of Mr. Badman, a realistic character study which is a precursor of the modern novel; and in 1684 the second part of Pilgrim’s Progress, showing the journey of Christiana and her children to the city of All Delight.  Besides these Bunyan published a multitude of treatises and sermons, all in the same style,—­direct, simple, convincing, expressing every thought and emotion perfectly in words that even a child can understand.  Many of these are masterpieces, admired by workingmen and scholars alike for their thought and expression.  Take, for instance, “The Heavenly Footman,” put it side by side with the best work of Latimer, and the resemblance in style is startling.  It is difficult to realize that one work came from an ignorant tinker and the other from a great scholar, both engaged in the same general work.  As Bunyan’s one book was the Bible, we have here a suggestion of its influence in all our prose literature.

MINOR PROSE WRITERS

The Puritan Period is generally regarded as one destitute of literary interest; but that was certainly not the result of any lack of books or writers.  Says Burton in his Anatomy of Melancholy:

I have ... new books every day, pamphlets, currantoes, stories, whole catalogues of volumes of all sorts, new paradoxes, opinions, schisms, heresies, controversies in philosophy and religion.  Now come tidings of weddings, maskings, entertainments, jubilees, embassies, sports, plays; then again, as in a new-shipped scene, treasons, cheatings, tricks, robberies, enormous villainies in all kinds, funerals, deaths, new discoveries, expeditions; now comical, then tragical matters.....

So the record continues, till one rubs his eyes and thinks he must have picked up by mistake the last literary magazine.  And for all these kaleidoscopic events there were waiting a multitude of writers, ready to seize the abundant material and turn it to literary account for a tract, an article, a volume, or an encyclopedia.

If one were to recommend certain of these books as expressive of this age of outward storm and inward calm, there are three that deserve more than a passing notice, namely, the Religio Medici, Holy Living, and The Compleat Angler.  The first was written by a busy physician, a supposedly scientific man at that time; the second by the most learned of English churchmen; and the third by a simple merchant and fisherman.  Strangely enough, these three great books—­the reflections of nature, science, and revelation—­all interpret human life alike and tell the same story of gentleness, charity, and noble living.  If the age had produced only these three books, we could still be profoundly grateful to it for its inspiring message.