12:23
35:3,4 -RSB- His labourers also have , by the direction of His Majesty 's surveyors , been for above these sixteen hundred years employed about this patch of ground , if perhaps it might have been mended : yea , and to my knowledge , said he , here have been swallowed up at least twenty thousand cart-loads , yea , millions of wholesome instructions , that have at all seasons been brought from all places of the King 's dominions , and they that can tell , say they are the best materials to make good ground of the place ; if so be , it might have been mended , but it is the Slough of Despond still , and so will be when they have done what they can . -LCB- 35 -RCB- True , there are , by the direction of the Law-giver , certain good and substantial steps , placed even through the very midst of this slough ; but at such time as this place doth much spew out its filth , as it doth against change of weather , these steps are hardly seen ; or , if they be , men , through the dizziness of their heads , step beside , and then they are bemired to purpose , notwithstanding the steps be there ; but the ground is good when they are once got in at the gate . -LSB- 1 Sam . 12:23 -RSB- -LCB- 36 -RCB- Now , I saw in my dream , that by this time Pliable was got home to his house again , so that his neighbours came to visit him ; and some of them called him wise man for coming back , and some called him fool for hazarding himself with Christian : others again did mock at his cowardliness ; saying , Surely , since you began to venture , I would not have been so base to have given out for a few difficulties . So Pliable sat sneaking among them . But at last he got more confidence , and then they all turned their tales , and began to deride poor Christian behind his back . And thus much concerning Pliable .