the latter.

66

Why this close and suc manner," says our author, "was rather chosen, this was the reason, chiefly tha ingenious reader, without further am himself in the labyrinth of controversia tiquity, may come to the speediest wa see the truth vindicated and sophistry t short at the first false bound." The repli the animadverter are always severe and quently jocose; and there prevails thro out the piece a grim smile which shar and aggravates the offence.

When we contemplate these works as productions of one year, and of a man cupied with the fatiguing duties of an structor of boys, we must necessarily wo at that unwearied industry, that ready a cation of various knowledge, and that berant fertility of ardent mind which composition so manifestly discovers. T five pieces were written in 1641, when author was thirty-three years of age.

In the beginning of 1642, his "Ani versions," which unquestionably were sonal and rude, excited a reply from the as it was imagined, of a son of the ins bishop; and this connexion of the you

IP. W. i. 154.

writer might extenuate the violence, if it could not justify the calumnies of his "Modest confutation," as he was pleased to call it, "against a slanderous and scurrilous libel." If this reply indeed had been published with its author's name, its motives would probably have atoned with Milton for its virulence; and his own filial piety, af fected by the spectacle of a generous youth rushing to present his bosom to the wound intended for his father's, would have spared the enemy, and have warned him from the combat in the words of Æneas

Fallit te incautum pietas tua, &c.

But the publication was anonymous; and, heaping enormous falsehoods on its adversary's head, it attempted to overwhelm his innocence with strong abuse and with random accusation.

The "Apology for Smectymnuus" was the result of this accumulated provocation: and the call of defence made it necessary for our author to relate some circumstances respecting himself of which we should otherwise have been ignorant. The most objectionable part of this performance is that which attacks Hall and his satires; its most

splendid, an eloquent and merited eu on the first acts of the Long Parliament.

This production seems to have close controversy. Weapons, more effectual pens, were drawn against the Church; exposed by the injudicious conduct of of its prelates, it fell under the assault argument and reason could have preva the result would probably have been d ent. The learning of Usher and the w Hall certainly preponderated in the con and they seem to have been felt not by the Smectymnuan divines but by M himself. The affected contempt with w he speaks of " the dust and pudder in quity; of "his respected friends lyin the mercy of a coy and flurting style "their antagonist vapouring them out

*I allude, particularly, to the intemperate and most sonable protest, signed by twelve bishops and drawn archbishop Williams, which was presented to the King him communicated to the Lords, (on the 30th of Dec. against the legality of all the acts of the Legislature, du compulsory absence of the prelates from their places Upper House. Archbishop Williams's accustomed prude moderation seem on this occasion to have deserted him: strong return of court favour, even at this inauspicious had not been unproductive of effect upon his conduct. inflammable moment when it was made, this protest i excited an explosion, which expelled the governors church from their seats in the Legislature, and shook hierarchy of England to its base.

quips and snapping adagies, and employing weak arguments headed with sharp taunts," sufficiently betrays the weak points of his friends, and the strong of his opponents. If the Church indeed, at this crisis, could have been upheld by the abilities of its sons, it would have been supported by these admirable prelates; but numbers, exasperation and enthusiasm were against them. The storm raged beyond the controll of any human voice, and the vessel appeared to be lost: she was soon however to be launched again in all her graceful pride; and, favoured by the breath of heaven, to pursue her prosperous course till the misconduct of her navigators shall again endanger her; or till she attain perhaps the most distant limit assigned for the duration of human institutions.

The tone of this debate was far from mild; and all the combatants, with the exception of Usher, seem to have been careless of manners, and not less intent on giving pain to their adversarics, than on the discovery or the establishment of truth. The temper of polemics and of literary disputants is, in ages, the same; but controversy had not yet learned to conceal the malignity of her bosom under the disguise of a polished brow and a smiling cheek. On this occasion also

all

R

many circumstances concurred, as we h already remarked, to heighten that feroc which always marks her character when terests of important moment constitute objects. In this dispute, one party was ur to the defence by every thing which edu tion or possession had endeared; while other was pressed to the attack by the re lection of past, and by the terror of fu oppression.

With an ardent temper and a brill imagination, Milton was not formed for and temperate disputation.

"I' could r

he says, "to my thinking, honour a g cause more from the heart than by def ing it earnestly." He talked, indeed, “ pleading against his confuter by no d advocates than silence and sufferance; speaking deeds against faltering words:" his bold and sanguine nature prohibited efficient acquiescence, and hurried him active war. When his adversary called all" Christians to stone him, as a miscr whose impunity would be their crime,' cannot reasonably wonder at the warm his expressions, or at the little scruple which he scattered his various instrumen

L Apol. for Smect. P. W. i. 207.

m Ibid. i. 20