to the reproach of Milton, which rebound with double force on his own notorious conduct. Has he always believed that the government of the House of Hanover was lefs an ufurpation than that of Oliver Cromwell? Having tafted the honey of a penfion for writing ministerial pamphlets, would he feel no regret in returning once more to hunger and philofophy? The Doctor perhaps will tell us, that he is in no danger of ftarving, even though his penfion fhould be fufpended: to-morrow. Be it fo; and by what kind. of proof will he fhew that Milton had no means of earning his bread but his political employment? Milton: Milton however made the experiment which happily Dr. Johnson has not; and that too after the Restoration; and refifted the temptations of court-favour, and the folicitations of his wife to accept of it, with a magnanimity which would do him honour with any man but the author of the new narrative. Milton's reafon for rejecting this offer was, that his wifh was to live and die "an honeft man." But, fays the Doc"If he confidered the Latin Secre tor, 66 tary as exercifing any of the powers of government, he that had fhared au thority, either with the parliament or "Cromwell, might have forborn to talk very loudly of his honefty," p. 91. The The venom of this remark happens to be too weak to do any mischief. Cafuifts of all fects and complexions have done justice to the honefty of men who adhered to their principles and perfuafions, though they might judge wrong in the choice of them. He goes on, "And if he thought the "office minifterial only, he certainly might have honeftly retained it under "the King." Not quite fo certainly. But Milton's and Dr. Johnson's notions of honesty are fo widely different, that we cannot admit the Doctor to estimate Milton's honefty by his own fcale. In the end, however, he questions the fact. "But this tale has too little evidence to deserve a difquifition: large offers "and and sturdy rejections are among the "most common topicks of falsehood." That is, in plain unaffected English, "No man could ever reject a large offer, though on conditions ever so re 166 pugnant to his profeffed principles.” But the Doctor is but an individual, and his experience from his own particular cafe will not be admitted as the standard of other men's integrity; and yet this is the only reafon he gives for rejecting this anecdote, fo honourable to Milton. Milton's attachment to Cromwell was evidently founded on different confiderations. The narrownefs of the Presbyterians in their notions of Liberty, and particularly of religious liberty, had appeared upon many occafions. He more than hints, in his Areopagitica, their inclination to govern by the episcopal and oppreffive maxims of the Stuart race. He saw and abhorred their attempts to hackle the faith of Proteftants and Christians 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 distractions rude, [crowd, (Guided by Faith and matchiefs Fortitude) To Peace and Truth thy glorious way haft plow'd, |