34. The " Pilgrims Progre?s " [Eleven lines] By John Bunyan. " Licen?ed and Entered according to Order. " London, " Printed for Nath. Ponder at the Peacock " in the Poultrey near Cornhil, 1678.

In 1672 Bunyan was released from the gaol, which, possibly with a brief interval, had been his "close and uncomfortable" home for twelve years; and Ponder, who, for his connection with his famous client, was called "Bunyan's Ponder," entered the imperishable story, written in "similitudes," at the Stationers' Hall, December 22, 1677. The customary fee of sixpence being duly paid, early in the following year the book was licensed, and soon after published at one shilling sixpence.

Its success was very great: the first year saw a second edition, and the year following a third, each with important additions.

Southey stated, in 1830, when he put out a new edition of the book, that there was no copy of the first edition known, but since then five have been unearthed, two of which are perfect.

The portrait of Bunyan engraved by Robert White makes our copy unique. It shows the author lying asleep over a lion's den, while above him Christian is represented on his journey. Until 1886, when this volume was brought to light, the third edition was supposed to be the first to have a picture of the author; but now it seems quite certain that other volumes of the first edition may, like this, have had the print. In the edition of 1679, the label of the city from which the Pilgrim was journeying, called "Vanity" here, was changed to "Destruction."

The price paid for this volume, when it was sold at auction in 1901, was fourteen hundred and seventy-five pounds.

The second part of the Pilgrim's Progress appeared in 1684. It depends more upon reflected than intrinsic merit; but copies of the first edition are even rarer than those of the first edition of the first part.

Octavo.

Collation: A-Q3, in eights. Portrait.