Hardy must be the man who can publish this sophistry with so many contradictory facts staring him in the face. And distressing must be the dilemma which obliges Dr. Johnson to admit either that the minority have propagated no projects of innovation, diffused no discontents by murmuring at government; or that his friends the minifters of state have not been able to protect the fettlement, and keep the public peace. If there can be no religion upon the supposition that every sceptic may teach his follies, I am afraid the Doctor himself can have no religion; for such sceptics may and do teach their follies every day with all freedom.

Perhaps Perhaps times and seasons might be noted in fome old almanac when the good Doctor himself stole some trifles into the world through the press, which did not much favour the legal fettlement of the crown, or tend to abate the dif contents of the people.

Had the minifter of the day, who then flept with his doors unbolted, caught the thief with the dark-lanthorn in his pocket, and configned him over to the conftable, the culprit undoubtedly would have availed himself of Milton's plea, and we should have heard with a vengeance of the wicked enmity of power to the cause of truth and loyalty. But penfions and preferments are won

derful enlighteners; and the free circu

lation of fedition during the last reign, when many an honest Jacobite propagated his discontents without the least apprehenfion for his ears, is now become a pernicious policy, unworthy of the wisdom and dignity of an administration under the protection of the respectable Dr. Samuel Johnfon.

It is obfervable, that Milton addressed his noble tract, intituled, Areopagitica, to an antimonarchical parliament, from which he expected the reformation of all the errors and encroachments of the late kingly and prelatical government. He was above the little dirty prejudices or pretences that they might be trusted with power, only because he approved of the men, or depended upon their favour to himself. He had his eye only on the cause, and when the Presbyterians deserted that, he deferted them, not out of humour, as this rancorous Biographer would infinuate *; but because they fainted in the progress of that work to the completion of which their first avowed principles would have led them.

Would Dr. Johnson have chosen to have fubmitted his works to the licensers appointed by such a parliament? or would he venture to expoftulate with the pow

* See fome sensible and masterly reflections on the subject in Dr. Moore's View of Society and Manners in France, Switzerland, and Germany. See likewise Gilbert Mabbot's reasons for defiring to be dismissed from the office of Licenfer. Toland's Life of Milton, Mr. Hollis's edition, p. 57.

ers

ers in being on any point of literary privilege, wherein he should think them effentially wrong, with that generous and honeft freedom that Milton exhibits in this incomparable tract? No, he sneaks away from the question, and leaves it as he found it.

"As faction feldom leaves a man ho"nest," says the Doctor, p. 51, "how"" ever it might find him, Milton is fuf"pected of having interpolated the book "called Icon Bafilike, which the council of "state, to whom he was now made Latin "Secretary, employed him to cenfure, " by inserting a prayer, &c."

The contexture of this fentence feems to be a little embarassed: and to leave us under some uncertainty whether Milton "inter

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