was published in 1678; and the widow, to whom the copy was then to devolve, fold all her claims to Simmons for eight pounds, according to her receipt given Dec. 21, 1680. Simmons had already agreed to transfer the whole right to Brabazon Aylmer for twenty-five pounds; and Aylmer fold to Jacob Tonfon half, August 17, 1683, half, March 24, 1690, at a price confiderably enlarged. In the hiftory of Paradife Loft a deduction thus minute will rather gratify than fatigue.

The flow fale and tardy reputation of this poem have been always mentioned as evidences of neglected merit, and of the uncertainty of literary fame; 'and enquiries have been made, and conjectures offer.... ed, about the caufes of its long obfcurity and late reception. But has the cafe been truly stated? Have not lamentation and wonder been lavished on an evil that was never felt?

That in the reigns of Charles and James the Paradife Loft received no publick acclamations is readily confeffed. Wit and literature were on the fide of the Court: and who that folicited favour or fashion would venture to praise the defender of the regicides? All that he himfelf could think his due, from evil tongues in evil days, was that reverential filence which was generously preferved. But it cannot be inferred,[that his Poem was not read, or not, however unwillingly, admired.

The fale, if it be confidered, will justify the publick. Thofe who have no power to judge of past times but by their own, fhould always doubt their conclufions. The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is at prefent. To read was not then a general

general amusement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves difgraced by ignorance. The women had not then afpired to literature, nor was every house supplied with a closet of knowledge. Thofe, indeed, who profeffed learning, were not lefs learned than at any other time; but of that middle race of ftudents who read for pleasure or accomplishment, and who buy the numerous products of modern typography, the number was then comparatively small. To prove the paucity of readers, it may be fufficient to remark, that the nation had been fatisfied from 1623 to 1664, that is, forty-one years, with only two editions of the works of Shakfpeare, which probably did not together make one thoufand copies.

The fale of thirteen hundred copies in two years, in oppofition to fo much recent enmity, and to a style of verfification new to all and difgufting to many, was an uncommon example of the prevalence of genius. The demand did not immediately increase; for many more readers than were fupplied at first the nation did not afford. Only three thousand were fold in eleven years; for it forced its way without affistance; its admirers did not dare to publifh their opinion; and the opportunities now given of attracting notice by advertisements were then very few; the means of proclaiming the publication of new books have been produced by that general literature which now pervades the nation through all its ranks.

But the reputation and price of the copy ftill advanced, till the Revolution put an end to the fe

crecy

crecy of love, and Paradife Loft broke into open view with fufficient fecurity of kind reception.

Fancy can hardly forbear to conjecture with what temper Milton furveyed the filent progrefs of his work, and marked its reputation ftealing its way in a kind of fubterraneous current through fear and filence. I cannot but conceive him calm and confident, little disappointed, not at all dejected, relying on his own merit with fteady consciousness, and waiting without impatience the viciffitudes of opinion, and the impartiality of a future generation.

In the mean time he continued his ftudies, and fupplied the want of fight by a very odd expedient, of which Philips gives the following account :

Mr. Philips tells us, "that though our Author had daily about him one or other to read, fome "perfons of man's eftate, who, of their own ac❝cord, greedily catched at the opportunity of being "his readers, that they might as well reap the bene*fit of what they read to him, as oblige him by the "benefit of their reading; and others of younger

Iyears were fent by their parents to the fame end;

yet excufing only the eldest daughter by reason of her bodily infirmity and difficult utterance of "fpeech (which, to fay truth, I doubt was the "principal cause of excufing her), the other two "were condemned to the performance of reading, "and exactly pronouncing of all the languages of "whatever book he fhould, at one time or other, "think fit to perufe, viz. the Hebrew (and I think "the Syriac), the Greek, the Latin, the Italian, "Spanish and French. All which forts of books to

be confined to read, without understanding one

"word,

"word, muft needs be a trial of patience almoft be"yond endurance. Yet it was endured by both for "a long time, though the irkfomeness of this em

66

ployment could not be always concealed, but broke "out more and more into expreffions of uneafinefs; "fo that at length they were all, even the eldest "alfo, fent out to learn fome curious and ingenious "forts of manufacture, that are proper for women "to learn, particularly embroideries in gold or "filver."

In this fcene of mifery which this mode of intellectual labour fets before our eyes, it is hard to determine whether the daughters or the father are most to be lamented. A language not understood can never be fo read as to give pleasure, and very feldom fo as to convey meaning. If few men would have had refolution to write books with fuch embarraffments, few likewife would have wanted ability to find fome better expedient.

Three years after his Paradife Lost (1667), he publifhed his History of England, comprifing the whole fable of Geoffry of Monmouth, and continued to the Norman Invafion. Why he should have given the first part, which he feems not to believe, and which is univerfally 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 please.

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 fhould be applied to the modern clergy; and a character of the Long Parlia

ment, and Affembly of Divines, was excluded; of which the author gave a copy to the Earl of Anglefea, and which, being afterwards published, has been fince inferted in its proper place..,

The fame year were printed Paradife Regained, and Sampfon Agonifies, a tragedy written in imitation of the Ancients, and never defigned by the author for the ftage. As thefe poems were published by another bookfeller, it has been asked, 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 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 otherwife 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 caufes may vitiate a writer's judgement of his own works. On that which has coft him much labour he fets a high value, 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

hap