96 THE PILGRIMS PROGRESS.

walked all this while by himself), he said to him, but softly, “ What a brave companion
have we got! Surely this man will make a verv excellent pilgrim.”

Curis. At this Christian modestly smiled, anu said, “This man with whom you are
so taken will beguile with this tongue of his twenty of them that know him not.”

Fartu. Do you know him, then?

Crris. Know him? Yes, better than he knows himself.

Fairu. Pray what is he?

Curis. His name is Talkative; he dwelleth in our town. I wonder that you should
be a stranger to him: only I consider that our town is large.

Farra. Whose son is he? and whereabout doth he dwell?

Curis. He is the son of one Say-well. He dwelt in Prating Row, and is known to
all that are acquainted with him by the name of Talkative of Prating Row; and not-
withstanding his fine tongue, he is but a sorry fellow.

Parra. Well, he seems to be a very pretty man.

Curis. That is, to them that have not a thorough acquaintance with him, for he is
best abroad; near home he is ugly enough. Your saying that he is a pretty man
brings to my mind what I have observed in the work of the painter, whose pictures
show best at a distance, but very near more unpleasing.

Parra. But Iam ready to think you do but jest, because you smiled.

Curis. God forbid that I should jest (though I smiled) in this matter, or that I
should accuse any falsely. I will give you a further discovery of him. This man is
for any company, and for any talk. As he talketh now with you, so will he talk when
he is on the ale-bench; and the more drink he hath in his crown, the more of these
things he hath in his mouth. Religion hath no place in his heart, or house, or con-
versation: all he hath lieth in his tongue, and his religion is to make a noise there-
with.

Farrn. Say youso? Then am I in this man greatly deceived.

Curts. Deceived! you may be sure of it. Remember the proverb, “They say, and
do not;” but the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. He talketh of
prayer, of repentance, of faith, and of the new birth; but he knows but only to talk
of them. I have been in his family, and have observed him both at home and abroad,
and I know what I say of him is the truth. His house is as empty of religion as the
white of an egg is of savor. There is there neither prayer nor sign of repentance for
sin; yea, the brute, in his kind, serves God far better than he. He is the very stain,
reproach, and shame of religion to all that know him. It can hardly have a good
word in all that end of the town where he dwells, through him. Thus say the com-