of Nature. It was fufpected that the whole creation languished, that neither trees nor animals had the height or bulk of their predeceffors, and that every thing was daily finking by gradual diminution*. Milton appears to fufpect that fouls partake of the general degeneracy, and is not without fome fear that his book is to be written in an age too late for heroick poefy.

Another opinion wanders about the world, and fometimes finds reception among wife men; an opinion that reftrains the operations of the mind to particular regions, and fuppofes that a lucklefs mortal may be born in a degree of latitude too high or too low for wisdom or for wit. From this fancy, wild as it is, he had not wholly cleared his head, when he feared left the climate of his country might be too cold for flights of imagination.

Into a mind already occupied by fuch fancies, another not more reasonable might eafily find its way. He that could fear left his genius had fallen upon too old a world, or too chill a climate, might confiftently magnify to himself the influence of the fea

* This opinion is, with great learning and ingenuity, refuted in a book now very little known, "An Apology or Declaration "of the Power and Providence of God in the Government of "the World," by Dr. George Hakewill, London, folio, 1635. The first who ventured to propagate it in this country was Dr. Gabriel Goodman, bishop of Gloucester, a man of a verfatile temper, and the author of a book entituled, "The Fall of Man, 66 For the Corruption of Nature proved by natural Reafon." Lond. 1616 and 1624, quarto. He was plundered in the Ufurpation, turned Roman Catholic, and died in obfcurity. See Athen. Qxon. vol. I. p. 727. H.

fons, and believe his faculties to be vigorous only

half the year.

His fubmiffion to the feafons was at least more reasonable than his dread of decaying nature, or a frigid zone; for general caufes muft operate uniformly in a general abatement of mental power; if lefs could be performed by the writer, lefs likewife would content the judges of his work. Among this lagging race of frofty grovellers he might still have rifen into eminence by producing fomething which they should not willingly let die. However inferior to the heroes who were born in better ages, he might ftill be great among his contemporaries, with the hope of growing every day greater in the dwindle of pofterity. He might ftill be a giant among the Pyg mies, the one-eyed monarch of the blind.

Of his artifices of ftudy, or particular hours of compofition, we have little account, and there was perhaps little to be told. Richardfon, who feems to have been very diligent in his enquiries, but difcovers always a with to find Milton difcriminated from other men, relates, that "he would fome"times lie awake whole nights, but not a verfe could "he make; and on a fudden his poetical faculty "would rush upon him with an impetus or aftrum, "and his daughter was immediately called to fecure "what came. At other times he would dictate perhaps forty lines in a breath, and then reduce "them to half the number."

Thefe burfts of light, and involutions of darkness, thefe tranfient and involuntary excurfions and retroceffions of invention, having fome appearance of deviation from the common train of Nature, are

cagerly

eagerly caught by the lovers of a wonder. Yet fomething of this inequality happens to every man in every mode of exertion, manual or mental. The mechanick cannot handle his hammer and his file at all times with equal dexterity; there are hours, he knows not why, when his band is out. By Mr. Richardfon's relation, cafually conveyed, much regard cannot be claimed. That, in his intellectual hour, Milton called for his daughter to fecure what came, may be queftioned; for unluckily it happens to be known that his daughters were never taught to write; nor would he have been obliged, as is univerfally confeffed, to have employed any cafual vifitor in difburthening his memory, if his daughter could have performed the office.

The ftory of reducing his exuberance has been told of other authors, and, though doubtlefs true of every fertile and copious mind, feems to have been. gratuitoufly transferred to Milton.

What he has told us, and we cannot now know more, is, that he composed much of his poem in the night and morning, 1 fuppofe before his mind was difturbed with common bufinefs; and that he poured out with great fluency his unpremeditated verfe. Versification, free, like his, from the diftreffes of rhyme, muft, by a work fo long, be made prompt and habitual; and, when his thoughts were once adjusted, the words would come at his command.

At what particular times of his life the parts of his work were written, cannot often be known. The beginning of the third book fhews that he had loft his fight; and the Introduction to the seventh, that the return of the King had clouded him with dif countenance;

K 3

countenance; and that he was offended by the li centious feftivity of the Reftoration. There are no other internal notes of time. Milton, being now cleared from all effects of his difloyalty, had nothing required from him but the common duty of living in quiet, to be rewarded with the common right of protection; but this, which, when he fculked from the approach of his King, was perhaps more than he hoped, feems not to have satisfied him; for no fooner is he fafe, than he finds himself in danger, fallen on evil days and evil tongues, and with darkness and with danger compass'd round. This darkness, had his

eyes been better employed, had undoubtedly deferved compaffion; but to add the mention of danger was ungrateful and unjuft. He was fallen indeed on evil days; the time was come in which regicides could no longer boaft their wickedness. But of evil tongues for Milton to complain required impudence at least equal to his other powers; Milton, whose warmeft advocates muft allow, that he never fpared any afperity of reproach or brutality of infolence.

But the charge itself feems to be falfe; for it it would be hard to recollect any reproach caft upon him, either ferious or ludicrous, through the whole remaining part of his life. He purfued his ftudies, or his amusements, without perfecution, moleftation, or infult. Such is the reverence paid to great abilities, however mifufed: they, who contemplated in Milton the fcholar and the wit, were contented to forget the reviler of his King.

When the plague (1665) raged in London, Milton took refuge at Chalfont in Bucks; where Elwood, who had taken the houfe for him, firft faw a com

plete

plete copy of Paradife Loft, and, having perused it, faid to him, "Thou haft faid a great deal upon "Paradife Loft; what haft thou to fay upon Paradife "Found?"

Next year, when the danger of infection had ceafed, he returned to Bunhill-fields, and defigned the publication of his poem. A licence was neceffary, and he could expect no great kindnefs from a chaplain of the archbishop of Canterbury. He feems, however, to have been treated with tenderness; for though objections were made to particular paffages, and among them to the fimile of the fun eclipfed in the first book, yet the licence was granted; and he fold his copy, April 27, 1667, to Samuel Simmons, for an immediate payment of five pounds, with a ftipulation to receive five pounds more when thirteen hundred fhould be fold of the first edition: and again, five pounds after the fale of the fame number of the second edition; and another five pounds after the fame fale of the third. None of the three editions were to be extended beyond fifteen hundred copies.

The first edition was ten books, in a fmall quarto. The titles were varied from year to year; and an advertisement and the arguments of the books were omitted in fome copies, and inferted in others.

The fale gave him in two years a right to his fecond payment, for which the receipt was figned April 26, 1669. The fecond edition was not given till 1674; it was printed in fmall octavo; and the number of books was increafed to twelve, by a divifion of the feventh and twelfth; and fome other fmall improvements were made. The third edition