And lastly, "Tum de Regibus, fi quis forte for stuna encomiaftice fcripferit, fuccenfent, frendunt, debacchantur, et in omne latus obftreperam volvunt facundiam, ne quis Rex pro pio habeatur, quando ipfi in omnium Regum facrofancta capita tam impii 1. impie] 86 detonuerunt." The allufion here to Milton and his works could not have been plainer, without naming him. The prefacer well knew Milton's zeal for his caufe, and his abilities in defending it. He knew not but he might yet be difpofed to do himself and his party justice at his Creyghton's expence, and he chofe therefore, both for the poor printer's fake and his own, own, to make the abufe general, that he might have room to fay, that. Milton was not the man he meant, though the two laft citations would not apply to any other man that then was, or ever had been, upon the face of the earth. Such was the terror that Milton's name ftruck into the hearts of his opponents, even when his party was rapidly approaching their final diffolution. Addition to the Poftfcript. -Such was the awe that MILTON'S name ftruck into the hearts of his opponents, even when his party was rapidly approaching its final diffolution. But to return once more to the New Narrative. To defend injured characters is feasonable at all times. Some former accounts of Milton, Dr. Johnfon treats with contradiction and contempt, where neither the information, nor the good faith of the writers, are more to be fufpected than his own. A large majority of authors are too inconfiderable to have their lives and adventures recorded for the inftruction or amusement of pofterity, even in the fummary of a biographical dictionary. Dr. Johnson is not one of these infignificants. The public, when he hath ceafed to act his paft on this earthly ftage, will be impatiently inquifitive after the perfonal history of a man, who hath figured fo variously in the wide tange of authorship; and when his panegyrifts have exhaufted every topic of praise and adulation to grace his monument, among those of the worthies of antient days, Somebody may take a fancy to gratify the public with a new narrative of his progrefs and employments in life. That SOMEBODY may be a true conftitutional friend to the civil and reli gious liberties of Englishmen, and difpofed to try what figure Dr. Johnson's political maxims and conduct will make, in contraft with fuch part of Milton's history and principles as he hath attempted to difparage by the moft inve nomed infinuations. A man of genius and erudition cannot more effectually difgrace himself, than by hiring out his talents to those vile politicians whofe eftimation with the public depends on ridiculing and debafing the foundeft principles of free government, and on their humiliating, and to their power fcandalifing the wife and upright men who efpouse them;. and it is not impoffible that; with fuch an idea of Dr. Johnfon's merit, fome L 2 humorous |