nations.-Origin of Antichrist.-Publishes on Prelatical Episcopacy against Usher.-Reason of Church Government urged against Prelacy.-Animadversions on a work of Bishop Hall. Sentiments respecting Liturgies.-Church corrupted by Constantine. His opinion of the Fathers-and of Tithes. Smollett's* Account of the origin of the Civil War.- A different Account by Mrs. Lucy Hutchinson.-State of the Prelates.-Origin of Congregational Churches in Lon- don.-Notes.-Dispute between the Houses of Lords and Commons respecting the Prelates.-Bishops excluded from their seats in Parliament.-Milton publishes his Areopagi- tica.-Charged with printing scandalous books.-Persecut- ing spirit of Presbyterian Assembly.-Eloquent description of the Liberty of the Press. He is married.-Left by his wife.-Publishes four Tracts on Divorce.-They are recon- ciled. Remarks on his conduct and principles.-Bishop Hall's opinion.-Note.-Milton belonged to the Baptist Denomination.-Sonnet.-Death of his father.-Revives his Presbyterians oppose the execution of the King.-Tes- *The writer, by mistake, has in this Chapter used the name of science.--House of Lords voted to be useless.-Office of King voted to be dangerous to liberty.-Council of State.- Milton commences the History of England.-Appointed Latin Secretary to the Council.-Publishes his Eiclono- castes.-Eikon Basilike an imposture.-Milton publishes a reply to the Irish Presbyterians.-Writes a reply to Sal- masius.-Publishes his Second Defence.-Reply to Peter Du Moulin, who had reproached him on account of his blindness.-Sonnet on his blindness.-Letter on the same subject to Leonard Philarus.-Lines addressed to Cyriac Milton's Oliver Cromwell appointed Lord Protector. reason for approving Cromwell's conduct.-Sonnet on his character.-Protector's principles as to Liberty of Con- science, Note.-Milton's eulogy on his character-Loss of his two wives.-Sonnet.-Publishes his Treatise of Civil Power in Ecclesiastical Causes, and Considerations to remove Hirelings, &c.-Death of Oliver Cromwell.-Publishes on the Ruptures of the Commonwealth; and the ready and safe way to establish a free Commonwealth.-Letter to The Duke of Savoy persecutes the Waldenses.-Crom- dinal Mazarine, to the King of Denmark, to the Senators of the City of Geneva, to the Cities of Switzerland, to the king of the Swedes, to the States of the United Provinces, to the King of the Swedes, to the King of Denmark, &c., to the Landgrave of Hesse, to the King of the Swedes, to the Heir of Norway, to the Marquis of Brandenburgh, to the King of France, to the Cities of the Switzers, to Cardinal Mazarin- Richard, Protector, to the King of the Swedes.-The Par- Restoration of Charles II.-Milton secretes himself.-Son- APPENDIX. LIFE OF MILTON. CHAPTER I. 1608-1640. THIS most extraordinary man, this prince of English poets, this consistent champion of civil and religious liberty, was the son of John Milton and Sarah Caston; they had two other children, ANNA, who married Edward Philips; and CHRISTOPHER, bred to the common law. Mr. JOHN MILTON was born in Bread-street, in the City of London, December 9, 1608,* descended of an ancient family of that name at Milton, near Abingdon, in Oxfordshire, where it had been a long time settled, as appears from the monument still to be seen in the church of Milton; till one of the family having taken the unfortunate side in the contest between the houses of York and Lancaster, was sequestered of all his estate, except what he held by his wife. The * "The 20th day of December, 1608, was baptised John, the son of John Mylton, scrivener."-Extract from the Registry of All-hallows, Bread-street. B poet's grandfather, whose name also was John Milton, was under ranger, or keeper, of the forest of Shotover, near Horton, in Oxfordshire, he being a zealous papist. His father was a polite man, a great master of music, and, by profession, a scrivener, in which calling, through his diligence and honesty, he got a competent estate in a short time; for he was disinherited by his bigoted parents for embracing the Protestant religion, and abjuring the popish idolatry. He lived at the sign of the Spread Eagle, (the armorial bearings of the family,) in Bread-street. Of his mother, it is said, "she was a woman of incomparable virtue and goodness." JOHN MILTON was destined to be a scholar: and partly under domestic tutors, (whereof one was THOMAS YOUNG,* to whom the first of his familiar letters is inscribed; and afterwards, Dr. GILL, the chief master of Paul's School, to whom, likewise, the fifth of the same letters is inscribed,) he made an incredible progress in the knowledge of words and things, his diligence and inclination outstripping the care of his instructors; and after he was twelve years of age, such was his insatiable thirst for learning, that he seldom went to bed before midnight. Being thus initiated into several * He was afterwards chaplain to the English merchants at Hamburgh. His pupil dedicated a poem to him. Aubrey calls him "a Puritan in Essex, who cutt his hair short." |