Works of John Bunyan Volume III Part 155

Advertis.e.m.e.nt by the Editor.

Some degree of mystery hangs over these Divine Emblems for children, and many years' diligent researches have not enabled me completely to solve it. That they were written by Bunyan, there cannot be the slightest doubt.

'Manner and matter, too, are all his own.'[1]

But no book, under the t.i.tle of Divine Emblems, is mentioned in any catalogue or advertis.e.m.e.nts of Bunyan's works, published during his life; nor in those more complete lists printed by his personal friends, immediately after his death. In all these lists, as well as in many advertis.e.m.e.nt, both before, and shortly after Mr.

Bunyan's death, a little book for children is constantly introduced, which, judging from the t.i.tle, must have been similar to, if not the same as, these Emblems; but the Editor has not been able to discover a copy of the first edition, although every inquiry has been made for it, both in the United Kingdom and America. It was advertised in 1688, as Country Rhymes for Children, upon seventy-four things.[2] It is also advertised, in the same year, as A Book for Boys and Girls, or Country Rhymes for Children, price 6d.[3] In 1692, it is included in Charles Doe's catalogue table of all Mr.

Bunyan's books, appended to The Struggler for their preservation, No. 36; Meditations on seventy-four things, published in 1685, and not reprinted during the author's life. In Charles Doe's second catalogue of all Mr. Bunyan's books, appended to the first edition of the Heavenly Footman, March 1698, it is No. 37. A Book for Boys and Girls, or Country Rhymes for Children, in verse, on seventy-four things. This catalogue describes every work, word for word, as it is in the several t.i.tle pages. In 1707 it had reached a third edition, and was 'ornamented with cuts';[4] and the t.i.tle is altered to A Book for Boys and Girls, or Temporal Things Spiritualized, with cuts. In 1720, it was advertised, 'price, bound, 6d.'[5] In Keach's Glorious Lover, it is advertised by Marshall, in 12mo. price 1s. In 1724, it a.s.sumed its present t.i.tle, and from that time was repeatedly advertised as Divine Emblems, or Temporal Things Spiritualized, fitted for the use of boys and girls, adorned with cuts.

By indefatigable exertions, my excellent friend and brother collector of old English bibles, James Dix, Esq., Bristol, has just discovered and presented to me the second edition of this very rare little volume, in fine preservation, from which it appears, that in 1701, the t.i.tle page was altered from Country Rhymes and Meditations, to A Book for Boys and Girls, or Temporal Things Spiritualized. It has no cuts, but, with that exception, it contains exactly the same subjects as the subsequent editions published under the more popular t.i.tle of Divine Emblems.

The only difficulty that remains is to discover seventy-four meditations in the forty-nine Emblems. This may be readily done, if the subjects of meditation are drawn out. Thus, the first emblem contains meditations on two things, the Barren Fig-tree, and G.o.d's Vineyard. So the second has a meditation on the Lark and the Fowler, and another on the comparison between the Fowler and Satan. Upon this plan, the volume contains exactly seventy-four meditations.

Under the t.i.tle of Divine Emblems, it has pa.s.sed through a mult.i.tude of editions, and many thousand copies have been circulated. It was patronized in those early efforts of the Religious Tract Society, which have been so abundantly blessed in introducing wholesome food to the young, instead of the absurd romances which formerly poisoned the infant and youthful mind.

Among these numerous editions, two deserve special notice. The first of these was published in 1757, 'on a curious paper, and good letter, with new cuts.' It has a singular preface, signed J.

D., addressed 'to the great Boys, in folio, and the little ones in coats.' The first eight pages are occupied with a dissertation on the origin of language, perhaps arising from a line in the dialogue between a sinner and spider, 'My name entailed is to my creation.' In this preface, he learnedly attempts to prove that language was the gift of G.o.d by revelation, and not a gradual acquirement of man as his wants multiplied. The other remarkable edition was published about 1790.[6] It is, both the text and cuts, printed from copperplate engravings, very handsomely executed.

This is an honour conferred upon very few authors;[7] nor was it ever conferred upon one more worthy the highest veneration of man than is the immortal allegorist.

The number of editions which have been printed of these little engaging poems, is a proof of the high estimation in which they have been held for nearly one hundred and seventy years; and the great rarity of the early copies shows the eager interest with which they have been read by children until utterly destroyed.

The cuts were at first exceedingly coa.r.s.e and rude, but were much improved in the more modern copies. Those to Mason's edition are handsome. The engraver has dressed all his actors in the costume of the time of George the Third; the women with hooped petticoats and high head dresses; clergymen with five or six tier wigs; men with c.o.c.ked hats and queues; and female servants with mob caps.

That to Emblem Fifteen, upon the sacraments, is peculiarly droll; the artist, forgetting that the author was a Baptist, represents a baby brought to the font to be christened! and two persons kneeling before the body of our Lord!

GEO. OFFOR.

TO THE READER.

COURTEOUS READER,

The t.i.tle page will show, if there thou look, Who are the proper subjects of this book.

They're boys and girls of all sorts and degrees, From those of age to children on the knees.

Thus comprehensive am I in my notions, They tempt me to it by their childish motions.

We now have boys with beards, and girls that be Big[8]as old women, wanting gravity.

Then do not blame me, 'cause I thus describe them.

