or

"attempting; whether that epic form, whereof the two poems of Homer, and those other two of Virgil and “Tafso, are a diffuse, and the book of Job a brief, model; whether the rules of Ariftotle herein are strictly to be kept, or nature to be followed; which in them that know art, and use judgment, is no tranfgreffion, but an enriching of art and lastly, what king or knight, before "the Conqueft, might be chosen, in whom to lay the pat"tern of a chriftian hero. And as Taffo gave to a prince of Italy his choice, whether he would command him to write "of Godfrey's expedition against the infidels, Belifarius

against the Goths, or Charlemain against the Lombards ; "if to the instinct of nature, and the emboldning of art

aught may be trufted, and that there be nothing adverse "in our climate, or the fate of this age, it haply would be no "rashness, from an equal diligence and inclination, to pre"fent the like offer in our antient ftories. Or whether those "dramatic conftitutions, wherein Sophocles and Euripides

reign, fhall be found more doctrinal and exemplary to a "nation-Or, if occafion fhall lead, to imitate those magnific "odes and hymns, wherein Pindarus and Callimachus are in "moft things worthy. But thofe frequent fongs throughout "the law and prophets, beyond all these, not in their divine

argument alone, but in the very critical art of compofi“tion, may be easily made appear over all the kinds of lyric

poefy to be incomparable. These abilities, wherefoever "they be found, are the inspired gift of God, rarely be-"stowed, but yet to fome (though most abuse) in every “ nation ; and are of power, befides the office of a pulpit,

"to inbreed and cherish in a great people the feeds of virtue “and public civility, to allay the perturbations of the mind, “ and set the affections in right tune; to celebrate in glori"ous and lofty hymns the throne and equipage of God's almightiness, and what he works, and what he fuffers "to be wrought with high providence in his church; to “fing victorious agonies of martyrs and faints, the deeds and

triumphs of just and pious nations doing valiantly through "faith against the enemies of Chrift; to deplore the general relapfes of kingdoms and states from justice and God's true "worship. Lastly, whatsoever in religion is holy and fublime, "in virtue amiable or grave, whatsoever hath paffion or ad"miration in all the changes of that, which is called fortune "from without, or the wily fubtleties and refluxes of man's thoughts from within; all these things, with a folid and "treatable smoothness to paint out and describe, teaching (c over the whole book of fanctity and virtue, through all "the inftances of example, with fuch delight, to those espe

cially of foft and delicious temper, who will not fo much as "look upon truth herself, unless they fee her elegantly dreft; "that whereas the paths of honefty and good life appear "now rugged and difficult, though they be indeed eafy "and pleafant, they will then appear to all men both easy and pleasant, though they were rugged and difficult "indeed."

"The thing which I had to fay, and those intentions, "which have lived within me ever fince I could conceive myself any thing worth to my country, I return to crave “excuse that urgent reason hath pluckt from me by an

"abortive

"abortive and fore-dated difcovery; and the accomplish"ment of them lies not but in a power above man's to pro"mise; but that none hath by more ftudious ways en“deavoured, and with more unwearied spirit that none shall, "that I dare almost aver of myself, as far as life and free "leifure will extend. Neither do I think it fhame to co"venant with any knowing reader that for fome few years

yet I may go on truft with him toward the payment of “what I am now indebted, as being a work not to be raised "from the heat of youth, or the vapours of wine, like that "which flows at waste from the pen of fome vulgar amourist, the trencher fury of a rhyming parafite; nor to be "obtained by the invocation of dame Memory and her firen "daughters; but by devout prayer to that eternal spirit, "who can enrich with all utterance and knowledge, and

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fends out his Seraphim with the hallowed fire of his altar to touch and purify the lips of whom he pleases; to this “must be added induftrious and felect reading, fteady ob“servation, insight into all seemly and generous arts and "affairs; till which in fome measure be compaffed at mine own peril and cost I refuse not to fuftain this expecta❝tion from as many as are not loth to hazard so much cre"dulity upon the beft pledges that I can give them.

Al

though it nothing content me to have disclosed thus much "before hand; but that I trust hereby to make it manifest “with what fmall willingness I endure to interrupt the "pursuit of no lefs hopes than these, and leave a calm and "pleasing solitarinefs, fed with chearful and confident thoughts, to embark in a troubled fea of noife and hoarfe

"difputes, put from beholding the bright countenance of “truth, in the quiet and still air of delightful studies.”

Mr. Warton, who has cited the laft fentence of this very interesting paffage, as a proof that Milton, then engaged in controverfy, fighed for his more congenial pursuits, laments, "that the vigorous portion of his life, that those years in which imagination is on the wing, were unworthily and unprofitably wasted on temporary topics." Many lovers of poetry will fympathise with this amiable writer in his regret; but others may ftill entertain very different fenfations on the subject. Allowing for a moment that the controverfial writings of Milton deferve to be neglected and forgotten, reasons may yet be found to rejoice, rather than lament, that he exerted his faculties in compofing them. The occupation, however it might suspend his poetical enterprizes, cherished the ardour and energy of his mind, and, above all, confirmed in him that well founded and upright self-esteem, to which we are principally indebted for his fublimest production. The works I allude to were, in his own eftimation, indispensable and meritorious; had he not written them, as he frankly informs us, "he would have heard within himself, all his "life after, of difcourage and reproach." Nothing, perhaps, but this retrospect on a life passed, as his own confcience afsured him, in the faithful discharge of arduous and irkfome duties, could have afforded to the declining days of Milton that confident vigour of mind, that intense and inextinguishable fire of imagination, which gave existence and perfection to his Paradife Loft.

• He appears to have thought with a celebrated ancient, that perfect morality is neceffary to the perfection of genius; and that fublimity in compofition may be expected only from the man, who has attained the fublime in the steady practice of virtue.

These noble and animating ideas feem to have had great influence on his conduct very early in life; for in speaking of the ftudies and fentiments of his youth, he fays,

"I was confirmed in this opinion, that he who would not be frustrate of his hope to write well hereafter in laud"able things, ought himself to be a true poem; that is,

a compofition and pattern of the honourablest things; not "prefuming to fing high praises of heroic men, or famous " cities, unless he have in himself the experience and the practice of all that which is praife worthy."

In reply to the abfurd charge of his leading a diffolute life, he gives an engaging and spirited account of his domeftic conduct. "Those morning haunts are where they "fhould be, at home; not fleeping or concocting the fur"feits of an irregular feast, but up and ftirring; in winter "often ere the found of any bell awake men to labour or "to devotion; in fummer, as oft with the bird that firft ❝rouses, or not much tardier, to read good authors, or cause "them to be read, till the attention be weary, or memory "have its full fraught; then with useful and generous la"bours, preserving the body's health and hardiness, to ren"der lightfome, clear, and not lumpish obedience to the ❝ mind."

Had