He now began to engage in the controverfies of the times, and lent his breath to blow the flames of contention. In 1641 he published a treatife of Reformation, in two books, against the established Church; being willing to help the Puritans, who were, he fays, inferior to the Prelates in learning.

Hall bishop of Norwich had published an Humble Remonftrance, in defence of Epifcopacy; to which, in 1641, fix minifters, of whofe names the first letters made the celebrated word Smectymnuus, gave their Anfwer. Of this Anfwer a Confutation was attempted by the learned Uber; and to the Confutation Milton publifhed a Reply, intituled, Of Prelatical Epifcopacy, and whether it may be deduced from the Apoftolical Times, by virtue of thofe teftimonies which are alleged to that purpose in fome late treatifes, one whereof goes under the name of James Lord Bishop of Armagh.

I have tranfcribed this title, to fhew, by his contemptuous mention of Ufher, that he had now adopted the puritanical favagentfs of

manners

manners. His next work was, The Reafon of Church Government urged against Prelacy, by Mr. John Milton, 1642. In this book he discovers, not with oftentatious exultation, but with calm confidence, his high opinion of his own powers; and promises to undertake fomething, he yet knows not what, that 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 know"ledge, and fends out his Seraphim with the "hallowed fire of his. altar, to touch and pu "rify the lips of whom he pleases. To this "must be added, industrious and select read

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may

ing, fteady obfervation, and infight into all "feemly and generous arts and affairs; till "which in fome measure be compast, I

refufe not to fuftain this expectation." From a promise like this, at once fervid, pious, and rational, might be expected the Paradife Loft.

He published the fame year two more pamphlets, upon the fame queftion. To one of his antagonists, who affirms that he was vomited out of the univerfity, he aniwers, in L 2 general

general terms; "The Fellows of the College "wherein I spent fome years, at my parting, “ after I had taken two degrees, as the man"ner is, fignified many times how much bet "ter it would content them that I fhould "stay. As for the common approbation or "dislike of that place, as now it is, that I "should efteem or difesteem myfself the more "for that, too fimple is the answerer, if he "think to obtain with me. Of small prac"tice were the phyfician who could not

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judge, by what she and her fifter have of "long time vomited, that the worfer ftuff "fhe ftrongly keeps in her ftomach, but the "better she is ever kecking at, and is queafy : "The vomits now out of ficknefs; but before "it be well with her, she must vomit by ftrong phyfick.-The univerfity, in the "time of her better health, and my younger judgement, I never greatly admired, but "now much lefs."

6.6

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This is furely the language of a man who thinks that he has been injured. He proceeds to defcribe the courfe of his conduct, and the train of his thoughts; and, because he has been fufpected of incontinence, gives

an

an account of his own purity: "That if I "be justly charged," fays he, "with this "crime, it may come upon me with tenfold "fhame."

The style of his piece is rough, and fuck perhaps was that of his antagonist. This roughness he justifies, by great examples, in a long digreffion. Sometimes he tries to be humorous: Left I fhould take him for "some chaplain in hand, some squire of the "body to his prelate, one who ferves not at "the altar only but at the Court-cupboard, "he will bestow on us a pretty model of “himself; and fets me out half a dozen "ptifical mottos, wherever he had them,

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hopping fhort in the measure of convulfion

"fits; in which labour the agony of his wit having fcaped narrowly, instead of well"fized periods, he greets us with a quantity "of thumbring pofies.-And thus ends this "fection, or rather diffection of himfelf." Such is the controversial merriment of Milton: his gloomy seriousness is yet more offenfive. Such is his malignity, that bell grows darker at his frown.

His father, after Reading was taken by Effex, came to refide in his houfe; and his fchool increased. At Whitfuntide, in his thirty-fifth year, he married Mary, the daughter of Mr. Powel, a Juftice of the Peace in Oxfordshire. He brought her to town with him, and expected all the advantages of a conjugal life. The lady, however, seems not much to have delighted in the pleasures of fpare diet and hard ftudy; for, as Philips relates, having for a month led a philofo"phical life, after having been used at home to a great house, and much company and joviality, her friends, poffibly by her own defire, made earneft fuit to have her com66 pany the remaining part of the fummer; "which was granted, upon a promife of her return at Michaelmas."

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Milton was too busy to much mifs his wife he purfued his ftudies; and now and then visited the Lady Margaret Leigh, whom he has mentioned in one of his fonnets. At laft Michaelmas arrived; but the Lady had no inclination to return to the fullen gloom of her husband's habitation, and therefore