Such was his firft defign, which could have produced only an allegory, or myftery. The following sketch seems to have attained more maturity.

Adam unparadifed:

The angel Gabriel, either defcending or entering; fhewing, fince this globe was created, his frequency as much on earth as in heaven; defcribes Paradise. Next, the Chorus, fhewing the reason of his coming to keep his watch in Paradise, after Lucifer's rebellion, by command from God; and withal expreffing his defire to fee and know more concerning this excellent new creature, man. The angel Gabriel, as by his name fignifying a prince of power, tracing Paradise with a more free office, paffes by the ftation of the Chorus, and, defired by them, relates what he knew of man; as the creation of Eve, with their love and marriage. After this, Lucifer appears; after his overthrow, bemoans himself, feeks revenge on man. The Chorus prepare refiftance on his first approach. At laft, after discourse of enmity on either fide, he departs: whereat the Chorus fings of the battle and victory in Heaven, against him and his accomplices: as before, after the first act, was sung a hymn of the creation. Here again may appear Lucifer, relating and exulting in what he had done to the deftruction of man. Man next, and Eve having by this time been feduced by the Serpent, appears confufedly covered with leaves. Confcience in a fhape accufes him; Juftice cites him to a place whither Jehovah called for him. In the mean while, the Chorus entertains the stage, and is informed by fome angel

the manner of the fall. Here the Chorus bewails Adam's fall; Adam then and Eve return; accuse one another; but especially Adam lays the blame to his wife; is ftubborn in his offence. Juftice appears, reasons with him, convinces him. The Chorus admonisheth Adam, and bids him beware Lucifer's example of impenitence. The angel is fent to banish them out of Paradife; but before causes to pafs before his eyes, in shapes, a mask of all the evils of this life and world. He is humbled, relents, despairs; at laft appears Mercy, comforts him, promises the Meffiah; then calls in Faith, Hope, and Charity; inftructs him; he repents, gives God the glory, fubmits to his penalty. The Chorus briefly concludes. Compare this with the former draught.

These are very imperfect rudiments of Paradife Loft; but it is pleasant to fee great works in their feminal state, pregnant with latent poffibilities of excellence; nor could there be any more delightful entertainment than to trace their gradual growth and expanfion, and to obferve how they are fometimes fuddenly advanced by accidental hints, and fometimes flowly improved by fteady meditation.

Invention is almoft the only literary labour which blindness cannot obftruct, and therefore he naturally folaced his folitude by the indulgence of his fancy, and the melody of his numbers. He had done what he knew to be neceffarily previous to poetical excellence; he had made himself acquainted with feemly arts and affairs; his comprehenfion was extended by various knowledge, and his memory ftored with intellectual treasures. He was fkilful in many languages, and had by reading and compofition at

tained the full maftery of his own. He would have wanted little help from books, had he retained the power of perufing them.

But while his greater defigns were advancing, having now, like many other authors, caught the love of publication, he amused himself, as he could, with little productions. He fent to the prefs (1658) a manuscript of Raleigh, called The Cabinet Council; and next year gratified his malevolence to the clergy, by a Treatife of Civil Power in Ecclefiaftical Cafes, and the Means of removing Hirelings out of the Church.

Oliver was now dead; Richard was constrained to refign: the fyftem of extemporary government, which had been held together only by force, naturally fell into fragments when that force was taken away; and Milton saw himself and his caufe in equal danger. But he had ftill hope of doing fomething. He wrote letters, which Toland has published, to fuch men as he thought friends to the new commonwealth; and even in the year of the Reftoration he bated no jot of heart or hope, but was fantastical enough to think that the nation, agitated as it was, might be fettled by a pamphlet, called A ready and eafy Way to eftablish a free Commonwealth; which was, however, enough confidered to be both seriously and ludicrously answered.

The obftinate enthufiafm of the Commonwealthmen was very remarkable. When the King was apparently returning, Harrington, with a few affociates as fanatical as himself, used to meet, with all the gravity of political importance, to fettle an equal government by rotation; and Milton, kicking when he could ftrike no longer, was foolish enough to publish,

publish, a few weeks before the Reftoration, Notes upon a fermon preached by one Griffiths, intituled, The Fear of God and the King. To thefe notes an anfwer was written by L'Eftrange, in a pamphlet petulantly called No Blind Guides.

But whatever Milton could write, or men of greater activity could do, the King was now about to be restored, with the irrefiftible approbation of the people. He was therefore no longer fecretary, and was confequently obliged to quit the house which he held by his office; and, proportioning his fenfe of danger to his opinion of the importance of his writings, thought it convenient to feek fome fhelter, and hid himself for a time in BartholomewClose, by Weft-Smithfield.

I cannot but remark a kind of refpect, perhaps unconsciously, paid to this great man by his biographers: every houfe in which he refided is hiftorically mentioned, as if it were an injury to neglect naming any place that he honoured by his prefence.

The King, with lenity of which the world has had perhaps no other example, declined to be the judge or avenger of his own or his father's wrongs; and promised to admit into the Act of Oblivion all, except those whom the Parliament fhould except ; and the Parliament doomed none to capital punishment but the wretches who had immediately cooperated in the murder of the King. Milton was certainly not one of them; he had only juftified what they had done.

This juftification was indeed fufficiently offenfive; and (June 16) an order was iffued to feize Milton's Defence, and Goodwin's Obftructors of Justice, another

book

book of the fame tendency, and burn them by the common hangman. The attorney-general was ordered to prosecute the authors; but Milton was not feized, nor perhaps very diligently pursued.

Not long after (August 19) the flutter of innumerable bofoms were ftilled by an act, which the King, that his mercy might want no recommendation of elegance, rather called an Act of Oblivion than of Grace. Goodwin was named, with nineteen more, as incapacitated for any public truft; but of Milton there was no exception.

Of this tenderness fhewn to Milton, the curiofity of mankind has not forborn to enquire the reafon. Burnet thinks he was forgotten; but this is another inftance which may confirm Dalrymple's obfervation, who fays, "that whenever Burnet's narra❝tions are examined, he appears to be mistaken.”

Forgotten he was not; for his profecution was ordered; it must be therefore by defign that he was included in the general oblivion. He is faid to have had friends in the house, fuch as Marvel, Morrice, and Sir Thomas Clarges: and undoubtedly a man like him must have had influence. A very particular story of his efcape is told by Richardfon* in his Memoirs, which he received from Pope, as delivered by Betterton, who might have heard it from Davenant. In the war between the King and Parliament Davenant was made prifoner, and condemned to die; but was fpared at the request of Milton. When the turn of fuccefs brought Milton into the like danger, Davenant repayed the *It was told before by A. Wood in Ath. Oxon. vol. II. p. 412, 2d edit. C.

benefit