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correction was inflicted in either univerfity, we are not informed. Warton's words are, that "Milton was actually "whipped by Dr. Thomas Bainbrigge,. "Master of Chrift's College, while he 66 was at Cambridge." Dr. Johnfon calls it a public indignity, which is an improvement upon Aubrey, and renders the fact ftill more improbable. There is no fpecification of the offence, or of the time of the correction; and we may prefume, that when this wholefome feverity was most in vogue in either uni-verfity, the head of a college would. hardly make himself fo ridiculous as to condefcend to execute the office of a rifh-beadle *.

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We have been informed, that the manner

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There is another prefumption against this anecdote. Warton obferves, that Wood, who, according to him, compiled his account of Milton from Aubrey's manufeript, Has omitted fome cir-cumstances, particularly this of his flagellation. Aubrey pretends he had his information from Milton's own mouth; or from his relations after his death; at least so he told Wood, who could not be fuppofed to omit this circumftance from any good-will he bore to Milton's memory. We We may then reasonably fufpect that Wood did not believe it, and that he was convinced Aubrey was mifinformed; and fuppofe the ftory fhould be one

of whipping young unlucky academics was, to hoift them upon the college buttery hatch, where the difcipline was inflicted by the butler.

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of those which Aubrey had from Milton's own mouth, Milton would hardly give him an account of the punishment, without fignifying what was the fault."

Dr. Johnson fays, "Milton was the "laft student in either univerfity that suf"fered this corporal correction." Now Mr. Warton tells us, that "the whip was 86 an inftrument of academical correc"tion, not entirely laid afide in the old

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age of Dr. Bathurft*; but Bathurst furvived Milton thirty years, and the time of Milton's admiffion above eighty. If Milton therefore was the last fufferer by this illiberal punishment in Cambridge, that univerfity got the ftart of

Life of Bathurst, p. 202.

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Oxford in civilisation by at least fifty or fixty years; which is more honour,

we believe, than Dr. Johnfon defired Mr. Warton fhould confer upon it.

Mr. Warton fays, "This" (meaning the whipping-bout] "explains more "fully a paffage in one of Milton's elegies:

"Nec

"In the public ftatutes of Oxford, the in-“junction of inflicting corporal punishment on "boys under fixteen remains unrepealed, and: "in force at this day; but the execution of this

law, fo repugnant to every liberal and decent “idea, has been long abolished. Yet this code "of ftatutes was compiled no longer ago than “the year 1635. It was, however, no uncommon practice at a college in Oxford, where the: foundation-scholars are elected very young, "actually to punish with the rod as far down as "the beginning of the prefent century.'

66

Gent Mag. 1779, P. 493.

"Nec duri libet ufque minas perferre

"magiftri,

"Cæteraque ingenio non fubeunda

"meo."

Where, in Mr. Warton's ideas, cætera fignifies flogging. But Dr. Johnson having noted that it fignifies fomething elfe befides threats, interprets it into fomething more, i. e. more fevere, namely, punishment. But he feems to be in doubt whether that punishment was whipping or banishment; and with reafon, for cætera may fignify fomething more, i.e. fomething over and befides threats, and yet fomething elfe befides either whipping or ruftication. The most natural interpretation of the fecond line feems to be, that thofe college-exercises D

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