THE

LIFE

OF

JOHN MILTON.

BY

CHARLES SYMMONS, D.D.

OF JESUS COLLEGE, OXFORD.

SECOND EDITION.

Si tyrannos insector, quid hoc ad reges ? quos ego à tyrannis
longissimè sejungo.

Defen. secund.
Nunc sub fæderibus coeant felicibus unà
Libertas, et jus sacri inviolabile sceptri :
Rege sub AUGUSTO fas sit laudare CATONEM.

DR. GEORGE.

PRINTED BY T. BENSLEY, BOLT COURT, FLEET STREET,

FOR NICHOLS AND SON; F. AND C. RIVINGTON; OTRIDGE AND

SON; T. PAYNE; J. CUTHELL; VERNOR, HOOD, AND SHARPB;
R. LEA; J. WALKER; CLARKE AND SONS; LACKINGTON,
ALLEN, AND CO.; J. NUNN; LONGMAN, HURST, REES, AND
ORMB; CADELL AND DAVIES; J. HARDING; R. H. EVANS;
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To the Memory of
my most dear and accomplished Son,

CHARLES SYMMONS,

by the suggestions of whose fine mind and perfect taste

I have been largely benefitted as a writer, and to the contemplation of whose piety and virtues,

the sources of much of my past happiness, I am indebted for all my present consolation,

I inscribe

THIS LIFE OF MILTON;

which, having grown under his eye and been cherished with his regard,

is dear to me for merit, not intrinsically its own.

On the 23d of May, 1805,
before he had completed his twenty-second year,
he was torn from my affection and my hopes,

experiencing from his God,

the recompense of a pure life,
in the blessing of an early death.

CHARLES SYMMONS.

B

M29556

PREFÁCE.

Though a part

of

my foriner preface has now lost its reference, I am induced to retain the entire composition, as it was written under the impression of principles, not liable to decay, and of wounded affections which can cease to pain, alas! only in the grave. What I have now to say will relate altogether to the present edition of my work—to those inaccuracies in it which I have corrected, those deficiencies which I have supplied, or those opinions which have been pronounced on it since its property was transferred from me to the public.

In quoting by memory from Dr. Johnson, I had been guilty of a verbal error; and the slip was not suffered to be made with impunity. On the passage in question, which referred to that writer's censure of the “ Damon," one of the public critics remarked, “ Here, however, we must impeach the bio

a