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perly have contented myself with the "addition of a few notes to Mr. Fen"ton's elegant Abridgement; but that a "new narrative was thought neceffary to "the uniformity of this edition *."

The uniformity of editions is commonly the bookfeller's care, and the neceffity of fuch uniformity generally arises from the tafte of the public; of which, among the number of names exhibited in the title-pages of these volumes, there must be many competent judges. It would be a pity however that a conformity to this taste should engage Dr. Johnfon in writing this Life, to go beyond what would more properly have contented himfelf; the leaft intimation from the

*Life of Milton, p.1.

Biographer of the impropriety of a new narrative would, we are perfuaded, have made the undertakers of the edition contented with the Doctor's plan.

He might not indeed have found the means to introduce certain particulars, which embellifh his new narrative, into his notes on Mr. Fenton's abridgement, in which there is a vein of candor that does the writer more honour than the ingenuity of his performance; not to mention the different judgment, from that of Dr. Johnson, formed by Mr. Fenton, on fome of Milton's poetical pieces.

We therefore believe this new narrative was calculated rather for Dr. Johnfon's private contentment than the neceffities of the edition.

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A few inftances will ferve to fhew the probability of this furmife.

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All the writers of Milton's Life before, Dr. Johnfon fpeak of the esteem with which Milton was honoured by his fellow-members of Chrift's College at Cambridge. Milton values himself upon it at a time when the under-workers of the royalifts, who fent different accounts to the defenders of Salmafius abroad, might have effectually confuted him, Let us now obferve the contrast.

"Of the exercifes which the rules of the univerfity required, fome were published by him in his maturer years. They had been undoubtedly "applauded, for they were fuch as few "can perform; yet there is reason to

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"fufpect, that he was regarded in his "college with no great fondness. That ❝he obtained no fellowship is certain ;

but the unkindnefs with which he was "treated was not merely negative. I am "afhamed to relate what I fear is true; "that Milton was the laft ftudent in "either univerfity that fuffered the pub"lic indignity of corporal correction *."

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This filly tale is taken from Warton's

"Life and Remains of Dean Bathurft," and retailed by Warton from fome manufcripts of Aubrey the antiquarian in the Afhmolean Museum, whofe ánile credulity has difabled him from being a writer of any authority. In what manner, and with what circumftances, this corporal *Milton's Life, p. 7, 8.

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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, "Mafter of Chrift's College, while he was at Cambridge." Dr. Johnson 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 wholesome severity was most in vogue in either univerfity, the head of a college would hardly make himself so ridiculous as to condefcend to execute the office of a parifh-beadle *.

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* We have been informed, that the manner

of

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