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His observations on the articles of peace between the Earl of Ormond and the Irish papifts appeared in the fame year; a performance that he probably thought too inconfiderable to enumerate in his own account of what he had published; it includes, however, fome remarkably keen ftrictures on a letter written by Ormond, to tempt Colonel Jones, the governor of Dublin, to defert the Parliament, who had intrufted him with his command. Ormond, having imputed to the prevailing party in England a design to establish a perfect Turkish tyranny, Milton, with great dexterity, turns the expreffion against Ormond, observing, that the design of bringing in that tyranny is a monarchical defign, and not of those who have diffolved monarchy. "Witness (fays he) that confultation had in the court of "France, under Charles the IXth, at Blois, wherein Poncet,

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certain court projector, brought in fecretly by the chan"cellor Biragha, after many praises of the Ottoman government, proposes ways and means at large, in the prefence of the king, the queen regent, and An“jou the king's brother, how, with beft expedition "and leaft noife, the Turkish tyranny might be fet

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up in France." I transcribe the paffage as an example of Milton's applying hiftorical anecdotes with peculiar felicity.

He now began to employ himself in one of the great works, with which he hoped to enrich his native language. The sketch that he has drawn of himself and his ftudies, at this period, is fo interefting and honourable, that it would

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be injurious not to tranflate the Latin expreffions to which I allude.

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*Thus (fays Milton) as a private citizen, I gratuitously gave my affiftance to the church and state; on me, in return, they bestowed only the common benefit of protec"tion; but my conduct affuredly gave me a good conscience, "a good reputation among good men, and this honour"able freedom of discourse: others have been busy in draw"ing to themselves unmerited emoluments and honour; no one has ever beheld me foliciting any thing, either in "perfon or by my friends; I have confined myself much

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at home; and by my own property, though much of it "has been withheld from me in this civil tumult, I have fupported life, however sparingly, and paid a tax impofed upon me, not in the most equitable propor

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"Having now a profpect of abundant leifure, I directed my studies to the history of my country, which I began "from its remotest fource, and intended to bring down, if “possible, in a regular process, to the present times. I

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magna ex parte fæpe detentis, et cenfum fere iniquius mihi impofitum et vitam utcunque frugi tolerabam. His rebus confectis, cum jam abunde otii exiftimarem mihi futurum, ad hiftoriam gentis ab ultima origine repetitam ad hæc ufque temporum, fi poffem, perpetuo filo deducendam me converti: Quatuor jam libros abfolveram, cum ecce nihil tale cogitantem me Caroli regno in rempublicam redacto, concilium ftatus quo dicitur cum primum authoritate parliamenti conftitutum ad se vocat, meaque opera ad res præfertim externas uti voluit.-Profe Works, vol. ii. p. 386.

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"had executed four books, when, on the fettlement of the republic, the council of state, then first established by "the authority of parliament, called me most unexpectedly to its fervice, and wished to employ me chiefly "in its foreign concerns. It has not yet, I believe, been ascertained to whom Milton was particularly indebted for a public appointment. "He was (fays Wood) without any feeking of his, by the endeavours of a private acquaintance, who was a member of the new council of state, "chofen Latin fecretary." The new council confifted of thirty-nine members, including two persons, whom we may suppose equally inclined to promote the interest of Milton ; these were Serjeant Bradshaw and Sir Harry Vane the younger it seems probable that he owed his ftation of fecretary to the former, fince, in his Second Defence, he mentions him as a friend entitled to his particular regard, and draws his character in colours fo vivid, that the portrait may be thought worthy of prefervation, even by those who have no esteem for the original.

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The character of a man fo extraordinary, derived from perfonal intimacy, and delineated by a hand so powerful, can hardly fail to be interesting; yet it becomes still more fo, if we confider it as a monument of Milton's gratitude to the friend who fixed him in that public station, which gave fignal exercise to the energy of his mind, and first made him, as a Latin writer, the admiration of Europe.

Whatever influence gratitude might have on the description, and however different the ideas may be, that are com-. monly entertained of Bradshaw, the eulogy bestowed on him

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by Milton was certainly fincere; for though not frugal of his praife, yet such was his probity, that it may, I think, be fairly proved, he never beftowed a particle of applause where he did not think it deferved; a point that I hope to establish, by refuting, in the courfe of this narrative, the charge of fervile flattery, which he is falsely accused of having lavished upon Cromwell.

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To praise, indeed, appears to have been an occupation peculiarly fuited to his fpirit, which was naturally fanguine, free from the gloom of farcaftic melancholy, and ever ready to glow with affectionate enthusiasm. His character of Bradshaw may illuftrate this remark; it is written with peculiar elegance and affection; the following portion of it will be fufficient to fhew, not only the fervency of his friendship, but his facility and force of pencil in the delinea→ tion of character *.

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“He had, united to the knowledge of law, a liberal difposition, an elevated mind, and irreproachable integrity of

*Attulerat ad legum fcientiam ingenium "liberale, animum excelfum, mores integros ac nemini obnoxios; nec triftis, nec, "feverus, fed comis ac placidus. In confiliis "ac laboribus publicis maxime omnium inde"feffus, multifque par unus; domi, fi quis "alius, pro fuis facultatibus hofpitalis at fplen"didus; amicus longe fideliffimus, atque in " omni fortuna certiffimus; bene merentes "quofcunque nemo citius aut libentius ag"nofcit, neque majore benevolentia profe"quitur; nunc pios, nunc doctos, aut quamvis ingenii laude cognitos, nunc militares étiam et fortes viros ad inopiam redactos "fuis opibus fublevat; iis, fi non indigent, coafi

"lit tamen libens atque amplectitur; alienas "laudes perpetuo prædicare, fuas tacere foli"tus. Quod fi caufa oppreffi cujufpiam de"fendenda palam, fi gratia aut vis potentio "rum oppugnanda, fi in quemquam bene"meritum ingratitudo publica objurganda "fit, tum quidem in illo viro, vel facundiam "vel conftantiam nemo defideret, non pa"tronum, non amicum, vel, idoneum magis "et intrepidum, vel difertiorem alium quif

quam fibi optet; habet, quem non minæ "dimovere recto, non metus aut munera "propofito bono atque officio, vultusque ac "mentis firmiffimo ftatu dejicere valeant.” -Profe Works, vol. ii. p. 389.

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"morals, neither gloomy nor fevere, but courteous and "mild.

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"In public councils and labours he is the most indefatigable of men, and alone equal to many; in his house "he, if any man, may be esteemed hospitable and splendid, in proportion to his fortune; as a friend faithful in the "highest degree, and moft furely to be depended upon in every emergency; no man fooner or more freely ac"knowledges merit, wherever it may be found; no man "rewards it with greater benevolence; he raises from indigence at his own coft, fometimes men of piety, learning, and talents, fometimes thofe brave military men, "whofe profperity has not been equal to their valour : “fuch persons, if they are not indigent, he still honours "with his regard; it is his nature to proclaim the defert of others, and to be, filent on his own.

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"If the cause of any one under oppreffion is to be openly defended, if the influence or authority of men in power “ is to be opposed, if the ingratitude of the public towards any individual of merit is to be reproved, no want will "be found in this man, either of eloquence or courage ; nor can any fufferer wish to find, on fuch occafions, a pa-tron and a friend more fuited to his neceffities, more refolute, or more accomplished; he already poffeffes fuch a “friend, and such a patron as no menaces can drive from "the line of rectitude, whom neither terrors nor bribes can "divert from the duty he is pursuing, or fake from his "fettled firmnefs of mind and countenance."

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