tal, man is not a man, but a beaft; religion and virtue are empty names.

1. What is our most valuable part, or what is it that maketh us capable of Religion, Virtue, and rational Happinefs? Is it not our Reafon or Underftanding?

2. What then is the nobleft privilege that belongs to man? Is it not the free Exercise of his Understanding, the full ufe of all the means of advancing in Virtue and Knowledge?

3. What is it then that is, and must be, the chief end of government to encourage and promote? Is it not Knowledge, Virtue, and Religion?

4. And can Knowledge, Virtue, or Religion, be promoted, if the only means

of promoting them are taken away? For what are the means of promoting them, but the liberty of writing and publifhing, without running any rifque but that of being refuted or ridiculed, where any thing advanced chances to labour under the juft imputation of falfhood or abfurdity?

ARE O PAGITICA;

ASPEECH of Mr. JOHN MILTON,

For the Liberty of unlicenc'd Printing.

HEY who to States and Gover

THE

nours of the Commonwealth direct their Speech, High Court of Parlament, or wanting fuch acceffe in a private condition, write that which they foresee may advance the publick good; I fuppose them as at the beginning of no meane endeavour, not a little alter'd and mov'd inwardly in their mindes: Some with doubt of what will be the fucceffe, others with feare of what will be the cenfure; fome with hope, others

with confidence of what they have to fpeake. And me perhaps each of thefe difpofitions, as the fubject was whereon I enter'd, may have at other times variously affected; and likely might in these formoft expreffions now also difclofe which of them fway'd moft, but that the very attempt of this addreffe thus made, and the thought of whom it hath recourfe to, hath got the power within me to a paffion, farre more welcome then incidentall to a Preface. Which though I ftay not to confeffe ere any afke, I fhall be blameleffe, if it be no other, then the joy and gratulation which it brings to all who with and promote their Countries liberty; whereof this whole difcourfe propos'd will be a

certaine