"sibi quærit, aut digniori concessos invidet, aut non 'intelligit nihil esse in societate hominum magis vel "Deo gratum, vel rationi consentaneum, esse in "civitate nihil æquius, nihil utilius, quam potiri "rerum dignissimum. Eum te agnoscunt omnes, "Cromuelle, ea tu civis maximus & gloriosissimus *, "dux publici consilii, exercituum fortissimorum imperator, pater patriæ gessisti. Sic tu spontanea"bonorum omnium, & animitus missa voce salu"taris."

Cæsar, when he assumed the perpetual dictatorship, had not more servile or more elegant flattery. A translation may shew its servility; but its elegance is less attainable. Having exposed the unskilfulness or selfishness of the former government, "We were left," says Milton, "to ourselves: the whole na"tional interest fell into your hands, and subsists only in your abilities. To your virtue, overpowering and resistless, every man gives way, ex"cept some who, without equal qualifications, aspire "to equal honours, who envy the distinctions of "merit greater than their own, or who have yet to "learn, that in the coalition of human society no

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thing is more pleasing to God, or more agreeable "to reason, than that the highest mind should have "the sovereign power. Such, Sir, are you by gene"ral confession; such are the things atchieved by 66 you, the greatest and most glorious of our countrymen, the director of our public councils, the

* It may be doubted whether gloriosissimus be here used with Milton's boasted purity. Res gloriosa is an illustrious thing; but vir gloriosus is commonly a braggart, as in miles gloriosus. Dr. J. VOL. IX. "leader

I

"leader of unconquered armies, the father of your country; for by that title does every good man hail with sincere and voluntary praise."

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you

Next year, having defended all that wanted defence, he found leisure to defend himself. He undertook his own vindication against More, whom he declares in his title to be justly called the author of the Regii Sanguinis Clamor. In this there is no want of vehemence or eloquence, nor does he forget his wonted wit. "Morus es? an Momus? an "uterque idem est?" He then remembers that Morus is Latin for a Mulberry-tree, and hints at the known transformation:

-Poma alba ferebat

Quæ post nigra tulit Morus.

With this piece ended his controversies; and he from this time gave himself up to his private studies

and his civil employment.

As secretary to the Protector, he is supposed to have written the declaration of the reasons for a war

with Spain. His agency was considered as of great importance; for, when a treaty with Sweden was artfully suspended, the delay was publickly imputed to Mr. Milton's indisposition; and the Swedish agent was provoked to express his wonder, that only one man in England could write Latin, and that man blind.

Being now forty-seven years old, and seeing himself disencumbered from external interruptions, he seems to have recollected his former purposes, and to have resumed three great works which he had planned for his future employment; an epick poem, the history

history of his country, and a dictionary of the Latin tongue.

To collect a dictionary, seems a work of all others least practicable in a state of blindness, because it depends upon perpetual and minute inspection and collation. Nor would Milton probably have begun it, after he had lost his eyes; but, having had it always before him, he continued it, says Philips, almost to his dying-day; but the papers were so discomposed and deficient, that they could not be fitted for the press. The compilers of the Latin dictionary, printed at Cambridge, had the use of those collections in three folios; but what was their fate afterwards is not known*.

To compile a history from various authors, when they can only be consulted by other eyes, is not easy, nor possible, but with more skilful and attentive help than can be commonly obtained; and it was probably the difficulty of consulting and comparing that stopped Milton's narrative at the Conquest; a period

* The Cambridge Dictionary, published in 4to. 1693, is no other than a copy, with some small additions, of that of Dr. Adam Littleton in 1685, by sundry persons, of whom, though their names are concealed, there is great reason to conjecture that Milton's nephew, Edward Philips, is one; for it is expressly said by Wood, Fasti, vol. I. p. 266, that," Milton's Thesaurus" came to his hands; and it is asserted, in the preface thereto, that the edi-. tors thereof had the use of three large folios in manuscript, collected and digested into alphabetical order by Mr. John Milton.

It has been remarked, that the additions, together with the preface above-mentioned, and a large part of the title of the “Cam"bridge Dictionary," have been incorporated and printed with the subsequent editions of " Littleton's Dictionary," till that of 1735. Vid. Biogr. Brit. 2985, in not. So that, for aught that appears to the contrary, Philips was the last possessor of Milton's MS. H.

3

at which affairs were not yet very intricate, nor authors very numerous.

For the subject of his epick poem, after much deliberation, long chusing, and beginning late, he fixed upon Paradise Lost; a design so comprehensive, that it could be justified only by success. He had once designed to celebrate King Arthur, as he hints in his verses to Mansus; but Arthur was reserved, says Fenton, to another destiny*.

It appears, by some sketches of poetical projects left in manuscript, and to be seen in a library at. Cambridge, that he had digested his thoughts on this subject into one of those wild dramas which were antiently called Mysteries; and Philips had seen what he terms part of a tragedy, beginning with the first ten lines of Satan's address to the Sun. These mysteries consist of allegorical persons; such as Justice, Mercy, Faith. Of the tragedy or mystery of Paradise Lost there are two plans:

* Id est, to be the subject of an heroick poem, written by

Sir Richard Blackmore. H.

Trinity College. R.

Labour,

Moses gooy, recounting how he assumed his true body; that it corrupts not, because it is with God in the mount; declares the like of Enoch and Elijah; besides the purity of the place, that certain pure winds, dews, and clouds, preserve it from corruption; whence exhorts to the sight of God; tells they cannot see Adam in the state of innocence, by reason of their sin.

Justice,

Mercy,

Wisdom,

debating what should become of man, if he fall.

Chorus of Angels singing a hymn of the Creation.

Heavenly Love.

Evening Star.

ACT II.

Chorus sing the marriage-song, and describe Paradise.

ACT