"it into my head by the question you put me at "Chalfont, which before I had not thought oft." It is commonly reported, that Milton himself preferred this poem to the Paradise Lost; but all that we can assert upon good authority is, that he could not endure to hear this poem cried down so much as it was, in comparison with the other". For certainly it is very worthy of the author, and contrary to what Mr. Toland relates, Milton may be seen in Paradise Regained as well as in Paradise Lost; if it is inferior in poetry, I know not whether it is not superior in sentiment; if it is less descriptive, it is more argumentative; if it doth not sometimes rise so high, neither doth it ever sink so low; and it has not met with the approbation it deserves, only because it has not been more read and considered. His subject indeed is confined, and he has a narrow foundation to build upon; but he has raised as noble a superstructure, as such little room and such scanty materials would allow. The great beauty of it is the contrast between the two characters of the Tempter and our Saviour, the artful sophistry and specious insinuations of the one refuted by the strong sense and manly eloquence of the other. This poem has also been translated into French together with some other pieces of Milton, Lycidas, L'Allegro, Il

It seems probable that the Paradise Regained was both begun and concluded, or very nearly so, during Milton's residence at Chalfont, a period of about ten months, from June or July, 1665, to the following March or April. See Mr. Dunster's Addition to his edit. of Par. Reg. and Dr. Symmons's

Life of Milton, p. 513. ed. 2d.
E

u

Philips says, the Paradise Regained is generally censured "to be much inferior to the "other, though he could not "hear with patience any such thing when related to him."

66

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Penseroso, and the Ode on Christ's nativity: and in 1732 was printed a Critical Dissertation with notes upon Paradise Regained, pointing out the beauties of it, and written by Mr. Meadowcourt, Canon of Worcester: and the very learned and ingenious Mr. Jortin, has added some observations upon this work at the end of his excellent Remarks upon Spenser, published in 1734: and indeed this poem of Milton, to be more admired, needs only to be better known. His Samson Agonistes is the only tragedy that he has finished, though he has sketched out the plans of several, and proposed the subjects of more, in his manuscript preserved in Trinity College library: and we may suppose that he was determined to the choice of this particular subject by the similitude of his own circumstances to those of Samson blind and among the Philistines. This I conceive to be the last of his poetical pieces; and it is written in the very spirit of the ancients, and equals, if not exceeds, any of the most perfect tragedies, which were ever exhibited on the Athenian stage, when Greece was in its glory. As this work was never intended for the stage, the division into acts and scenes is omitted. Bishop Atterbury had an intention of getting Mr. Pope to divide it into acts and scenes, and of having it acted by the King's Scholars at Westminster: but his commitment to the Tower put an end to that design. It has since been brought upon the stage in the form of an Oratorio; and Mr. Handel's music is never employed to greater advantage, than when it is adapted to Milton's words. That great artist has done equal justice to our author's L'Allegro and Il Penseroso, as if the same spirit possessed both masters, and

as if the God of music and of verse was still one and 'the same.

There are also some other pieces of Milton, for he continued publishing to the last. In 1672 he published 'Artis Logicæ plenior Institutio ad Petri Rami metho'dum concinnata, an Institution of Logic after the method of Petrus Ramus; and the year following, a treatise of true Religion and the best means to prevent the growth of popery, which had greatly increased through the connivance of the King, and the more open encouragement of the Duke of York; and the same year his poems, which had been printed in 1645, were reprinted with the addition of several' others'. His familiar epistles and some academical exercises, Epistolarum familiarum Lib. I. et Prolusiones quædam Oratoria in Collegio Christi habitæ, were printed in 1674; as was also his translation out of Latin into English of the Poles' Declaration concerning the election of their King John III, setting forth the virtues and merits of that prince". He wrote also a brief History

worship. As the best preservative against popery, he recommends the diligent perusal of the Scriptures, a duty from which he warns the busy part of mankind not to think themselves excused. Johnson.

Notwithstanding his public opposition to popery, the infamous Titus Oates ventured to assert, not long afterwards, that "Milton was a known frequenter "of a popish club." See "De"dication prefixed to the true "Narrative of the Horrid Plot, "&c. by T. Oates, D. D." fol. Lond. 1679. Todd.

His familiar letters are pos

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of Muscovy, collected from the relations of several travellers; but it was not printed till after his death in 1682. He had likewise his state-letters transcribed at the request of the Danish resident, but neither were they printed till after his death in 1676, and were translated into English in 1694; and to that translation a life of Milton was prefixed by his nephew Mr. Edward Philips, and at the end of that life his excellent sonnets to Fairfax, Cromwell, Sir Henry Vane, and Cyriac Skinner on his blindness, were first printed, Besides these works which were published, he wrote his system of divinity, which Mr. Toland says was in the hands of his friend Cyriac Skinner, but where at present is uncertain". And Mr. Philips says, that he

sessed of peculiar interest, and contain many characters of ancient and modern, of foreign and domestic authors, which are worthy to be read and understood. His college exercises are valuable chiefly for their exhibition of early power and proficiency.

I must profess myself to be doubtful of the fact of his having translated the Poles' Declaration; the Latin document could arrive in England only a very short time before Milton's death, and the translation bears no resemblance to his character of composition. Symmons.

Aubrey states, that Milton's widow had "a great many letters "by her from learned men, his "acquaintance, both of England, " and beyond sea." E.

a In 1823, Mr. Lemon, sen. Deputy Keeper of His Majesty's State Papers, discovered this work in the Old State-paperOffice, Whitehall. It was en

closed with some documents relative to the Popish, and the Rye-house Plots, in an envelope addressed "To Mr. Skinner, Mercht." The title of the book is, "De Doctrinâ Christianâ ex "sacris duntaxat libris petitâ "disquisitionum Libri duo po"sthumi." The first Book, De Doctrind Christiand, consists of thirty-three chapters; the second, De Dei cultu, of seventeen chapters. The whole MS. consists of 735 closely written 4to. pages.

The work, with a translation of it, is at present in the press, under the care of the Rev. Charles R. Sumner, who favoured me with the preceding particulars respecting it. No doubt appears to be entertained of its genuineness, but with the proofs of this point I am at present unacquainted. According to Wood, Milton began framing a body of divinity out of the Bible, about

had prepared for the press an answer to some little scribbling quack in London, who had written a scurrilous libel against him; but whether by the dissuasion of friends, as thinking him a fellow not worth his notice, or for what other cause, Mr. Philips knoweth not, this answer was never published. And indeed the best vindicator of him and his writings hath been Time. Posterity hath universally paid that honour to