and dam, and at the same time my spleen and immoderately addicted to women, hasty, ambi Dowels to be oppressed and troubled with flatus; tious, full of himself and his own performances, and in the morning when I began to read, accord- and satirical upon all others. He was however ing to custom, my eyes grew painful immediately, esteemed one of the most eminent preachers of that and to refuse reading, but were refreshed after a age among the Protestants; but as Monsieur moderate exercise of the body. A certain iris be- Bayle observes, his chief talent must have consist gan to surround the light of the candle if I looked ed in the gracefulness of his delivery, or in those at it; soon after which, on the left part of the left sallies of imagination and quaint turns and allueye (for that was some years sooner clouded) a sions, whereof his sermons are full; for they retain mist arose which hid every thing on that side; and not those charms in reading, which they were said looking forward if I shut my right eye, objects ap- to have formerly in the pulpit. Against this man, peared smaller. My other eye also, for these last therefore, as the reputed author of Regii sanguinis three years, failing by degrees, some months before Clamor, &c., Milton published by authority his all sight was abolished, things which I looked upon Second Defence of the people of England, Defenseemed to swim to the right and left; certain in- sio Secunda pro populo Anglicano, in 1654, and verate vapours seem to possess my forehead and treats Morus with such severity as nothing could temples, which after meat especially, quite to eve- have excused, if he had not been provoked to it ning, generally, urge and depress my eyes with a by so much abuse poured upon himself. There sleepy heaviness. Nor would I omit that whilst is one piece of his wit, which had been published there was as yet some remainder of sight, I no before in the newspapers at London, a distich sooner lay down in my bed, and turned on my upon Morus for getting Pontia the maid-servant side, but a copious light dazzled out of my shut of his friend Salmasius with child. eyes; and as my sight diminished every day, colours gradually more obscure flashed out with vehemence; but now that the lucid is in a manner Upon this Morus published his Fides Publica in wholly extinct, a direct blackness, or else spotted, answer to Milton, in which he inserted several and, as it were, woven with ash-colour, is used to testimonies of his orthodoxy and morals, signed by pour itself in. Nevertheless the constant and the consistories, academies, synods, and magissettled darkness that is before me as well by night trates of the places where he had lived; and disownas by day, seems nearer to the whitish than the ed his being the author of the book imputed to blackish; and the eye rolling itself a little, seems him, and appealed to two gentlemen of great credit So ad ait I know not what little smallness of light as through a chink.'

Galli ex concubitu gravidam te, Pontia, Mori
Quis bene moratam morigeramque neget 1

with the Parliament party, who knew the real author. This brought Du Moulin, who was then in England, into great danger; but the govern But it does not appear what answer he received; ment suffered him to escape with impunity, rather we may presume, none that administered any re- than they would publicly contradict the great palief. His blindness however did not disable him tron of their cause. For he still persisted in his entirely from performing the business of his office, An assistant was allowed him, and his salary as secretary still continued to him.

accusation, and endeavoured to make it good in his Defence of himself, Autoris pro se Defensio, which was published in 1655, wherein he opposed to the testimonies in favour of Morus other testimonies against him; and Morus replied no more.

And there was farther occasion for his service besides dictating of letters. For the controversy with Salmasius did not die with him, and there After this controversy was ended, he was at was published at the Hague, in 1652, a book en- leisure again to pursue his own private studies, titled the Cry of the King's Blood, &c., Regii san- which were the History of England before mengumis Clamor ad cœlum adversus Parricidas An- tioned, and a new Thesaurus of the Latin tongue, glicanos. The true author of this book was Peter intended as an improvement upon that by Robert du Moulin, the younger, who was afterwards pre- Stephens; a work which he had been long col bendary of Canterbury: and he transmitted his lecting from the best and purest Latin authors, papers to Salmasius; and Salmasius intrusted and continued at times almost to his dying day: them to the care of Alexander Morus, a French but his papers were left so confused and imperminister; and Morus published them with a dedi- fect, that they could not be fitted for the press, cation to King Charles II in the name of Adrian though great use was made of them by the comUlac, the printer, from whence he came to be re- pilers of the Cambridge Dictionary, printed in puted the author of the whole. This Morus was 1693. These papers are said to have consisted the SOL of a learned Scotsman, who was president of three large volumes in folio; and it is a great of the college, which the Protestants had formerly pity that they are lost, and no account is given at Castres in Languedoc; and he is said to have what is become of the manuscript. It is commonly been a man of a most haughty disposition, and said too that at this time he began his famous

poem of Paradise Lost; and it is certain, that he his blindness, proceeded slower in business, and was glad to be released from those controversies, had not yet put the articles of the treaty into Latin which detained him so long from following things more agreeable to his natural genius and inclination, though he was far from ever repenting of his writings in defence of liberty, but gloried in them to the last.

