The Delectable Mountains are one of the rest havens for the pilgrims travelling to the Celestial City in John Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. Christian is shown them from the House Beautiful, and he sees "a most pleasant Mountainous Country, beautified with Woods, Vineyards, Fruits of all sorts; Flowers also, with Springs and Fountains, very delectable to behold." They are also called "Immanuel's Land," a biblical allusion to Isaiah 8:8. When Christian and Hopeful arrive there they find that it is on these mountains that Immanuel's sheep are pastured by shepherds, who are named Knowledge, Experience, Watchful, and Sincere. In the first part of The Pilgrim's Progress the specific mountains, Error, Caution, and Clear are shown to the pilgrims. It is from Mt. Clear that the pilgrims are given a "Perspective Glass" to see the gates of the Celestial City. In the second part it is discovered that the shepherds have a palace besides their tents, and they show the pilgrims some of the other mountains, Marvel, Innocent, and Charity.
The Delectable Mountains are said to have been inspired by the chalk hills of North Eastern Hertfordshire, the start of the Chilterns, as seen from the great clay plain of Bedfordshire below. John Brown, the author of Bunyan, his Life, Times and Work, proposed Leith Hill in Surrey as the site Bunyan used as a model for his Delectable Mountains. James Wharey and Roger Sharrock opine that this is implausible.
Famous quotes containing the words delectable and/or mountains:
“London, thou art of townes A per se.
Soveraign of cities, semeliest in sight,
Of high renoun, riches, and royaltie;
Of lordis, barons, and many goodly knyght;
Of most delectable lusty ladies bright;
Of famous prelatis in habitis clericall;
Of merchauntis full of substaunce and myght:
London, thou art the flour of Cities all”
—William Dunbar (c. 1465–c. 1530)
“If I must choose which I would elevate
The people or the already lofty mountains,
I’d elevate the already lofty mountains.
The only fault I find with old New Hampshire
Is that her mountains aren’t quite high enough.”
—Robert Frost (1874–1963)