is a small History of Poetry, written in Latin by his nephew Philips, of which perhaps none of my readers has ever heard *.

That in his school, as in every thing else which he undertook, he laboured with great diligence, there is no reason for doubting. One part of his method deferves general imitation. He was careful to inftruct his fcholars in religion. Every Sunday was spent upon theology; of which he dictated a fhort fyftem, gathered from the writers that were then fashionable in the Dutch univerfities.

He fet his pupils an example of hard ftudy and fpare diet; only now and then he allowed himself to pafs a day of feftivity and indulgence with fome gay gentlemen of Gray's Inn.

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 Episcopacy; to which, in 1641, five minifters, of whofe names the firft letters made the celebrated word Smectymnuus, gave their Anfwer. Of this Answer a Confutation was

* "We may be sure at least, that Dr. Johnfon had never seen "the book he speaks of; for it is entirely composed in English, "though its title begins with two Latin words, Theatrum Poe"tarum; or, a compleat Collection of the Poets, &c.' a circum"ftance that probably mifled the biographer of Milton." European Magazine, June 1787, p. 388. R.

+ Stephen Marshall, Edmund Calamy, Thomas Young, Matthew Newcomen, William Spurftow. R.

attempted by the learned Uber; and to the Confut tation Milton published a Reply, intituled, Of Prelatical Epifcopacy, and whether it may be deduced from the Apoftolical Times, by virtue of thofe Teftimonies which are alledged to that Purpose in fome late Treatifes, one whereof goes under the Name of James Lord Bifhop of Armagh.

I have tranfcribed this title to fhew, by his contemptuous mention of Ufher, that he had now adopted the puritannical favagenefs of 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 promifes to undertake fomething, he yet knows not what, that may be of ufe 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 knowledge, and fends out his Seraphim, with "the hallowed fire of his altar, to touch and purify "the lips of whom he pleases. To this must be "added, induftrious and felect reading, fteady ob"fervation, and infight into all feemly and gene"rous arts and affairs; till which in fome measure "be compaft, I refufe not to fuftain this expecta❝tion." 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 University, he answers, in general terms: "The Fellows of the "College

"College wherein I spent fome years, at my parting, after I had taken two degrees, as the manner "is, fignified many times how much better it would ❝ content them that I fhould ftay. As for the com"mon approbation or diflike of that place, as now it

is, that I fhould efteem or difefteem myfelf the more "for that, too fimple is the anfwerer, if he think to obtain with me. Of fmall practice were the phy "fician who could not judge, by what the and her "fifter have of long time vomited, 'that the worser **ftuff the ftrongly keeps in her ftomach, but the "better fhe is ever kecking at, and is queafy; fhe ❝ vomits now out of ficknefs; but before it will be "well with her, fhe muft vomit by ftrong phyfick. "The univerfity, in the time of her better health, "and my younger judgment, I never greatly ad'mired, but now much lefs."

This is furely the language of a man who thinks that he has been injured. He proceeds to describe the course of his conduct, and the train of his thoughts; and, because he has been fufpected of incontinence, gives an account of his own purity: "That if I be juftly charged," fays he, "with this "crime, it may come upon me with tenfold fhame."

The style of is piece his rough, and fuch perhaps was that of his antagonift. This roughness he juftifies, by great examples, in a long digreffion. Some

times he tries to be humourous: "Left I fhould take "him for fome chaplain in hand, fome fquire of the

body to his prelate, one who serves not at the altar "only, but at the Court-cupboard, he will beftow on us "a pretty model of himfelf; and fets me out half a do* zen ptifical mottoes, wherever he had them, hopping

"fhort in the measure of convulfion fits; in which labour the agony of his wit having efcaped narrowly, ❝ instead of well-fized periods, he greets us with a 66 quantity of thumb-ring poefies. And thus ends this fection, or rather diffection, of himself." Such is the controverfial merriment of Milton; his gloomy feriousness is yet more offenfive. Such is his malignity, that hell 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, feems not much to have delighted in the pleasures of fpare diet and hard ftudy; for, as Philips relates," having for a month "led a philofophick life, after having been used at "home to a great houfe, and much company and "joviality, her friends, poffibly by her own defire, made earneft fuit to have her company the remain"ing part of the fummer; which was granted, upon a promife of her return at Michaelmas."

Milton was too busy to much miss his wife; he purfued his ftudies; and now and then vifited 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 very willingly forgot her promife. He fent her a letter, but had no anfwer: he fent more with the fame fuccefs. It could be alledged that letters mifcarry; he therefore dispatched a meffenger, being by

this time too angry to go himself. His meffenger was fent back with fome contempt. The family of

the lady were Cavaliers.

In a man whofe opinion of his own merit was like Milton's, lefs provocation than this might have raised violent refentment. Milton foon determined to repudiate her for difobedience; and, being one of those who could eafily find arguments to juftfy inclination, published (in 1644) The Doctrine and Dif cipline of Divorce; which was followed by The Judgement of Martin Bucer, concerning Divorce; and the next year, his Tetrachordon, Expofitions upon the four chief Places of Scripture which treat of Marriage.

This innovation was oppofed, as might be expected, by the clergy, who, then holding their famous affembly at Weftminfter, procured that the author fhould be called before the Lords; "but "that house," says Wood, "whether approving the "doctrine, or not favouring his accufers, did foon "difmifs him."

There seems not to have been much written against him, nor any thing by any writer of eminence. The antagonist that appeared is ftyled by him, A Serving Man turned Solicitor. Howel, in his Letters, mentions the new doctrine with contempt; and it was, I fuppofe, thought more worthy of derifion than of confutation. He complains of this neglect in twọ fonnets, of which the first is contemptible, and the fecond not excellent.

From this time it is obferved, that he became an enemy to the Prefbyterians, whom he had favoured before. He that changes his party by his humour is not more virtuous than he that changes