Upon which the ambassador was greatly surprised, that things of such consequence should be entrusted to a blind man, for he must necessarily employ an amanuensis, and that amanuensis might divulge the articles; and said that it was The only interruption now of his private stu- very wonderful, that there should be only one man dies was the business of his office. In 1655, there in England who could write Latin, and he a was published in Latin a writing in the name of blind one. But his blindness had not diminished, the Lord Protector, setting forth the reasons of the but rather increased the vigour of his mind; and war with Spain: and this piece is rightly ad- his state-letters will remain as authentic memojudged to our author, both on account of the pe- rials of those times, to be admired equally by culiar elegance of the style, and because it was his critics and politicians; and those particularly about province to write such things as Latin secretary; the sufferings of the poor Protestants in Piedmont, and it is printed among his other prose works in who can read without sensible emotion? This the last edition. And for the same reasons I am was a subject he had very much at heart, as he inclined to think, that the famous Latin verses to was an utter enemy to all sorts of persecution; Christina, Queen of Sweden, in the name of and among his sonnets there is a most excellent Cromwell, were made by our author rather than one upon the same occasion. Andrew Marvel. In those days they had admi- But Oliver Cromwell being dead, and the goTable intelligence in the secretary's office; and vernment weak and unsettled in the hands of RiMr. Philips relates a memorable instance or two chard and the Parliament, he thought it a seasonupon his own knowledge. The Dutch were send-able time to offer his advice again to the public; ing a plenipotentiary to England to treat of peace; and in 1659 published a Treatise of Civil Power but the emissaries of the government had the art in Ecclesiastical causes; and another tract entitled to procure a copy of his instructions in Holland, Considerations touching the likeliest Means to rewhich were delivered by Milton to his kinsman, move Hirelings out of the Church; both addressed who was then with him, to translate them for the to the Parliament of the commonwealth of Enguse of the Council, before the said plenipotentiary land. And after the parliament was dissolved, he had taken shipping for England; and an answer wrote a letter to some statesman, with whom he to all that he had in charge was prepared, and lay had a serious discourse the night before, concernready for him before he made his public entry into ing the ruptures of the commonwealth; and anoLondon, Another time a person came to London ther, as it is supposed, to General Monk, being a with a very sumptuous train, pretending himself brief delineation of a free commonwealth, easy to an agent from the Prince of Conde, who was then be put in practice, and without delay. These two in arms against Cardinal Mazarine: but the go- pieces were communicated in manuscript to Mr. vernment suspecting him, set their instruments to Toland by a friend who a little after Milton's work so successfully, that in a few days they re-death had them from his nephew; and Mr. Tocived intelligence from Paris, that he was a spy land gave them to be printed in the edition of our employed by Charles II.: whereupon the very author's prose-works in 1698. But Milton, still aext morning Milton's kinsman was sent to him finding that affairs were every day tending more with an order of Council, commanding him to depart the kingdom within three days, or expect the punishment of a spy. This kinsman was in all probability Mr. Philips or his brother, who were monwealth, and the excellence thereof, compared Muton's nephews, and lived very much with him, with the inconveniences and dangers of readinitand one or both of them were assistant to him in ting kingship in this nation. We are informed by his office. His blindness no doubt was a great Mr. Wood that he published this piece in Februbindrance and inconvenience to him in his busi- ary 1659-60; and after this he published Brief fess, though sometimes a political use might be Notes upon a late Sermon, entitled, The Fear of de of it, as men's natural infirmities are often God and the King, preached by Dr. Matthew pleaded in excuse for not doing what they have Griffith at Mercer's Chapel, March 25, 1660: so to great inclination to do. Thus when Crom- bold and resolute was he in declaring his sentiwell, as we may collect from Whitlock, for some ments to the last, thinking that his voice was the Masons delayed artfully to sign the treaty con- voice of expiring liberty. cluded with Sweden, and the Swedish ambassa- A little before the King's landing, he was dis dor made frequent complaints of it, it was ex- charged from his office of Latin Secretary, and was eused to him, because Mr. Milton, on account of forced to leave his house in Petty France, where

and more to the subversion of the commonwealth, and the restoration of the royal family, published his Ready and Easy Way to establish a Free Com

