Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 7.djvu/176

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [9 th s. VIL MARCH 2, 1901.

its frontispiece, a well-conceived and carefully finished copperplate engraving representing the pilgrim, with ample slouch hat, a pilgrim- bottle slung from his waist, and a substantial bundle on his back, lifting the ring-shaped knocker of a door which admits to a winding uphill path (with sundry houses of rest on the way), which leads (in virtue of an accom- modating perspective) by easy stages to the Celestial City in the not remote background.

Over the door is inscribed "Heurtez et il Vous Sera Ouvert ! " The finish and detail of the picture are in marked contrast with the rude and barbarous embellishments of the early English editions. But the main interest centres in the nine pages of " Preface au lecteur Chretien," written apparently while the "illustrious dreamer" was still in the flesh. Says the writer :

" L'Auteur de ce Traite est un Ministre Anglois, nomme Jean Bunian, Pasteur d'une Eglise dans la Ville de Bedfort en Angleterre, ou il fait luire sa lumiere devant les homines, non settlement par ses excellens enseignemens, mais aussi par la purete d'une vie sainte & exemplaire, ayant bon temoign- age de tons, com me S. Jean le disoit de Demetrius, 3 Ep. v. 12. Mais quand on ne le connoitroit pas d'ailleurs, ce petit JKcrit, aussi bien quo tous les autres qu'il a mis au jour, dont quelques-uns sont du meme genre que celui-ci, suffiroient pour faire connoitre la profonde intelligence & la connoissance qu'il a dans les choses Spirituellea & Divines."

Following this eulogtum of the author comes a brief analysis or scheme of the work, and a defence of the use of emblem and allegory in a book of this kind, coupled with the state- ment that the author himself at first experi- enced a misgiving in respect thereto,

" mais qu'enfin il ceda aux avis de quelques per- sonnes sages & pieuses, qui luy conseillerent de mettre son Ouvrage sous la presse, & de le re- pandre dans le monde, comnie une amorce pour gagner quelques ames."

This the translator must have learnt from Bunyan's familiar rimed apology, which is omitted from this edition.

His final allusions are valuable, as indicating the phenomenal popularity the book had already attained. He remarks :

"Certes, s'il est aussi bien recu des Francois, com me il 1'a ete des Anglois, qui Font tellement goute, qu'il s'en est fait plusicurs Editions en Angle- terre, dans pen de terns, le Traducteur n'aura pas lieu de se repentir de sa peine, ni rimirimeur de sa depense ; & cela pourra encourager 1'un & 1'autre a donner encore au Public un autre Ouvrage, de not re Auteur (qui est conune la suite de celui ci) intitule ' Le Voyage de la Chretienne & de ses Enfans.' Au reste, il est bon d'avertir qu'on a deja vu une Tra- duction Franchise de cet Ouvrage, qui a ete im- primee en Hollande, il y a plusieurs annees ; maif comnie elle a te faite mr un Wallon, qui parle Flamend, en Francois, elle est si mauvaise, qu'on ne la peut lire qu'avec degout. C'est pourquoi Ton a

cru faire plaisir aux bonnes ames, d'en faire une autre toute nouvelle, quifut un peuplus Franchise. If from these scanty data any reader can help me to the name of the translator, and the dates of the first and subsequent editions
 * if any), I shall esteem myself his debtor.

CHARLES KING.

Torquay.

[The first French translation recognized by biblio- graphers is anonymous. It is entitled " Voyage du Chretien et de la Chretienne vers I'Eternite Bien- heureuse, traduit en fraiicois. Neufchatel, 1716, in 8vo." Reprinted Bale, 1728, 2 vols., 12mo; Colmar, 1821, 12mo; Valence, 1828, 12mo. " Le Pelerinage d'un nomme Chretien, e"crit sous

1820, 1824, 1825. The early editions were printed abroad, presumably because the book was regarded in France as heretical.]

POPULATION OF TOWNS. Can any readers of ' N. & Q.' refer me to any work or article dealing with the populations of English towns prior to the official censuses 1 The only matter I can find so far is that in Macaulay's famous third chapter on 'The Condition of England in 1685.' STUDENT.

" WABBLING." On p. 486 of his ' First Principles' Herbert Spencer uses what he admits to be an inelegant word, "wabbling." At first I took this to be a printer's error, until reading lower down the same page I found the word " wabbling " repeated. How long has the change from " wobbling " to "wabbling" been in current use? Who was the first literary genius to discover it 1 What did it originate from 1 Was it borrowed from the peculiar motion of a spinning-top ? M. L. R. BRESLAR.

BRANDRETH FAMILY. For the purpose of obtaining some genealogical information, I should like to learn the addresses of any of the children, or other relatives, of Mrs. Brandreth, who was a daughter of the late Henry John Shepherd, Q.C., Bencher of Lincoln's Inn, Recorder of Abingdon, &c.

W. GEO. EAKINS.

Osgoode Hall, Toronto, Canada.

COL. THOMAS COOPER. Where can in- formation be obtained concerning Thomas Cooper, a colonel in Oliver Cromwell's army, whose family possessed land in Oxfordshire ? I seek also genealogical information as to the descendants of the family.

ARTHUR L. COOPER.

Reading.

" MARY'S CHAPPEL." I have an old concert ticket by W. Hogarth, engraved by Jane,