"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 excused to him" [the Swedish ambaffador]" because several other fervants "of the council, fit for that employ ment, were then abfent." Here then

* Milton's Life, p. 68.

H

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. Johnson'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 abufe 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 cler"gy." In writing his pamphlet called, A ready

I

A ready and eafy way to eftablish 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 ftrike."

And

If controverfial fame were thus to be purchafed, Dr. Johnson might be esteemed the first of writers in that province, for no man ever expreffed his abufe in a more inimitable style of abufe. 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

utility precludes all examination, and he expects his fcandalous chronicle should be licensed and received upon his own bare word.

"For Milton to complain of evil "tongues," fays the Doctor, "required "impudence at least equal to his other 66 powers; Milton, whofe warmest ad"vocates muft allow, that he never

spared any asperity of reproach, or bru"tality of infolence."

Milton wrote in a public contest for public liberty: and he generally in that contest was upon the defenfive. The afperity of his reproaches feldom exceeded the afperity of the wickedness upon which thofe reproaches were beftowed. Brutality

Brutality is a word of an ill found, and required fome instances to justify the imputation of it. When these are given, we will readily join iffue in the trial, whether Milton or his adverfaries were the more brutal or more infolent. They who would reduce mankind to a brutal flavery, under the defpotifm of a lawless tyrant, forfeit all claim to the rationality of human beings; and no tongue can be called evil for giving them their proper appellation.

Neither Dr. Johnfon nor we can pretend, at this distance of time, to affign the precife causes of Milton's complaint. Evil tongues are common in all times; our hiftories inform us, that the times of Charles II. were not good. Milton perH 3 haps