Lives by this popular author, except what are borrowed from Addison's criticism on the great Epic Poem.

Immediately after Johnson's death, Thomas Warton published his edition of the Juvenile Poems.' In the preface and notes he scattered many antidotes to Johnson's poison, which restored the minds of the lovers of true poetry to their proper tone: but it had not much effect with the multitude, who resolved to nurse the tasteless dogmas which seemed to justify their own insensibility. The Wartons were men of the romantic school of poetry, which had gone out of fashion from the introduction of the French school at the restora❤ tion of Charles II. The days of chivalry were gone; and the picturesque requires a nicety of eye and brightness of fancy, which are not the endowments of the

many.

The lovers of political liberty, rational as well as irrational, were alarmed at the Tory critic's extravagant attacks on their favourite doctrines. Dr. Charles Symmons stepped forward with a new life of the poet; but it was coarsely and heavily, though violently, written; and it did not obtain much reception except among readers of a

political cast. It was not as a politician that Milton was ever a great favourite in the literary world.

Hayley, himself a poet, now also came forth in defence of the great bard with enthusiasm, taste, and a copiousness of polite and rich erudition; but what he possessed in love and admiration he wanted in power. His genius was not strong; his style was diffuse and languid; and his constant use of superlative epithets of a vague and trite character gave a sickly cast to his biography, which failed to make much impression. Cowper's translations of the Latin poems, with his notes, had something more of charm; but he could not hit Milton's style; and the notes are neither numerous nor profound.

Todd has performed all he undertook to perform the toil of his researches has been indefatigable; and the notices he has recovered from the State-Paper Office are curious: but his business is that of a literary antiquary, and his narrative and his notes can scarcely be expected to afford much interest to the general reader. The supposed coincidences with the thoughts or expressions of obscure and forgotten poets are only

attractive to poring and minute bibliographers; and rather incumber and obscure than illustrate the great poet.

The Life and Notes,' by the Rev. John Mit

ford, added to the

Aldine edition,' are certainly

of a higher tone.

Of a living contemporary it will not be expected that I should say more. Assuming this point of literary history to be fairly stated, and these criticisms to be wellfounded, I have been induced, still perhaps with some rashness, to enter the lists. In going over ground so often trod, I will not deny that I have often had great difficulty to avoid triteness; for I have always resolved not to seek for novelty at the expense of truth. It is easy to find novelty if we permit ourselves to turn aside into the paths of error. To be natural and just, yet not obvious, is, as Addison says, the grand secret.

I have followed the steps of no preceding biographer-I have recast the whole. I have expressed no sentiment which I did not feel: I have uttered no opinion but with sincerity. I hope that I have not been guilty of indulging in commonplace, clothed in a pompous profusion of empty words. If I have been severe on Johnson, it is

not a liberty so great as he has himself taken on the sublimest and noblest of our poets. I have given reasons for the judgments I have ventured to pronounce; and if the principles of poetry, which I have adopted,-not discovered,-are wrong, or my application of them not just, let it be shown by temperate criticism. I may be mistaken; but I have not ventured them without a deep and unimpassioned consideration of fifty years.

But whatever becomes of my part in this edition, the illustrations from the rich and incomparable pencil of Turner, will, I doubt not, secure the public favour to it. He has entered upon the work with the enthusiasm and fellowfeeling of a highly-endowed poetical mind, and in his daring flight has reached a level of imagination, which no rival, ancient or modern, has surpassed. He is worthy to illustrate MILTON.

The notes will be chosen from the numerous preceding annotators, with all the care, and I hope, taste, which can be exercised on such a task. Every thing frivolous or minute will be rejected the amusement or instruction of the general reader-well-educated, and of native

:

sensibility-will alone be regarded. It is the editor's opinion, that poetry ought to be addressed, not to the learned, but to those of inborn spirituality. Too much learning incumbers and overlays poetry; and a reference to abstruse or pedantic notes destroys its spell.

But to return to the Life. Of a great poet's history we desire to know more than the leading facts, and the titles and dates of his works: we wish to know his private disposition, feelings, temper, habits, and manners. Milton's contemporaries have preserved little on these topics concerning him; and we are left to deduce them from incidental passages in his prose works, or from the tone and colour of his poems. Less in this way has been attempted by my predecessors in this task than seemed to me to be requisite. Perhaps I have been more copious in my own reflections and conjectures than many will approve : but if there is a raciness in my narrative—a freshness of tints, yet not over-coloured—a picture not dry, and barren, and faint; but distinct and prominent, yet natural-then I shall not have worked in vain. The same facts, told in the same words, and in the same order, and accompanied