetraveller;