it may perhaps be necessary to give a brief explanation of the object of this little work. it has been written as a child’s companion to the pilgrim’s progress. that invaluable work is frequently put into youthful hands long before the mind can unravel the deep allegory which it contains; and thus its precious lessons are lost, and it is only perused as an amusing tale.
i would offer my humble work as a kind of translation, the term which was applied to it by a little boy to whom i was reading it in manuscript—a translation of ideas beyond youthful comprehension into the common language of daily life. i would tell the child, through the medium of a simple tale, that bunyan’s dream is a solemn reality, that the feet of the young may tread the pilgrim’s path, and press on to the pilgrim’s reward.
[6]
i earnestly wish that i had been able more completely to carry out the object set before me; but difficulties have arisen from the very nature of my work. i have been obliged to make mine a very free translation, full both of imperfections and omissions. this is more especially the case where subjects are treated of in the pilgrim’s progress which concern the deeper experience of the soul. of fearful inward struggles and temptations, such as befell the author of that work, the gloom and horrors of the valley of the shadow of death, the little ones who early set out on pilgrimage usually know but little. they find the stepping-stones across the slough of despond, and are rarely seized by giant despair. it would be worse than useless to represent the christian pilgrimage as more gloomy and painful than children are likely to find it.
there are other valuable parts of the pilgrim’s progress, such as the sojourn in the house beautiful, which is believed by many to represent christian communion, which could hardly be enlarged upon in a design like mine; while the present altered appearance of vanity fair has compelled me to wander still further from my original, if i would draw a picture that could be recognized
[7]
at the present day, and be useful to the rising generation.
such as it is, i earnestly pray the lord of pilgrims to vouchsafe his blessing on my little work. to point out to his dear children the holy guiding light which marks the strait gate and the narrow path of life, and bid them god speed on their way, is an office which i most earnestly desire, yet of which i feel myself unworthy. i may at least hope to lead my young readers to a nobler instructor, to induce them to peruse with greater interest and deeper profit the pages of the pilgrim’s progress, and to apply to their own characters and their own lives the precious truths conveyed in that allegory.
a. l. o. e.
