ON THE CHARACTER AND WRITINGS OF JOHN MILTON; OCCASIONED BY THE PUBLICATION OF HIS LATELY DISCOVERED TREATISE ON CHRISTIAN DOCTRINE.' BY WILLIAM ELLERY CHANNING, LL.D. THIRD EDITION. LONDON: EDWARD RAINFORD, 12 RED LION PASSAGE, RED LION SQUARE. LITERARY NOTICES OF DR. CHANNING'S PUBLICATIONS. "Remarks on the Character and Writings of Milton." "Dr. Channing is manifestly a man of considerable discernment and eloquent powers, capable of taking comprehensive views, and of conveying them distinctly and fully to his readers. He is no common person, and we welcome his writings to this side of the Atlantic. Every one who reads The Edinburgh, must have been pleased with Macauley's Article on Milton; the present is superior, as it is more complete; it gives a more elevated and inspiring view of his character."-Monthly Mag. N. S., Sept. 1826. "This is a clever pamphlet, and one which does credit to the taste of those concerned in introducing it to English readers. Milton's character and writings are ably and impartially examined, and the spirit and tendency of his productions powerfully developed. Indeed, we have rarely seen so much important and valuable information and comment crowded into so small a space. Dr. Channing commences with a consideration of Milton's poetical genius, and in asserting his dignity as a poet, enters into so glowing and eloquent a description of poetry itself, that we cannot forbear extracting it."—Literary Chronicle, Sept. 1826. Analysis of the Character of Napoleon." "It is refreshing to turn from our state turmoils and anomalies to the perusal of the wise and candid estimate of a character which has excited the extremes of aversion and admiration-written with that purity and freshness of feeling, spirit, and eloquence, that nothing but the love of liberty and virtue can so well inspire.”—Times, Jan. 29, 1828. "A pamphlet which does honour to the name it bears."-London Magazine, Feb. 1828. "It is a very clever production, written with considerable eloquence> and by one who is evidently capable of looking steadily at the inequalities in a great man's character, and tracing them, as far as may be, to their source.”—Athenæum, Feb. 5, 1828. "This is a just and admirable appreciation of the character of Napoleon. That Dr. Channing is not dazzled by the splendour of despotism we are not surprised, since, in his character of Milton, a 4 Literary Notices of Dr. Channing's Publications. more glorious name than ever belonged to tyrant or satrap, he exhibited the capacity to comprehend and pourtray the majesty of republican virtue. We recommend this pamphlet to the attentive perusal of every man in England."-London Weekly Review, Feb. 9, 1828. "It is characterized by the same splendour of eloquence, the same soundness of judgment, the same nobility of feeling, and the same general impartiality, for which all his writings are at once so conspicuous and so valuable."-Literary Chronicle, Feb. 16, 1828. "Dr. Channing is already well known by his eloquent and able review of Milton's character and writings; and the Character of Napoleon' is executed with equal ability and effect. If our recommendation be worth any thing at all, let Dr. Channing's Analysis be carefully read."-Monthly Magazine, March 1828. "The tone of Dr. Channing has the calmness of security, the earnestness of philanthropic integrity, the chastised confidence of intelligence ripened into wisdom;-it is that of a mind which fears nothing but error, suppresses nothing but the promptings of inconsiderate feeling, desires nothing but the good of its kind. This incomparable essay, for the combination of intellectual and moral excellence it presents, rises in our estimation immeasurably above any recent droduction in the literature of this country."-Scotsman. "A man of sound judgment and clear understanding; equally correct in feeling, and refined in taste."—Blackwood's Mag., Aug. 1825. Review of Discourse on the Evidences of the Christian Religion. "Dr. Channing, one of those men who are a blessing and an honour to their generation and their country."-Quarterly Review, No. 56. p. 335.-Incidental Notice of ditto. CHARACTER AND WRITINGS OF JOHN MILTON. THE discovery of a work of Milton, unknown to his own times, is an important event in literary history. The consideration, that we of this age are the first readers of this treatise, naturally heightens our interest in it; for we seem in this way to be brought nearer to the author, and to sustain the same relation which his cotemporaries bore to his writings. The work opens with a salutation, which, from any other man, might be chargeable with inflation; but which we feel to be the natural and appropriate expression of the spirit of Milton. Endowed with gifts of the soul, which have been imparted to few of our race, and conscious of having consecrated them through life to God and mankind, he rose without effort or affectation to the style of an Apostle.—' JOHN MILTON, TO ALL THE CHURCHES OF CHRIST, AND TO ALL WHO PROFESS THE CHRISTIAN FAITH THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, PEACE, AND THE RECOGNITION OF THE TRUTH, AND ETERNAL SALVATION IN GOD THE Father, and in our LORD JESUS CHRIST.' Our ears are the first to hear this benediction, and it seems not so much to be borne to us from a distant age, as to come immediately from the sainted spirit by which it was indited. Without meaning to disparage the Treatise on Christian Doctrine,' we may say that it owes very much of the attention which it has excited, to the fame of its author. We value it chiefly as showing us the mind of Milton on that subject which above all others presses upon men of thought and sensibility. We want to know in what conclusions such a man rested after a life of extensive and profound research, of magnanimous efforts for freedom and his country, and of communion with the most gifted minds of his own and former times. The book derives its chief interest from its author, and accordingly there seems to be a propriety in introducing our re |