Графични страници
PDF файл
ePub

crime, in the indecent language with which profperity had emboldened the advocates for rebellion to infult all that is venerable or great: "Who would have imagined fo little fear in him of the "true all-feeing Deity-as, immediately "before his death, to pop into the "hands of the grave bishop that at"tended him, as a fpecial relique of "his faintly exercifes, a prayer ftolen "word for word from the mouth of a heathen woman praying to a heathen "god?"

The papers which the king gave to Dr. Juxon on the fcaffold the regicides took away, fo that they were at least the publishers of this prayer; and Dr. Birch, who examined the queftion with great

great care, was inclined to think them the forgers. The ufe of it by adaptation was innocent; and they who could for noifily cenfure it, with a little extenfion of their malice could contrive what they wanted to accufe.

King Charles the Second, being now fheltered in Holland, employed Salmafius, profeffor of Polite Learning at Leyden, to write a defence of his father and of monarchy; and, to excite his industry, gave him, as was reported, a hundred Jacobufes. Salmafius was a man of skill in languages, knowledge of antiquity, and fagacity of emendatory criticism, almost exceeding all hope of human attainment; and having, by exceffive praifes, been confirmed in great

[blocks in formation]

confidence of himfelf, though he probably had not much confidered the principles of fociety or the rights of government, undertook the employment without diftruft of his own qualifications; and, as his expedition in writing was wonderful, in 1649 publifhed Defenfio Regis.

To this Milton was required to write a fufficient anfwer; which he performed (1651) in fuch a manner, that Hobbes declared himself unable to decide whofe language was beft, or whofe arguments were worft. In my opinion, Milton's periods are fmoother, neater, and more pointed; but he delights himfelf with teizing his adverfary as much as with confuting

He makes a foolish allufon of

Salma

Salmafius, whofe doctrine he confiders. as fervile and unmanly, to the ftream of Salmacis, which whoever entered left half his virility behind him. Salmafius was a Frenchman, and was unhappily married to a fcold. Tu es Gallus, fays Milton, et, ut aiunt, nimium gallinaccus. But his fupreme pleasure is to tax his adverfary, fo renowned for criticifin, with vitious Latin. He opens his book with telling that he has ufed Perfona, which, according to Milton, fignifies only a Maf, in a fenfe not known to the Romans, by applying it as we apply Perfon. But as Nemefis is always on the watch, it is memorable that he has enforced the charge of a folecifm by an expreffion in itfelf grofsly foleciftical, when,

€ 4

[ocr errors]

when, for one of thofe fuppofed blunders,

he fays, propino te grammatiftis tuis vapulandum. From vapulo, which has a paffive fenfe, vapulandus can never be derived. No man forgets his original trade: the rights of nations, and of kings, fink into queftions of grammar, if grammarians difcufs them.

Milton when he undertook this anfwer was weak of body, and dim of fight; but his will was forward, and what was wanting of health was fupplied by zeal. He was rewarded with a thoufand pounds, and his book was much read; for paradox, recommended by fpirit and elegance, eafily gains attention; and he who told every man that he

« ПредишнаНапред »