pations. The only difference is, that there, in the Doctor's account, he is impudent, and here he is modeft. "Fortune," fays the Doctor, 66 ap6C pears not to have had much of Milton's care *." How is this character fupported by the inftances that follow, confiftently with the account above given, that Milton," having tafted the honey of "public employment, would not return "to hunger and philofophy ?" "There is yet no reason to believe "that he was ever reduced to indi gence +;" and we will add, "nor to "the prospect of it;" for what the Doctor fays, that he was " given up to *Milton's Life, p. 137. + Ibid. p. 136. "poverty upon 99 his foliciting the repayment of his loan to the parliament in vain, only ferves to fhew how dextroufly the Doctor can fill up the chafms of authentic hiftory by the fertility of his imagination. And that his wants being few, were com"petently fupplied," is an argument that he could as eafily return to his philofophy as part with his affluence. From this character of Milton the Doctor would fhrink if he could, and put down the merit of it among the topics of falfehood; but his draw-backs upon it only end in furmises palpably inconfiftent with that unabated conftancy of mind in Milton, which even the new narrative could not disguise; an obfer obfervation which belongs to more articles of this remarkable compofition than this before us. The Doctor's next debate with himfelf is concerning Milton's religion. The appearances in this part of Milton's hiftory puzzled Mr. Peck before him, who, after decently drawing the faw to and again, fixes Milton in Quakerism. Dr. Johnfon feems to think he was of no church, merely, as it fhould feem, because he was neither of the Church of Rome, nor of the Church of England. If not, to what purpofe is the following reflection? 66 "To be of no church is dangerous. Religion, of which the rewards are "diftant, "diftant, and which is animated only "by faith and hope, will glide by de-. 66 grees out of the mind, unlefs it be in vigorated and reimpreffed by external "ordinances, by ftated calls to worship, "and the falutary influence of exam"ple *." The mere cant of every popish formalift, who fets himself to fhew that images are the books of the ignorant; and that without them the common people can have no religion. We cannot admit even Dr. Johnson's experience to decide this matter for us; who indeed hath immediately destroyed his own hypothefis, by acknowledging that Milton, who affociated with no par* Life, p. 140. ticular ticular church, "appears to have had "full conviction of the truth of Chrifti anity; to have regarded the holy scrip"tures with the profoundest veneration; "to have been untainted with any here"tical peculiarity of opinion; and to "have lived in a confirmed belief of the "immediate and occafional agency of "Providence." "And yet, he grew old without any "vifible worship." Does it follow from hence, that Milton grew old without any worship at all? Yes, truly, fuch is the conclufion. "In the diftribution of his hours there either folitary "6 was no hour of prayer, "or with his household; omitting pub |
