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for the character of MILTON, has not led him to overlook his faults, nor to palliate his errors.

Another reason which prevailed with the writer was, that the Lives of MILTON have usually been so large and expensive, that they have been placed out of the reach of the generality of readers; he therefore hopes that a small volume, comprising every thing of importance respecting this noble-minded and gigantic man, will not be unacceptable nor unprofitable to the bulk of his countrymen.

The writer cannot anticipate that the sentiments stated in his work will be universally acceptable; but if they be approved by that large body of Britons who contend for liberty as their birthright, and especially by Protestant Dissenters, it is as much as he can expect. It is a little singular, that no writer of the latter class has ever published the life of this early and powerful defender of their principles, notwithstanding it is to his powerful advocacy that they are indebted, more than to any other writer, for all the civil

and religious privileges which they now enjoy. From his Memoirs having been written by Churchmen, who must have necessarily disapproved of his opinions, it is not wonderful that he should have been charged with employing 66 coarse and intemperate, "rude and insulting language." Let the reader however recollect the period at which his treatises were written, when polemics were not remarkably nice in their selection of epithets; and let him consider too the extreme importance of the subjects of which they treatthe welfare of the church of Christ, and the deliverance of the nation from civil and religious tyranny—and he may probably be inclined to judge more favourably of the strong and caustic terms which he has sometimes employed for the purpose of satirizing and exposing gross impositions and oppressive corruptions. His blunt and biting style exposed him to great opposition and reproach; but he evidently indulged self-gratulation, from the reflection that he had always accustomed himself to what he called "this just and honest manner of speaking." The following beautiful description of Truth is a specimen :

In his "Areopagitica," published 1644, he says: "Truth, indeed, came once into the world with her Divine Master, and was a perfect shape, most glorious to look upon; but when he ascended, and his apostles after him were laid asleep, then strait arose a wicked race of Deceivers, who, as that story goes of that wicked Typhon with his conspirators, how they dealt with the good Osiris, took the virgin Truth, hewed her lovely form into a thousand pieces, and scattered them to the four winds. From that time ever since, the sad friends of Truth, such as durst appear imitating the careful search which Isis made for the mangled body of Osiris, went up and down, gathering up every limb still as they could find them. We have not yet found them all, Lords and Commons, nor ever shall do till her Master's second coming. He shall bring together every joint and member, and shall mould them into an immortal feature of loveliness and perfection."

In the "Animadversions upon Johnson's Life of MILTON" in the Appendix, there will be found a degree of severity merited, the writer thinks,

by an author who suffered his ultra-toryism and bigotry so to blind his understanding as to use his pen for distorting the features of a character which he was incapable of delineating. The writer would not have considered these remarks to have been required so long after the death of the calumniator, had not the obnoxious work formed part of that standard publication, "The Lives of the British Poets." The amiable poet, Cowper, has justly designated Johnson's Life of MILTON as "unmerciful treatment.”* Again, "In the last leaf of Murphy's Essay," says Hayley, "on the Life and Genius of Johnson, he wrote the following most deliberate censure: 'Let all that is said against MILTON in the conclusion of this book pass undisputed, and Johnson's is a most malignant life of MILTON.'"

The writer has also taken the liberty to copy into the Appendix, from the Rev. Mr. Todd's

* Sketch of the Life of Cowper, prefixed to his posthumous poems. p. xxxiii.

+ Latin and Italian Poems of MILTON, translated by Cowper. Preface and Notes by W. Hayley, Esq.

"Account of MILTON," &c. published in 1828, the Extracts from the Council Book while MILTON was Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and which will throw considerable light upon several events connected with his history.

Imploring the blessing of the Great Head of the Church to rest upon this humble effort to subserve His glory, by causing it to promote the cause of truth and righteousness, the writer, with much respect, dedicates it to the rising generation in Britain; earnestly praying they may prove themselves a superior race to their most distinguished progenitors, whether of genuine patriots, unsophisticated Protestants, or real Chrisians, and thus contribute towards promoting the prosperity of their country in its highest and most essential interests a country respecting which, in many respects, it might be said, as it is of ancient Israel, "THE LORD HATH NOT DEALT SO WITH ANY PEOPLE.'

51, Devonshire Street, Queen Square,

Dec. 21st, 1832.

J. I.

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