careless artist may chip it and grievously curtail its dimensions; a
clumsy craftsman, in his fear of destroying it, may not sufficiently
polish it; or in his solicitude to show off its beauty, may overdo
the accompanying ornaments. Bunyan was too skilful a workman so to
mismanage the matter. His expression neither curtails nor encumbers
the thought, but makes the most of it; that is, presents it to the
reader as it is seen by the writer. Though there is a great
appearance of amplitude about his compositions, few of his words
could be wanted. Some styles are an ill-spun thread, full of
inequalities, and shaggy from beginning to end with projecting fibres
which spoil its beauty, and add nothing to its strength; but in its
easy continuousness and trim compactness, the thread of Bunyan's
discourse flows firm and smooth from first to last. Its fulness
regales the ear, and its felicity aids the understanding.



Footnotes:

{1} Those who are interested in the historic parallels supplied by
Christian biography, will find a similar instructive dream in the
Life of General Burn, vol. i. pp. 127-130.

{2} Ivimey's Life of Bunyan, pp. 51-53.

{3} Remains, vol. iii. p. 391.

{4} The other items contained in the book that this text comes from
were: Jerusalem Sinner Saved; Pharisee and the Publican; The Trinity
and the Christian; The Law and a Christian; Bunyan's Last Sermon;