he had lived eight years with great reputation, and prisoners in custody of the Serjeant-at-arms was had been visited by all foreigners of note, who read in the House, and Milton is not among them; could not go out of the country without seeing a and on the 13th of September the House adjourn man who did so much honour to it by his writings, ed to the 6th of November. It is most probable, and whose name was as well known and as famous therefore, that after the act or indemnity was passabroad as in his own nation; and by several per- ed, and after the House had adjourned, he came Sons of quality of both sexes, particularly the pious out of his concealment, and was afterwards taken and virtuous Lady Ranelagh, whose son for some into custody of the Serjeant-at-arms by virtue of time he instructed, the same who was paymaster the former order of the House of Commons, but of the forces in King William's time; and by many we can not find that he was prosecuted by the At learned and ingenious friends and acquaintance, torney General, nor was he continued in custody particularly Andrew Marvel, and young Laurence, very long: for on Saturday the 15th of December son to the President of Oliver's Council, to whom 1660, it was ordered by the House of Commons, he has inscribed one of his sonnets, and Marcha- that Mr. Milton now in custody of the Serjeantmont Needham, the writer of Politicus, and above at-arms, should be forthwith released, paying his ail, Cyriac Skinner, whom he has honoured with fees; and on Monday the 17th of December, a two sonnets. But now it was not safe for him to complaint being made that the Serjeant-at-arme appear any longer in public, so that by the advice had demanded excessive fees for his imprisonment, of some who wished him well and were concerned it was referred to the committee of privileges and for his preservation, he fled for shelter to a friend's elections to examine this business, and to call Mr. house in Bartholomew Close, near West Smith Milton and the Serjeant before them, and to defield, where he lay concealed till the worst of the termine what was fit to be given to the Serjeant storm was blown over. The first notice that we for his fees in this case; so courageous was he at find taken of him was on Saturday the 16th of all times in defence of liberty against all the enJune, 1660, when it was ordered by the House of croachments of power, and though a prisoner, Commons, that his Majesty should be humbly would yet be treated like a freeborn Englishman. moved to issue his proclamation for the calling in This appears to be the matter of fact, as it may be of Milton's two books, his Defence of the People, collected partly from the Journals of the House of and Iconoclastes, and also Goodwyn's book entitled' Commons, and partly from Kennet's Historical the Obstructors of Justice, written in justification | Register: and the clemency of the government was of the murder of the late king, and to order them surely very great towards him, considering the to be burnt by the hands of the common hangman. nature of his offences; for though he was not one At the same time it was ordered that the Attorney of the King's judges and murderers, yet he contriGeneral should proceed by way of indictment or buted more to murder his character and reputation information against Milton and Goodwyn in re-than any of them all: and to what therefore could spect of their books, and that they themselves it be owing, that he was treated with such lenity, should be sent for in custody of the Serjeant-at- and was so easily pardoned? It is certain, there arms attending the House. On Wednesday, June was not wanting powerful intercession for him 27th, an order of Council was made agreeable to both in Council and in Parliament. It is said the order of the House of Commons for a procla- that Secretary Morrice and Sir Thomas Clargis mation against Milton's and Goodwyn's books; greatly favoured him, and exerted their interest and the proclamation was issued the 13th of Au- in his behalf; and his old friend Andrew Marvel, gust following, wherein it was said that the au- member of Parliament for Hull, formed a consithors had fled or did abscond: and on Monday, derable party for him in the House of Commons; August 27th, Milton's and Goodwyn's books were and neither was Charles the Second (as Toland burnt, according to the proclamation, at the Old says) such an enemy to the Muses, as to require Bailey, by the hands of the common hangman. his destruction. But the principal instrument in On Wednesday, August 29th, the act of indem- obtaining Milton's pardon was Sir William Danity was passed, which proved more favourable venant, out of gratitude for Milton's having proto Milton than could well have been expected; for cured his release, when he was taken prisoner in though John Goodwyn Clerk was excepted among 1650. It was life for life. Davenant had been the twenty persons who were to have penalties in-saved by Milton's interest, and in return Milton flicted upon them, not extending to life, yet Mil-was saved at Davenant's intercession. This story ton was not excepted at all, and consequently was Mr. Richardson relates upon the authority of Mr. Included in the general pardon. We find indeed Pope; and Mr. Pope had it from Betterton the that afterwards he was in custody of the Serjeant-famous actor, who was first brought upon the ut-arms; but the time when he was taken into stage and patronised by Sir William Davenant, Custody is not certain. Je was not in custody on and might therefore derive the knowledge of this the 12th of September, for that day a list of the transaction from the fountain.

