than hints, in his Areopagitica, their inclination to govern by the epifcopal and oppreffive maxims of the Stuart race. He faw and abhorred their attempts to fhackle the faith of Proteftants and Chriftians in the bonds of fyftems, confeffions, tefts, and fubfcriptions.

Cromwell's plan was of a more generous complexion; and Milton's Sonnet *,

*To O. CROMWELL.

CROMWELL, Our Chief of Men, that through a
Not of war only, but diftractions rude, [crowd,
(Guided by Faith and matchlefs Fortitude)
To Peace and Truth thy glorious way haft plow'd,
And fought God's battles, and his works purfu'd,
'While Darwent ftreams with blood of Scots im-
And Dunbar field refound thy praises loud, [bru'd,
And Worcester's laureat wreath. Yet much re-
To conquer still: Peace has her victories [mains
No less than thofe of War. New foes arife,
Threat'ning to bind our Souls in fecular chains:
Help us to fave free confcience from the paw
Of hireling wolves, whofe gofpel is their maw.
addreffed

addreffed to him, was evidently a compliment founded on the expectation that he would lay the ground-work of a free tòleration in matters of religion, without which he faw (what Dr. Johnfon never will fee) that civil liberty can never be established upon its proper bafis. Milton's adherence to Cromwell, therefore, was founded on the most liberal views; and while there was a profpect of realizing the idea, was certainly irreprehenfible.

Dr. Johnson however, in spite of every prefumption to the contrary, will have Milton's agency in political matters to have been confidered as of great impor

tance.

- When

"When a treaty," fays the Doctor, "with Sweden was artfully fufpended, "the delay was publicly imputed to Mr. "Milton's indifpofition; and the Swedish

agent was provoked to exprefs his "wonder, that only one man in Eng"land could write Latin, and that man "blind *.”

But Whitelock, who was a principal hand in negotiating this treaty, instead of pleading Milton's indifpofition for the delay, only fays, "the employment of "Mr. Milton" [to tranflate the treaty} "was excufed to him" [the Swedish ambaffador]" because feveral other fervants "of the council, fit for that employ

ment, were then abfent."

* Milton's Life, p. 68.

H

Here then

the

the narrative is abfolutely new, both with refpect to the importance of Milton's agency, and the reafon given of the delay.

It is remarkable, that, in depreciating fuch of Milton's writings as thwart Dr. Johnfon's political notions, the cenfure is always accompanied with fome evil imputation upon the writer's head or his

heart. He obferves of his ferious tracts in general, that Hell grows darker at his frown; borrowing, to make his abuse more tafty, an expreffion from Milton himself. In his treatises of civil power in ecclefiaftical cafes, and of the means of removing hirelings out of the church, "He "gratified his malevolence to the cler66 gy." In writing his pamphlet called, A ready

I

A ready and easy way to establish a free commonwealth," He was fantastical enough "to think, that the nation, agitated as "it was, might be fettled by it;" and his notes upon a fermon of Dr. Griffiths, "were foolish, and the effect of kicking "when he could not strike."

If controverfial fame were thus to be purchased, Dr. Johnfon might be esteemed the first of writers in that province, for no man ever expreffed his abuse in a more inimitable ftyle of abufe. And though he may fometimes create fufpicions that he has either never read, or does not understand the writings he fo peremptorily cenfures; yet the vehicle is pleafing, and the reputation he has gained by his labours of more general urility

H 2