An exquisitely produced series of pen and ink drawings illustrating John Bunyan’s famous Christian allegory ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’, forming a remarkably meticulous copy of the originals by Henry C. Selous, which illustrated an 1844 edition published by M. M. Holloway, London.

The manuscript was created by Isaac Willatt for his fiancée in 1865, as the note by his son explains:
“The following illustrations to Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress were copied by hand with pen and ink from the work of H. C. Selous... The copyist, (who had the illustrations lent to him by a friend), was Isaac Willatt junior of Nottingham, who had just become engaged to marry Mary Matthews, daughter of William Matthews of Wednesbury, Staffordshire, in August 1865; at that time Isaac Willatt junior was a member of the Robin Hood Rifle Volunteers at Nottingham, and this was regarded by Mary Matthews and her parents, (who were very strict Wesleyan Methodists), as being rather “fast”, so to please his fiancée be gave up his membership of the Volunteers, and to fill up the spare time thus obtained, he laboriously copied by hand these illustrations, which the writer of this Memorandum caused to be bound within the present covers, as an appreciation of his father”.

A wonderful labour of love.