Milton having thus obtained his pardon, and began to rage in London in 1665, he removed to being set at liberty again, took a house in Holborn, a small house at St. Giles Chalfont, in Bucking. near Red Lion Fields; but he removed soon into hamshire, which Elwood had taken for him and Jewen street, near Aldersgate street, and while he his family; and there he remained during that lived there, being in his 53d or 54th year, and blind dreadful calamity; but after the sickness was over. and infirm, and wanting somebody better than and the city was cleansed and made safely habitaservants to attend and look after him, he employ-ble again, he returned to his house in London. ed his friend Dr. Paget to choose a proper consort His great work of Paradise Lost, had princifor him; and at his recommendation married his pally engaged his thoughts for some years past, third wife, Elizabeth Minshul, of a gentleman's and was now completed. It is probable, that his family in Cheshire, and related to Dr. Paget. It first design of writing an epic poem was owing to 19 said that an offer was made to Milton, as well his conversations at Naples with the Marquis of as to Thurloe, of holding the same place of Secre- Villa, about Tasso, and his famous poem of the tary under the king, which he had discharged with Delivery of Jerusalem; and in a copy of verses so much integrity and ability under Cromwell; but presented to that nobleman before he left Naples, he persisted in refusing it, though the wife pressed he intimated his intention of fixing upon king Arhis compliance. "Thou art in the right," said thur for his hero. And in an eclogue, made soon he; "you, as other women, would ride in your after his return to England, upon the death of his coach; for me, my aim is to live and die an honest friend and school-fellow Deodati, he proposed the man." What is more certain is, that in 1661 he same design and the same subject, and declared published his Accedence commenced Grammar, his ambition of writing something in his native and a tract of Sir Walter Raleigh, entitled, Apho- language, which might render his name illustrious risms of State; as in 1658 he had published ano- in these islands, though he should be obscure and ther piece of Sir Walter Raleigh, entitled, The inglorious to the rest of the world. And in other Cabinet Council discabinated, which he printed parts of his works, after he had engaged in the from a manuscript, that had lain many years in controversies of the times, he still promised to prohis hands, and was given him for a true copy by duce some noble poem or other at a fitter season; a learned man at his death, who had collected se- but it does not appear that he had then determined veral such pieces: an evident sign, that he thought upon the subject, and king Arthur had another it no mean employment, nor unworthy of a man fate, being reserved for the pen of Sir Richard of genius, to be an editor of the works of great Blackmore. The first hint of Paradise Lost is authors. It was while he lived in Jewen street, said to have been taken from an Italian tragedy; that Elwood, the quaker, (as we learn from the and it is certain, that he first designed it a tragedy history of his life written by his own hand) was himself, and there are several plans of it in the first introduced to read to him; for having wholly form of a tragedy still to be seen in the author's lost his sight, he kept always somebody or other to own manuscript preserved in the library of Triperform that office, and usually the son of some nity College, Cambridge. And it is probable, that gentleman of his acquaintance, whom he took in he did not barely sketch out the plans, but also kindness, that he might at the same time improve wrote some parts of the drama itself. His nehim in his learning. Elwood was recommended phew, Philips, informs us, that some of the verses to him by Dr. Paget, and went to his house every at the beginning of Satan's speech, addressed to afternoon, except Sunday, and read to him such the sun, in the fourth book, were shown to him books in the Latin tongue, as Milton thought pro- and some others as designed for the beginning of per. And Milton told him, that if he would have the tragedy, several years before the poem was hethe benefit of the Latin tongue, not only to read gun: and many other passages might be produced, and understand Latin authors, but to converse with which plainly appear to have been originally inforeigners either abroad or at home, he must learn tended for the scene, and are not so properly of the foreign pronunciation; and he instructed him the epic, as of the tragic strain. It was not til! how to read accordingly. And having a curious after he was disengaged from the Salmasian conear he understood by my tone, says Elwood, when troversy, which ended in 1655, that he began to I understood what I read, and when I did not; mould the Paradise Lost in its present form; but and he would stop me, and examine me, and open after the Restoration, when he was dismissed from the most difficult passages to me. But it was not public business, and freed from controversy of ong after his third marriage, that he left Jewen every kind, he prosecuted the work with closer rest and removed to a house in the Artillery application. Mr. Philips relates a very remarkaWalk, leading to Bunhill Fields: and this was ble circumstance in the composure of this poem, tis last stage in this world; he continued longer which he says he had reason to remember, as it in this house than he had done in any other, and was told him by Milton himself, that his vein ne ved here to his dying day: only when the plague ver happily flowed but from the autumnal ¿quinea

