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the prefs, having compofed it only for his own exercife and entertainment. It indeed contains many paffages, which, relating merely to his own perfon, can be of no great importance to the public. He however communi. cated it to his friends, and, as the manuscript was highly applauded, he was not very diligent to obftru& his own praife, by recalling his papers, till at laft, without his own confent, they were in 1642 given to a printer.

This work was no fooner publifhed, than it excited the attention of the public. The authors of the Biographia Britanica obferve, that "there hardly ever was a book published in Britain, that made more noife than Religio Medici, the novelty of the ftyle, the brilliancy of the fentiments, and the neat turn of the language, ftruck the lovers of polite literature with unusual delight."

This book was tranflated into Latin, Italian, German, Dutch, and French, and raised its author many admirers, and many enemies. An anfwer was written under the title of Medicus Medicatus, by Alexander Rofs, which was univerfally neglected.

Browne married, in 1641, a lady of a good family in Norfolk, whofe turn of mind was congenial to his own.

In 1646, he published " Inquiries into Vulgar and Common Errours." This book, like the former, was received with great applause.

In 1665, he was chofen honorary fellow of the college of physicians," as a man eminently embellished with literature and virtue," and in 1671, received at Norwich the honour of knighthood from Charles II.

It is obfervable, that he, who in his earlier years had read all the books against religion, was, in the latter part

of his life, averse to controverfies. Upon which Dr. Johnson obferves, "to play with important truths, to difturb the repose of established tenets, to fubtilize objections, and elude proofs, is too often the sport of youthful vanity, of which maturer experience often repents. There is a time, when every man is weary of raifing difficulties only to task himself with the folution; and defires to enjoy truth, without the labour or hazard of conteft. There is, perhaps, no better method of encountering the troublesome eruptions of scepticism, with which inquifitive minds are frequently harraffed, than that which Browne declares himself to have taken." "If there arife any doubts in my way, I do forget them; or at least defer them, till my better fettled judgment, and more manly reason be able to resolve them : for I perceive every man's reason is his beft Edipus, and will, upon a reasonable truce, find a way to loose these bonds, wherein all the fubtilties of errour have enchained our more flexible, and tender judg

ment."

Dr. Browne lived in high reputation, till in his seventy frxth year he was feized with a cholic, which, having tortured him about a week, put an end to his life at Norwich, on his birth day, 1682. Some of his laft words were expreffions of fubmiffion to the will of God, and fearlessnefs of death.

The particular excellencies of his character are delineated by his friend, Mr. Whitefoot, who published an account of his life. His latter biographer, Dr. Johnson, obferves, "that it is not on the praises of others, but on his own writings, that he is to depend for the esteem of pofterity; of which he will not eafily be deprived, while

learning fhall have any reverence among men : for there is no science, in which he does not discover some skill; and scarce any kind of knowledge, facred or profane, abstruse or elegant, which he does not appear to have cultivated with fuccefs:" and, "that there is fcarcely a writer to be found, whose profeffion is not divinity, that has fo frequently teftified his belief of the facred writings, has appealed to them with such unlimited fubmiffion, or mentioned them with fuch unvaried reverence."

In his Religio Medici he declares, that he affumed the honourable title of a "christian, not because it is the religion of his country, but because, having in his riper years and confirmed judgment seen and examined all, he finds himself obliged by the principles of grace, and the laws of his own reason, to embrace no other name than this." To specify his perfuafion yet further, he tells us, that he is "of the reformed religion; of the fame belief our Saviour taught, the apoftles diffeminated, the fathers authorized, and the martyrs confirmed:" he expreffed his gratitude to heaven, "that he lived not in the days of miracles, when faith had been thrust upon him; but enjoyed that greater bleffing pronounced on all who fee not and yet believe.”

Johnson's Works.-Browne's Religio Medici.

JOHN MILTON.

JOHN MILTON, a moft illuftrious English poet, was defcended from an ancient family. His grandfather, a zealous papift, enjoyed an appointment in the foreft of Shot

over; but his father being cruelly difinherited on account of his embracing the proteftant faith, fettled in London as a scrivener; and in Bread Street, John, his eldest son, was born, in 1608.

After receiving a domestic education for fome time, under a worthy clergyman, he was removed to St. Paul's school, where by indefatigable application he made an extraordinary progrefs in claffical learning. From his twelfth year he devoted the greateft part of the night to ftudy, and laid the foundation of thofe diforders, which afterwards terminated in total blindness.

In his fixteenth year Milton was admitted to Christ's College, Cambridge. He had composed fome beautiful Latin poems before he removed to the university; and the greateft part of his compofitions, in that line and language, were produced during the period he continued there.

After he quitted the university, he retired to Horton, in Buckinghamshire, where he prosecuted his studies with unparelleled affiduity and fuccefs. His father had deftined him for the church, but as he had early imbibed notions unfavourable to the hierarchy, this defign was fruftrated.

After the death of his mother, he obtained his father's confent to travel. His literary talents were highly applauded at Florence. In his fecond journey to Rome, he was informed by fome of his friends, that the English jesuits were incensed against him, for the freedom of his difcourfes on religious fubjects, and was cautioned to beware of their malice. "I have made it a rule," faid Milton, "never to start a religious fubject in this country, but

if I were queftioned concerning my faith, never to diffemble, whatever I might fuffer." He therefore acted as before, neither obtruding nor fhunning controverfy; and was fuffered to continue his travels without moleftation.

His purpose was to have vifited Sicily and Greece; but receiving intelligence of the differences between the king and parliament, he felt it inconfiftent with his principles to continue abroad, even for the improvement of his mind, whilft his countrymen were contending for liberty at home.

At his return, he began to engage in the controverfies of the times. In 1641, he published a treatise of Reformation, in two books, against the established church. His next work was, "The Reafon of Church Government urged against Prelacy." In this book he discovers, not with oftentatious exultation, but with calm confidence, his high opinion of his own powers, and promises to undertake something, he yet knows not what, that may be of use and honour to his country." This," fays he, " is not to be obtained, but by devout prayer to that Eternal Spirit, that can enrich with all utterance and knowledge, and fends out his feraphim with the hallowed fire of his altar, to touch and purify the lips of whom he pleases. To this must be added, industrious and felect reading, fteady obfervation, and infight into all feemly, and generous arts and affairs; till which in fome measure be compaffed, I refuse not to fuftain this expectation." Dr. Johnson remarks, that, "from a promise like this, at once fervid, pious, and rational, might be expected the Paradife Loft."

In 1643, he married; but whatever were his engage

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