THEY OVERTAKE IGNORANCE, 139

“When he that is a fool walketh by the way,
his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every
one that he is a fool.“° What! shall we talk
further with him, or outgo him at present,
and so leave him to think of what he hath
heard already, and then stop again for him
afterwards, and see if by degrees we can do
any good to him?”
Then said Hopeful :

“Let Tenorance a little while now muse
On what is said, and let him not refuse
Good counsel to embrace, lest he remain
Still ignorant of what’s the chiefest gain.
God saith, those that no understanding have
(Although He made them), them He will not save.”

Horr. He further added, “ It is not good,
I think, to say all to him at once: let us pass

 

 

 

him by, if you will, and talk to him anon,

 

Ignorance.

even as he is ‘able to bear it.”

 

So they both went on, and Ignorance he

came aiter. Now, when they had passed him Hy

a little way, they entered into a very dark

’

lane, where they met a man whom seven devils
had bound with seven strong cords, and were
carrying of him back to the door that they saw
on the side of the hill.” Now good Christian
began to tremble, and so did Hopeful his com-
panion ; yet, as the devils led away the man,
Christian looked to see if he knew him; and
he thought it might be one Turn-away, that
dwelt in the town of Apostasy. But he did
not perfectly see his face, for he did hang his
head like a thief that is found; but being gone
past, Hopeful looked after him, and espied on
his back a paper with this inscription, “ Wan-

 

 

 

ton professor and damnable apostate.” .
Then said Christian to his fellow, “ Now I ie Aten ce omitee ven ae vilsnad BORG’?