The Pilgrim’s Progress From This World To That Which is to Come: Deliver’d under the Similitude of a Dream: Wherein is Discover’d The Manner of his Setting out, His Dangerous Journey, and Safe Arrival at the Desired Country.

BUNYAN, John.

$1,200.00

Item Number: 146466

London: William Pickering, 1849.

Rare large print Pickering edition of one of the most significant works of religious English literature. Octavo, bound in full crushed morocco by Tout Bindery with gilt titles and intricate tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruled borders to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, top edge gilt, original red silk ribbon laid in, marbled endpapers, tissue-guarded engraved frontispiece portrait of John Bunyan, illustrated with tissue-guarded engraved plates, headpiece and initial. In near fine condition with very light rubbing to the extremities and a bookplate to the front pastedown.

First published in 1678, John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress remains one of the most significant works of theological fiction in English literature, as well as one of the progenitors of the narrative aspect of Christian media. It has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been out of print. It appeared in Dutch in 1681, in German in 1703 and in Swedish in 1727. The first North American edition was issued in 1681. “Bunyan wrote this book in Bedford Gaol, which may bring hope and consolation to some of the myriads of those imprisoned for conscience’ sake since his day… the early demand for the book was not from the learned, but from the pious and the young. It was at first fashionable to sneer at Bunyan as a writer, but the approval of such as Swift, Johnson and Walpole marked a change. Now it is universally known and loved, and the parable of salvation is accepted by all denominations” (PMM 156). It has also been cited as the first novel written in English.