ture to praise the defender of the regicides? *** All that he himfelf could think his due, from evil tongues in evil days, was that reverential filence which was generoufly preferved. But it cannot be inferred that his poem was not read, or not, however unwillingly, admired.

The fale, if it be confidered, will justify the publick. Thofe who have no power to judge of paft times but by their own, should always doubt their conclufions. The call for books was not in Milton's age what it is in the prefent. To read was not then a general amufement; neither traders, nor often gentlemen, thought themselves difgraced by ignorance. The women had not then afpired to literature, nor was every house supplied with a closet of knowledge. Thofe, indeed, who profeffed learning, were not lefs learned than at any other time; but of that middle race of students who read for pleasure or accomplishment, and who buy the numerous products of modern typography, the number was then comparatively fmall. To prove the paucity of readers, it may be fufficient to remark, that the nation had been fatisfied, from 1623 to 1664, that is, forty-one years,

with only two editions of the works of Shakspeare, which probably did not together make one thousand copies.

The fale of thirteen hundred copies in two years, oppofition to fo much recent enmity, and to a style of verification new to all and difgufting to many, was an uncom mon example of the prevalence of genius. The demand did not immediately increafe; for many more readers than were supplied at first, the nation did not afford. Only three thoufand were fold in eleven years; for it forced its way without affiftance: its admirers did not dare to publish their opinion; and of the opportunities now given of attracting notice by advertisements were then very few;

the

e means of proclaiming the publication of new books have been produced by that general literature which now pervades the nation through all its ranks.

But the reputation and price of the copy ftill advanced, till the Revolution put an end to the fecrecy of love, and Paradife Loft broke into open view with fufficient fecurity of kind reception.

Fancy can hardly forbear to conjecture with what temper Milton furveyed the filent progrefs of his work, and marked his reputation stealing its way in a kind of subterraneous current through fear and filence. I cannot but conceive him calm and confident, little disappointed, not at all dejected, relying on his own merit with steady consciousness, and waiting, without impatience, the viciffitudes of opinion, and the impartiality of a future generation.

In the mean time he continued his ftudies, and fupplied the want of fight by a very odd. expedient, of which Philips gives the following account:

Mr. Philips tells us, "that though our "author had daily about him one or other "to read, fome perfons of man's estate, "who, of their own accord, greedily catched

at the opportunity of being his readers, "that they might as well reap the benefit of "what they read to him, as oblige him by "the benefit of their reading; and others of "younger years were fent by their

parents to

the fame end: yet excufing only the "eldest daughter, by reafon of her bodily infirmity, and difficult utterance of speech, "(which, to fay truth, I doubt was the

66

principal cause of excufing her), the other "two were condemned to the performance "of reading, and exactly pronouncing of "all the languages of whatever book he "fhould, at one time or other, think fit to "perufe, viz, the Hebrew (and I think the Syriac), the Greek, the Latin, the Italian,

66

66

Spanish, and French. All which forts of "books to be confined to read, without understanding one word, muft needs be a trial. "of patience almost beyond endurance. Yet "it was endured by both for a long time,

66

66

though the irksomeness of this employ"ment could not be always concealed, but "broke out more and more into expreffions "of uneasiness; fo that at length they were "all, even the eldest also, sent out to learn "fome curious and ingenious forts of manu “facture, that are proper for women to "learn; particularly embroideries in gold or "filver."

In the fcene of mifery which this mode of intellectual labour fers before our eyes, it is itais! hard to determine whether the daughters or the father are moft to be lamented. A lan guage not understood can never be fo read as to give pleasure, and very feldom fo as to convey meaning. If few men would have had refolution to write books with fuch embarrafiments, few likewife would have wanted ability to find tome better expedient.

Three years after his Paradife Loft (1667), he published his Hiftory of England, compris fing the whole fable of Geoffry of Monmouth, and continued to the Norman invafion. Why he fhould have given the firft part, which he feems not to believe, and which is univerfally rejected, it is difficult to conjecture. The ftyle is harth; but it has fomething of rough vigour, which perhaps may often ftrike, though it cannot please.

On this hiftory the licenfer again fixed his claws, and before he would tranfmit it to the prefs tore out feveral parts. Some cenfutes of the Saxon monks were taken away,

left