fally rejected, it is difficult to conjecture. The ftyle is harfh; but it has fomething of rough vigour, which perhaps may often ftrike, though it cannot pleafe.

On this history the licenfer again fixed his claws, and before he could tranfmit it to the prefs tore out feveral parts. Some cenfures of the Saxon monks were taken away, left they should be applied to the modern clergy; and a character of the Long Parliament, and Affembly of Divines, was excluded; of which the author gave a copy to the earl of Anglesea, and which being afterwards published, has been fince inferted in its proper place.

The fame

year were printed Paradife Regained, and Sampson Agonistes, a tragedy written in imitation of the Ancients, and never defigned by the author for the ftage. As thefe poems were publifhed by another bookfeller, it has been afked, whether Simmons was difcouraged from receiving them by the flow fale of the former. Why a writer changed his bookfeller a hundred years ago, I am far from hoping to difcover. Certainly,

he

he who in two years fells thirteen hundred copies of a volume in quarto, bought for two payments of five pounds each, has no reafon to repent his purchase.

When Milton fhewed Paradife Regained to Elwood, "This," faid he, "is owing to you;

" for you put it in my head by the question

you put to me at Chalfont, which other"wife I had not thought of."

His laft poetical offspring was his favourite. He could not, as Elwood relates, endure to hear Paradife Loft preferred to Paradife Regained. Many causes may vitiate a writer's judgement of his own works. On that which has coft him much labour he fets a high va lue, because he is unwilling to think that he has been diligent in vain; what has been produced without toilfome efforts is confidered with delight, as a proof of vigorous faculties and fertile invention; and the laft work, whatever it be, has neceffarily most of the grace of novelty. Milton, however it happened, had this prejudice, and had it to himfelf.

To

To that multiplicity of attainments, and extent of comprehenfion, that entitle this great author to our veneration, may be added a kind of humble dignity, which did not difdain the meaneft fervices to literature. The epic poet, the controvertift, the politician, having already defcended to accommodate children with a book of rudiments, now, in the last years of his life, compofed a book of Logick, for the initiation of ftudents in philofophy; and published (1672) Artis Logica plenior Inftitutio ad Petri Rami Methodum concinnata; that is, "A new Scheme of Logick, "according to the Method of Ramus." I know not whether, even in this book, he did not intend an act of hoftility against the Universities; for Ramus was one of the first oppugners of the old philofophy, who difturbed with innovations the quiet of the fchools.

His polemical difpofition again revived. He had now been fafe fo long, that he forgot his fears, and published a Treatife of true Religion, Herefy, Schifin, Toleration, and the beft Means to prevent the Growth of Popery.

But

But this little tract is modeftly written; with refpectful mention of the Church of England, and an appeal to the thirty-nine articles. His principle of toleration is, agreement in the fufficiency, of the Scriptures; and he extends it to all who, whatever their opinions are, profefs to derive them from the facred books. The Papifts appeal to other teftimonies, and are therefore, in his opinion, not to be permitted the liberty of either publick or private worship; for though they plead confcience, we have no warrant, he fays, to regard confcience, which is not grounded in Scripture.

Thofe who are not convinced by his reafons, may be perhaps delighted with his wit. The term Roman Catholick is, he fays, one of the Pope's bulls; it is particular univerfal, or catholick fchifmatick.

He has, however, fomething better. As the best preservative againft Popery, he recommends the diligent perufal of the Scriptures, a duty, from which he warns the

VOL. I.

P

bufy

bufy part of mankind not to think themselves excufed.

He now reprinted his juvenile poems, with fome additions.

In the last year of his life he fent to the press, seeming to take delight in publication, a collection of Familiar Epiftles in Latin; to which, being too few to make a volume, he added fome academical exercifes, which perhaps he perused with pleasure, as they recalled to his memory the days of youth; but for which nothing but veneration for his name could now procure a reader.

When he had attained his fixty-fixth year, the gout, with which he had been long tormented, prevailed over the enfeebled powers of nature. He died by a quiet and filent expiration, about the tenth of November 1674, at his house in Bunhill-fields; and was buried next his father in the chancel of St. Giles at Cripplegate. His funeral was very fplendidly and numerously attended.