eagernefs, is very credible. He taught only the itale doctrine of authority, and the unpleafing duty of fubmiflion, and he had been fo long not only the monarch but the tyrant of literature, that almost all mankind were delighted to find him defied and infulted by a new name, not yet confidered as any one's rival. If Chriftina, as is faid, commended the Defe ce of the Perple, her purpose must be to torment Salmafius, who was then at her court; for neither her civil ftation nor her natural character could difpote her to favour the detrine, whe was by birth a queen, and by temper defpotick.

That Salmafius was, from the appearance of Milton's book, treated with neglect, there is not much proof; but to a man fo long accuftomed to admiration, a little pra:fe of his antagonist would be fufficiently offenfive, and might incline him to leave Sweden, from which however he was difmiled, not with any mark of contempt, but with a train of attendance fcarcely less than regal.

He prepared a reply, which, left as it was imperfect, was published by his fon in the year of the Restoration. In the beginning, being probably moft in pain for his Latinity, he endeavours to defend his ufe of the word perfona; but, if I remember right, he miffes a better authority than any that he has found, that of Juvenal in his fourth fatire:

- Quid agas, cum dira & fœdior omni Crimine perfona eft?

As Salmafius reproached Milton with lofing his eyes in the quarrel, Milton delighted himfelf with the belief that he had fhortened Salmafius's life,

and

and both perhaps with more malignity than reafon. Salmafius died at the Spa, Sept. 3, 1653; and, as controvertists are commonly faid to be killed by their laft dispute, Milton was flattered with the credit of destroying him.

Cromwell had now difmiffed the parliament by the authority of which he had deftroyed monarchy, and commenced monarch himfelf, under the title of Protector, but with kingly and more than kingly power. That his authority was lawful, never was pretended; he himself founded his right only in neceffity: but Milton, having now tafted the honey of publick employment, would not return to hunger and philofophy, but, continuing to exercise his office under a manifeft ufurpation, betrayed to his power that liberty which he had defended. Nothing can be more just than that rebellion fhould end in flavery; that he who had justified the murder of his king, for fome acts which to him feemed unlawful, fhould now fell his fervices, and his flatteries, to a tyrant, of whom it was evident that he could do nothing lawful.

He had now been blind for fome years; but his vigour of intellect was fuch, that he was not difabled to discharge his office of Latin fecretary, or continue his controverfies. His mind was too eager to be diverted, and too ftrong to be fubdued.

About this time his firft wife died in childbed, having left him three daughters. As he probably did not much love her, he did not long continue the appearance of lamenting her; but after a fhort time married Catharine, the daughter of one captain Woodcock of Hackney; a woman doubtlefs educated in opinions like his own. She died, F S within

within a year, of childbirth, or fome distemper that followed it; and her husband honoured her memory with a poor fonnet.

The firft Reply to Milton's Defenfio Populi was published in 1651, called Apologia pro Rege & Populo Anglicano, contra Johannis/olypragmatici (alias Milion) defenfionem deftructivam Regis & Populi. Of this the author was not known; but Milton and his nephew Philips, under whofe name he published an answer to much corrected by him, that it might be called his own, imputed it to Bramhal; and, knowing him no friend to regicides, thought them'elves at liberty to treat him as if they had known what they only fufpe&ted.

Next year appeared Regii Sanguinis clamor ad Cælum. Of this the author was Peter du Moulin, who was afterwards prebendary of Canterbury; but Morus, or More, a French minifter, having the care of its publication, was treated as the writer by Milton in his Defenfio Secunda, and overwhelmed by fuch violence of invective, that he began to think under the tempeft, and gave his perfecutors the means of knowing the true author. Du Moulin was now in great danger: but Milton's pride operated against his malignity; and both he and his friends were more willing that Du Moulin should efcape than that he fhould be convicted of mistake

In this fecond Defence he fhews that his eloquence is not merely fatirical; the rudeness of his invective is equalled by the groffiefs of his flattery. "Deferimur, Cromuelle, tu folus fuperes, ad te "fumma noftrarum rerum rediit, in te folo con

fiftit, infuperabili tuæ virtuti cedimus cuncti, "nemine vel obloquente, nifi qui æquales inæ' qualis

qualis ipfe honores fibi quærit, aut digniori con"ceffos invidet, aut non intelligit nihil effe in fo"cietate hominum magis vel Deo gratum, vel ra"tioni confentaneum, effe in civitate nihil æquius, "nihil utilius, quam potiri rerum digniffimum. "Eum te agnofcunt omnes, Cromuelle, ea tu civis “maximus & * gloriofiffimus, dux publici confilii, exercitum fortiffimorum imperator, pater patriæ geffifti. Sic to fpontanea bonorum om"nium & animitus miffa voce falutaris."

Cæfar, when he affumed the perpetual dictator- ' fhip, had not more fervile or more elegant flattery. A tranflation may fhew its fervility; but its elegance is lefs attainable. Having expofed the unfkilfulness or felfishness of the former government, "We were left," fays Milton, "to ourselves:

the whole national intereft fell into your hands, "and fubfifts only in your abilities. To your "virtue, overpowering and refiftlefs, every man gives way, except fome who, without equal qualifications, afpire to equal honours, who envy the diftinctions .of merit greater than their own, or who have yet to learn, that in the co*alition of human fociety nothing is more pleafing 66 to God, or more agreeable to reafon, than that "the higheft mind thould have the fovereign power. Such, Sir, are you by general confeffion; fuch are the things atchieved by you, the greatest and most glorious of our countrymen, the director of our publick councils, the "leader of unconquered armies, the father of your

*It may be doubted whether gloriofiffimus be here used with Milton's boafted purity. Res gloriofa is an illufirious thing; but vir gloriofus is commonly a braggart, as in miles gloriofus. Dr. J. F6 "country;

"country; for by that title does every good man "bail you, with fincere and voluntary praife."

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

With this piece ended his controverfies: and he from this time gave himself up to his private studies and bis civil employment.

As fecretary to the Protector he is fuppofed to have written the Declaration of the reasons for a war with Spain. His agency was confidered as of great importance: for, when a treaty with Sweden was artfully fufpended, the delay was publickly imputed to Mr. Milton's indifpofition; and the Swedish agent was provoked to exprefs his wonder, that only one man in England could write Latin,

and that man blind.

Being now forty-feven years old, and feeing himfelf difencumbered from external interruptions, he feems to have recollected his former purposes, and to have refumed three great works which he had planned for his future employment: an epick poem, the hiftory of his country, and a dictionary of the Latin tongue.

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