kingdom for ever.

Pli. Well said; and what else?

Chr. There are crowns and glory to be given us, and garments
that will make us shine like the sun in the firmament of heaven.

Pli. This is very pleasant; and what else?

Chr. There shall be no more crying, nor Sorrow: for He that is
owner of the place will wipe all tears from our eyes.

Pli. And what company shall we have there?

Chr. There we shall be with seraphims and cherubims, creatures
that will dazzle your eyes to look on them. There also you shall
meet with thousands and ten thousands that have gone before us
to that place; none of them are hurtful, but loving and holy;
every one walking in the sight of God, and standing in his
presence with acceptance for ever. In a word, there we shall see
the elders with their golden crowns, there we shall see the holy
virgins with their golden harps, there we shall see men that by
the world were cut in pieces, burnt in flames, eaten of beasts,
drowned in the seas, for the love that they bear to the Lord of
the place, all well, and clothed with immortality as with a
garment.

Pli. The hearing of this is enough to ravish one's heart. But
are these things to be enjoyed? How shall we get to be sharers
thereof?

Chr. The Lord, the Governor of the country, hath recorded that
in this book; the substance of which is, If we be truly willing
to have it, he will bestow it upon us freely.

Pli. Well, my good companion, glad am I to hear of these things:
come on, let us mend our pace.

Chr. I cannot go so fast as I would, by reason of this burden
that is on my back.

Now I saw in my dream, that just as they had ended this talk
they drew near to a very miry slough, that was in the midst of
the plain; and they, being heedless, did both fall suddenly into
the bog. The name of the slough

was Despond. Here, therefore, they wallowed for a being
grievously bedaubed with the dirt; and Christian, because of the
burden that was on his back, began to sink in the mire.

Pli. Then said Pliable; Ah! neighbour Christian, where are you
now?

Chr. Truly, said Christian, I do not know.

Pli. At this Pliable began to be offended, and angrily said to
his fellow, Is this the happiness you have told me all this
while of? If we have such ill speed at our first setting out,
what may we expect betwixt this and our journey's end? May I get
out again with my life, you shall possess the brave country
alone for me. And, with that, he gave a desperate struggle or
two, and got out of the mire on that side of the slough which
was next to his own house: so away he went, and Christian saw
him no more.

Wherefore Christian was left to tumble in the Slough of Despond
alone: but still he endeavoured to struggle to that side of the
slough that was still further from his own house, and next to
the wicket-gate; the which he did, but could not get out,
because of the burden that was upon his back: but I beheld in my
dream, that a man came to him, whose name was Help, and asked
him, What he did there?

Chr. Sir, said Christian, I was bid go this way by a man called
Evangelist, who directed me also to yonder gate, that I might
escape the wrath to come; and as I was going thither I fell in
here.

Help. But why did not you look for the steps?

Chr. Fear followed me so hard, that I fled the next way, and
fell in.

Help. Then said he, Give me thy hand: so he gave him his hand,
and he drew him out, and set him upon sound ground, and bid him
go on his way.

Then I stepped to him that plucked him out, and said, Sir,
wherefore, since over this place is the way from the City of
Destruction to yonder gate, is it that this plat is not mended,
that poor travellers might go thither with more security? And he
said unto me, This miry slough is such a place as cannot be
mended; it is the descent whither the scum and filth that
attends conviction for sin doth continually run, and therefore
it is called the Slough of Despond; for still, as the sinner is
awakened about his lost condition, there ariseth in his soul
many fears, and doubts, and discouraging apprehensions, which
all of them get together, and settle in this place. And this is
the reason of the badness of this ground.