to the vernal, and that what he attempted at other the sale of as many of the third, and the number times was not to his satisfaction, though he court- was not to exceed fifteen hundred. And what a ed his fancy never so much. Mr. Toland ima-poor compensation was this for such an inestimable gines that Philips might be mistaken as to the performance! and how much more do others get time, because our author, in his Latin elegy, writ-by the works of great authors, than the authors ten in his twentieth year, upon the approach of themselves! This original contract with Samuel the spring, seems to say just the contrary, as if he | Simmons, the printer, is dated April 27, 1667, and could not make any verses to his satisfaction till is in the hands of Mr. Tonson, the bookseller, as the spring begun: and he says farther, that a ju- is likewise the manuscript of the first book copied dicious friend of Milton's informed him, that he fair for the press, with the Imprimatur, by Thomas could never compose well but in spring and au- Tomkyns, chaplain to the Archbishop of Cantertumn. But Mr. Richardson can not comprehend, bury: so that, though Milton was forced to make that either of these accounts is exactly true, or that use of different hands to write his verses from time a man with such a work in his head can suspend to time as he had occasion, yet we may suppose it for six months together, or only for one; it may that the copy for the press was written all, or at go on more slowly, but it must go on: and this least each book by the same hand. The first edilaying it aside is contrary to that eagerness to tion, in ten books, was printed in a small quarto; finish what was begun, which he says was his tem- and before it could be disposed of, had three or per, in his epistle to Deodati, dated Sept. 2, 1637. more different title pages of the years 1667, 1668, After all Mr. Philips, who had the perusal of the and 1669. The first sort was without the name poem from the beginning, by twenty or thirty of Symmons, the printer, and began with the poem verses at a time, as it was composed, and having immediately following the title page, without any not been shown any for a considerable while as the argument, or preface, or table of errata: to others summer came on, inquired of the author the reason was prefixed a short advertisement of the printer of it, could hardly be mistaken with regard to the to the reader concerning the argument, and the time: and it is easy to conceive, that the poem might reason why the poem rhymes not; and then folgo on much more slowly in summer than in other lowed the argument of the several books, and the parts of the year; for, notwithstanding all that poets preface concerning the kind of verse, and the table may say of the pleasures of that season, I imagine of errata: others again had the argument, and the most persons find by experience, that they can com- preface, and the table of errata, without that short pose better at any other time, with more facility and advertisement of the printer to the reader: and this more spirit, than during the heat and languor of was all the difference between them, except now summer. Whenever the poem was written, it was and then of a point or a letter, which were altered finished in 1665, and, as Elwood says, was shown as the sheets were printing off. So that, not withto him that same year at St. Giles Chalfont, whi- standing these variations, there was still only one ther Milton had retired to avoid the plague, and it impression in quarto; and two years almost elapswas lent to him to peruse it, and give his judged, before thirteen hundred copies could be sold, ment of it; and, considering the difficulties which or before the author was entitled to his second five the author lay under, his uncasiness on account of pounds, for which his receipt is still in being, and the public affairs and his own, his age and infirm- is dated April 26, 1669. And this was probably ities, his gout and blindness, his not being in cir- all that he received; for he lived not to enjoy the cumstances to maintain an amanuensis, but obliged benefits of the second edition, which was not pul-to make use of any hand that came next to write lished till the year 1674, and that same year he his verses as he made them, it is really wonderful, died. The second edition was printed in a small that he should have the spirit to undertake such a octavo, and was corrected by the author himself, work, and much more, that he should ever bring it and the number of books was augmented from ten to perfection. And after the poem was finished, to twelve, with the addition of some few verses: still new difficulties retarded the publication of it. and this alteration was made with great judginent, It was in danger of being suppressed through the not for the sake of such a fanciful beauty as remalice or ignorance of the licencer, who took ex-sembling the number of books in the Æneid, but ception at some passages, and particularly at that for the more regular disposition of the poem, benoble simile, in the first book, of the sun in an cause the seventh and tenth books were before too eclipse, in which he fancied that he had discovered long, and are more fitly divided each into two. treason. It was with difficulty too that the author The third edition was published in 1678; and it could sell the copy; and he sold it at last only for appears that Milton had left his remaining right five pounds, but was to receive five pounds more in the copy to his widow, and she agreed with after the sale of thirteen hundred of the first im- Simmons, the printer, to accept eight pounds in pression, and five pounds more after the sale of as full of all demands, and her receipt for the money many of the second impression, and five more after is dated December 21, 1680. But a little before