and conjectures offered, about the caufes of its long obfcurity and late reception. But has the cafe been truly ftated? Have not lamentation and wonder been lavished on an evil that was never felt?

That in the reigns of Charles and James the Paradife Loft received no publick acclamations is readily confeffed. Wit and literature were on the fide of the Court: and who that folicited favour or fafhion would venture to praise the defender of the regicides? All that he himself could think his due, from evil tongues in evil days, was that reverential filence which was generously preferved. But it cannot be inferred that his poem was not read, or not, however unwillingly, admired.

The fale, if it be confidered, will justify the publick. Those who have no power to judge of past times but by their own, should always doubt their conclufions. The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is at prefent. To read was not then a general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves difgraced by igThe women had not then aspired

norance.

to literature, nor was every house supplied with a closet of knowledge. Thofe, indeed, who profeffed learning, were not lefs learned than at any other time; but of that middle race of students who read for pleasure or accomplishment, and who buy the numerous products of modern typography, the number was then comparatively fmall. To prove

the paucity of readers, it may be fufficient to remark, that the nation had been fatisfied from 1623 to 1664, that is, forty-one years, with only two editions of the works of Shakfpeare, which probably did not together make one thousand copies.

The fale of thirteen hundred copies in two years, in oppofition to fo much recent enmity, and to a style of verfification new to all and difgufting to many, was an uncommon example of the prevalence of genius. The demand did not immediately increase; for many more readers than were fupplied at first the nation did not afford. Only three thousand were fold in eleven years; for it forced its way without affiftance; its admirers did not dare to publish their opinion; and the opportunities now given of attracting no

tice by advertisements were then very few; the means of proclaiming the publication of new books have been produced by that general literature which now pervades the nation through all its ranks.

But the reputation and price of the copy ftill advanced, till the Revolution put an end to the fecrecy of love, and Paradife Loft broke into open view with fufficient fecurity of kind reception,

Fancy can hardly forbear to conjecture with what temper Milton furveyed the filent progrefs of his work, and marked its reputation ftealing its way in a kind of fubterraneous current through fear and filence. I cannot but conceive him calm and confident, little disappointed, not at all dejected, relying on his own merit with fteady consciousness, and waiting, without impatience, the viciffitudes. of opinion, and the impartiality of a future generation.

In the mean time he continued his studies, and fupplied the want of fight by a very odd expedient,

expedient, of which Philips gives the following account:

Mr. Philips tells us, "that though our "author had daily about him one or other to "read, fome perfons of man's estate, who, "of their own accord, greedily catched at "the opportunity of being his readers, that "they might as well reap the benefit of what "they read to him, as oblige him by the "benefit of their reading; and others of

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younger years were fent by their parents "to the fame end: yet excufing only the "eldest daughter, by reason of her bodily infirmity, and difficult utterance of speech,

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(which, to fay truth, I doubt was the principal cause of excufing her,) the other "two were condemned to the performance "of reading, and exactly pronouncing of all "the languages of whatever book he should, "at one time or other, think fit to perufe,

viz. the Hebrew (and I think the Syriac), "the Greek, the Latin, the Italian, Spanish, "and French. All which forts of books to "be confined to read, without understanding

one word, must needs be a trial of patience almost beyond endurance. Yet it was en

"dured

"dured by both for a long time, though the "irksomeness of this employment could not "be always concealed, but broke out more " and more into expreffions of uneafinefs; fo "that at length they were all, even the "eldest also, sent out to learn fome curious "and ingenious forts of manufacture, that "are proper for women to learn; particularly "embroideries in gold or filver."

In this fcene of mifery which this mode of intellectual labour fets before our eyes, it is hard to determine whether the daughters or the father are, moft to be lamented. A language not understood can never be fo read as to give pleasure, and very feldom fo as to convey meaning. If few men would have had refolution to write books with fuch embarraffments, few likewife would have wanted ability to find fome better expedient.

Three years after his Paradife Loft (1667), he published his Hiftory of England, comprifing the whole fable of Geoffry of Monmouth, and continued to the Norman invafion. Why he should have given the first part, which he seems not to believe, and which is univer

fally