five fenfe, vapulandus can never be derived. No man forgets his original trade: the rights of nations, and of kings, fink into questions of grammar, if grammarians difcufs them. Milton when he undertook this anfwer was weak of body, and dim of fight; but his will was forward, and what was wanting of health was fupplied by zeal. He was rewarded with a thousand pounds, and his book was much read; for paradox, recommended by spirit and elegance, eafily gains attention; and he who told every man that he was equal to his king, could hardly want an audience. That the performance of Salmafius was not difperfed with equal rapidity, or read with equal eagerness, is very credible. He taught only the ftale doctrine of authority, and the unpleafing duty of fubmiffion; and he had been fo long not only the monarch but the tyrant of literature, that almost all mankind were delighted to find him defied and insulted by a new name, not yet confidered as any one's rival. If Chriftina, as is faid, commended the Defence of the People, her purpose must be to torment Salmafius, who was then at her Court; for neither her civil station nor her natural character could dispose her to favour the doctrine, who was by birth a queen, and by temper defpotick. That Salmafius was, from the appearance of Milton's book, treated with neglect, there is not much proof; but to a man fo long accuftomed to admiration, a little praise of his antagonist would be fufficiently offenfive, and might incline him to leave Sweden. He prepared a reply, which, left as it was imperfect, was published by his fon in the year of the Restauration. In the beginning, being probably most in pain for his Latinity, he endeavours to defend his ufe of the word perfona; but, if I remember right, he miffes a better authority than any that he has found, that of Juvenal in his fourth fatire: his -Quid agas cum dira & fœdior omni As Salmafius reproached Milton with lofing eyes in the quarrel, Milton delighted himfelf with the belief that he had shortened Salmafius's life, and both perhaps with more malignity than reafon. Salmafius died at the Spa, Sept. 3, 1653; and as controvertists are commonly faid to be killed by their last dispute, Milton was flattered with the credit of deftroying him. Cromwel had now difmiffed the parliament by the authority of which he had destroyed monarchy, and commenced monarch himself, under the title of protector, but with kingly and more than kingly power. That his authority was lawful, never was pretended; he himself founded his right only in neceffity; but Milton, having now tafted the honey of publick employment, would not return to hunger and philofophy, but, continuing to exercife his office under a manifeft ufurpation, betrayed to his power that liberty which he had defended. Nothing can be more just than that rebellion fhould end in flavery; that he, who had juftified the murder of his king, for fome acts which to him feemed unlawful, fhould now fell his fervices, and his flatteries, to to a tyrant, of whom it was evident that he could do nothing lawful. He had now been blind for fome years; but his vigour of intellect was fuch, that he was not difabled to discharge his office, or continue his controverfies. His mind was too eager to be diverted, and too ftrong to be fubdued. About this time his firft wife died in childbed, having left him three daughters. As he probably did not much love her, He did not long continue the appearance of lamenting her; but after a fhort time married Catherine, the daughter of one captain Woodcock of Hackney; a woman doubtless educated in opinions like his own. She died within a year, of childbirth, or fome diftemper that followed it; and her husband has honoured her memory with a poor fonnet. The first Reply to Milton's Defenfio Populi was published in 1651, called Apologia pro Rege &Populo Anglicano, contra Johannis Polypragmatici (alias Miltoni) defenfionem deftructivam Regis & Populi. Of this the author was not known; but Milton and his nephew Philips, under whofe name he published an answer fo much corrected by him that it might be called his own, imputed it to Bramhal; and, knowing him no friend to regicides, thought themfelves at liberty to treat him as if they had known what they only fufpected. Next year appeared Regii Sanguinis clamor ad Cælum. Of this the author was Peter du Moulin, who was afterwards prebendary of Canterbury; but Morus, or More, a French minifter, having the care of its publication, was treated as the writer by Milton, in his Defenfio Secunda, M 2 cunda, and overwhelmed by fuch violence of invective, that he began to fhrink under the tempeft, and gave his perfecutors the means of knowing the true author. Du Moulin was now in great danger; but Milton's pride operated against his malignity, and both he and his friends were more willing that Du Moulin fhould escape than that he should be convicted of mistake. In this fecond Defence he fhews that his eloquence is not merely fatirical; the rudeness of his invective is equalled by the groffness of his flattery. "Deferimur, Cromuelle, tu folus fuperes, ad te fumma noftrarum rerum rediit, in te folo confiftit, infuperabili tuæ "virtuti cedimus cuncti, nemine vel oblo quente, nifi qui æquales inæqualis ipfe ho"nores fibi quærit, aut digniori conceffos in"videt, aut non intelligit nihil effe in focietate "hominum magis vel Deo gratum, vel rationi "confentaneum, effe in civitate nihil æquius, "nihil utilius, quam potiri rerum digniffiἐσ mum. Eum te agnofcunt omnes, Cromuelle, ea tu civis maximus et * gloriofiffimus, "dux publici confilii, exercituum fortiffimorum, pater patriæ geffifti. Sic tu fpontanea, bonorum omnium et animitus miffa "voce falutaris." Cæfar, when he affumed the perpetual dictatorship, had not more fervile or more elegant flattery. A tranflation may fhew its fervility; but its elegance is lefs attainable. Having expofed the unfkilfulness or felfifhnefs It may be doubted whether gloriofiffimus be here ufed with Milton's boafted purity. Res gloriofa is an illuftrious thing; but vir gloriofus is commonly a braggart, as in miles gloriofus. nefs of the former government, "We were left," fays Milton, "to ourselves: the "whole national intereft fell into your hands, " and fubfifts in your abilities. To your virtue, overpowering and refistless, every man gives way, except fome who, without equal qualifications, afpire to equal honours, or "who envy the distinctions of merit greater "than their own; or who have yet to learn, "that in the coalition of human fociety nothing is more pleafing to God, or more agreeable to reafon, than that the highest mind should have the fovereign power. "Such, Sir, are you by general confeffion; "fuch are the things atchieved by you, the greatest and most glorious of our countrymen, the director of our publick counsels, "the leader of unconquered armies, the fa"ther of your country; for by that title does every good main hail you, with fincere and "voluntary praife." Next year, having defended all that wanted defence, he found leisure to defend himself. He undertook his own vindication against More, whom he declares in his title to be justly called the author of the Regii Sanguinii claIn this there is no want of vehemence nor eloquence, nor does he forget his wonted wit. "Morus es? an Momus? an uterque "idem eft ?" He then remembers that Morus is Latin for a Mulberry-tree, and hints at the known transformation : mor. -Poma alba ferebat With |