OR, A

DEFENCE

O F

MILTON's Life.

W

HEN I undertook to write the life of the most celebrated MILTON, I was far from imagining that I fhould ever (much lefs fo foon) be oblig'd to make an apology in juftification of fuch a work, both harmless in it felf, and greatly defir'd by the world. There was no pofitive law or custom against publishing the particular hiftory of this extraordinary perfon, confider'd in any respect whatsoever for the lives of good princes and tyrants, of orthodox and heretical divines, of virtuous and wicked, of public and privat men, are indifferently perus'd by every body of which it would be fuperfluous to alledg examples, the thing being fo commonly known by all that have learnt to read. Nor without fuch a

;

liberty

liberty could we poffibly form a true tafte, or have any certain knowledg of affairs, fince the excellence or imperfection of all matters beft appears by oppofing 'em to one another. And I was fure (which I find was no miake) that the learning and fentiments of JOHN MILTON were too confiderable not to deferve the highest commendation or diflike, according to the judgment or affeƐlion of the readers.

SINCE therefore it was equally lawful for me to write whofe life I pleas'd (when my hand was in) the first charge against me, one would think, fhould have bin, that I had not fairly represented MY HERO. But very far from that, the great crime whereof I am arraign'd, confifts in telling more than fom people would have me; or difcovering truths not fit to be known; and the manner of my relation is to them altogether as offenfive and difpleafing as the matter of it. 'Tis ftrange that men fhould be found of a judgment weak enough to make a crime of fuch proceedings in a writer, who labors to keep himself wholly independent from the fears or en

This freedom of difcuffion on the dead of any rank, or however confecrated by the authority of great names, or even by the efteem of ages, every man ought to be at liberty to exercise. The greatest men certainly may be mistaken; so may even the judgment of ages, which often takes opinions upon truft. No au thority, under divine, is too great to be called in queftion, and however venerable Monarchy may be in a state, no man ever wifhed to fee the government of letters under any form but that of a Republic. As a Citizen of that Commonwealth I propofe my fentiments for the revifion of any decree, of any honorary. fentence, as I think fit: My Fellow-citizens, equally free, will vote according to their opinions.

WALPOLE'S Catal. of R. and N. Authors, edit. 2, in the advertisement.

gage

gagements of any party; and who profefs'd in the very beginning of his book, that "being neither

provok'd by malice, nor brib'd by favor, he "would as well dare to fay all that was true, as "fcorn to write any falfhood." But the rude oppofition with which I have met, notwithstanding fuch plain declarations, convinces me more than ever how much I was in the right by following the peculiar method I propos'd to my felf in compiling MILTON's life, and which I partly declar'd in these terms: "In the characters of "fects and parties, books or opinions, I shall "produce his own words as I find 'em in his' "works; that those who approve his reafons,

may owe all the obligation to himfelf; and "that I may escape the blame of fuch as may "diflike what he fays." Now, what could be more impartial than this? or more likely to fecure me from all imputations, whatever fhould be the reception of MILTON from the public? Yet if by adhering religiously to this rule fo loud a clamor was raised against me, it is apparent how much worse I might expect to be treated, had I trod in the common road. For if, like most hiftorians, I had in my own words (tho' with never fo much candor) related the actions or fentiments of my author, my adverfaries would presently have told the world that this was not the true MILTON, but one of my own creation, whom I promted to speak what I durft not own; and by whofe mouth I had publifh'd all thofe opinions which I would recommend to other people. Well knowing therefore the ordinary temper and artifices

of

'

of these men, I did partly on that account produce his own words to obviat their fophiftry and calumnies, their two principal offenfive weapons; and alfo to fpare my felf the pains of quotations afterwards, to prove I had neither injur'd him nor abus'd my readers. Befides this particular regard to them, I am alfo of opinion that this is the best and only good way of writing the history of such a And had the antients always follow'd it, qur modern critics would have been lefs exercis'd to difcern their real fentiments; nor wou'd they be fo often oblig'd to examin whether they understood or mif-reprefented their authors.

man.

BUT instead of any objections like these, I am exprefly told that I ought not to meddle with MILTON's books, nor to revive his fentiments, or the memory of thofe quarrels, wherein he was engag'd; which is only, in other words, that I ought not to write his life at all. For what, I pray, is the principal part of a learned man's life, but the exact history of his books and opinions, to inform the world about the occafion of his writing, what it contain'd, how he perform'd it, and with what confequences or fuccefs? I have no reafon from my own fecond thoughts, the opinion of better judges, or the fortune of the book, to be diffatisfi'd with my conduct on this occafion. And had this method, as I faid before, been strictly obferv'd, we might have more knowledg and fewer critics.

Ay but, fay thefe gentlemen, you have made an inroad on our perfuafion, and directly attack'd the facred majefty of kings, the venerable order of bishops, the beft conftituted church in the world,

our

our holy liturgy, and decent ceremonies, the authority of councils, the teftimony of the fathers, and a hundred other things which we profoundly refpect and admire: nor are we the only fufferers; for almost all other fects and parties have equal reafons of complaint against you. Well, be it fo then; but, good firs, betake your felves for reparation to JOHN MILTON; or, if he is not to be brought to eafie terms, defend your caftles and territories against him with all the vigor you can. For, I affure you, I am no further concern'd in the quarrel, than to fhew you the enemy, and to give a true account of his forces. And all this, if you were of a peaceable difpofition, you might learn from thefe plain words in the conclufion of the life: ""Tis probable that you (as well as I, or any other) may difapprove

ral cafes, but MILTON's fentiments in feve

I'm fure, you are far from being 'difpleas'd to find 'em particulariz'd in the history of his life: for we should have no true account "of things, if authors related nothing but what they lik'd themfelves: one party would never "fuffer the lives of TARQUIN, OE PHALARIS, or SYLLA, or CÆSAR to appear, while another would be as ready to fupprefs thofe of CICERO, of CATO, of TRAJAN, or BRUTUS. But a hiftorian ought to conceal or disguise nothing; "and the reader is to be left to judg of the virtues "he fhould imitat, or the vices he dught to deteft " and avoid"...

THIS might ferve for a fufficient answer to all that has bin yet objected to MILTON's life, if any reply were thought neceffary: For the trivial and

fcurrilous