Flatter I may not, lest thereby I bribe them To have a better judgment of themselves, Than wise men have of babies on their shelves.[9]

Their antic tricks, fantastic modes, and way, Show they, like very boys and girls, do play With all the frantic fopperies of this age, And that in open view, as on a stage; Our bearded men do act like beardless boys; Our women please themselves with childish toys.

Our ministers, long time, by word and pen, Dealt with them, counting them not boys, but men.

Thunderbolts they shot at them and their toys, But hit them not, 'cause they were girls and boys.

The better charg'd, the wider still they shot, Or else so high, these dwarfs they touched not.

Instead of men, they found them girls and boys, Addict to nothing as to childish toys.

Wherefore, good reader, that I save them may, I now with them the very dotterel[10] play; And since at gravity they make a tush, My very beard I cast behind a bush; And like a fool stand fing'ring of their toys, And all to show them they are girls and boys.

Nor do I blush, although I think some may Call me a baby, 'cause I with them play.

I do't to show them how each fingle-fangle On which they doting are, their souls entangle, As with a web, a trap, a gin, or snare; And will destroy them, have they not a care.

Paul seemed to play the fool, that he might gain Those that were fools indeed, if not in grain;[11]

And did it by their things, that they might know Their emptiness, and might be brought unto What would them save from sin and vanity, A n.o.ble act, and full of honesty.

Yet he nor I would like them be in vice, While by their playthings I would them entice, To mount their thoughts from what are childish toys, To heaven, for that's prepared for girls and boys.

Nor do I so confine myself to these, As to shun graver things; I seek to please Those more compos'd with better things than toys; Though thus I would be catching girls and boys.

Wherefore, if men have now a mind to look, Perhaps their graver fancies may be took With what is here, though but in homely rhymes: But he who pleases all must rise betimes.

Some, I persuade me, will be finding fault, Concluding, here I trip, and there I halt: No doubt some could those grovelling notions raise By fine-spun terms, that challenge might the bays.

But should all men be forc'd to lay aside Their brains that cannot regulate the tide By this or that man's fancy, we should have The wise unto the fool become a slave.

What though my text seems mean, my morals be Grave, as if fetch'd from a sublimer tree.

And if some better handle[12] can a fly, Than some a text, why should we then deny Their making proof, or good experiment, Of smallest things, great mischiefs to prevent?

Wise Solomon did fools to p.i.s.s-ants[13] send, To learn true wisdom, and their lies to mend.

Yea, G.o.d by swallows, cuckoos, and the a.s.s,[14]

Shows they are fools who let that season pa.s.s, Which he put in their hand, that to obtain Which is both present and eternal gain.

I think the wiser sort my rhymes may slight, But what care I, the foolish will delight To read them, and the foolish G.o.d has chose, And doth by foolish things their minds compose, And settle upon that which is divine; Great things, by little ones, are made to shine.

I could, were I so pleas'd, use higher strains: And for applause on tenters[15] stretch my brains.

But what needs that? the arrow, out of sight, Does not the sleeper, nor the watchman fright; To shoot too high doth but make children gaze, 'Tis that which hits the man doth him amaze.

And for the inconsiderableness Of things, by which I do my mind express, May I by them bring some good thing to pa.s.s, As Samson, with the jawbone of an a.s.s; Or as brave Shamgar, with his ox's goad (Both being things not manly, nor for war in mode), I have my end, though I myself expose To scorn; G.o.d will have glory in the close.

J.B.

A BOOK FOR BOYS AND GIRLS, &c.

DIVINE EMBLEMS, OR TEMPORAL THINGS SPIRITUALIZED, &c.

I.

UPON THE BARREN FIG-TREE IN G.o.d'S VINEYARD

What, barren here! in this so good a soil?

The sight of this doth make G.o.d's heart recoil From giving thee his blessing; barren tree, Bear fruit, or else thine end will cursed be!

Art thou not planted by the water-side?

Know'st not thy Lord by fruit is glorified?

The sentence is, Cut down the barren tree: Bear fruit, or else thine end will cursed be.

Hast thou been digg'd about and dunged too, Will neither patience nor yet dressing do?

The executioner is come, O tree, Bear fruit, or else thine end will cursed be!

He that about thy roots takes pains to dig, Would, if on thee were found but one good fig, Preserve thee from the axe: but, barren tree, Bear fruit, or else thy end will cursed be!

The utmost end of patience is at hand, 'Tis much if thou much longer here doth stand.

O c.u.mber-ground, thou art a barren tree.

Bear fruit, or else thine end will cursed be!

Thy standing nor they name will help at all; When fruitful trees are spared, thou must fall.

The axe is laid unto thy roots, O tree!

Bear fruit, or else thine end will cursed be.

II.

UPON THE LARK AND THE FOWLER.

Thou simple bird, what makes thou here to play?

Look, there's the fowler, pr'ythee come away.

Do'st not behold the net? Look there, 'tis spread, Venture a little further, thou art dead.

Is there not room enough in all the field For thee to play in, but thou needs must yield To the deceitful glitt'ring of a gla.s.s, Plac'd betwixt nets, to bring thy death to pa.s.s?

Bird, if thou art so much for dazzling light, Look, there's the sun above thee; dart upright; Thy nature is to soar up to the sky, Why wilt thou come down to the nets and die?