IV., William IV., and her present Majesty, on the settlement of the civil list,-it may be assumed that, unless something should occur to demonstrate to the Legislature that such an appropriation of the money is in some way detrimental to the public interest and honour, the payments will, as heretofore, be statedly continued. It must, besides, be recollected that the payment is now made under the arrangement of Parliament on the settlement of the civil list of her present Majesty, and was contemplated in the determination of its amount. During the present reign, therefore, the payment cannot be properly withheld. If, on the settlement of a new civil list, the Parliament should resolve no longer to undertake the grant, the Sovereign might again provide for this and the other Royal Charities, as before, out of the Privy Purse.

There remains for consideration but one thing more-the obligation of the Trustees and Recipients to relinquish the bounty. This is the conclusion of the whole matter, and the writer places it on this issuethey must overthrow his conclusions or abandon the grant. They will, in our judgment, have no great difficulty on this point. But it is clear the author will never acknowledge a defeat. Whatever his opponents may allege, he will treat their reasonings as only the "reiteration of exploded statements." What the Trustees and Recipients may do, it is, however, for themselves to determine, and we have no doubt that they will determine wisely. But we cannot dismiss the subject without adverting_briefly to the spirit and the language with which the author of the Reply urges his appeal. And, first, as to the Recipients. For these unfortunate sufferers he has no mercy. Their poverty can awaken no sympathy in his stoical breast, because, in his estimation, they are men without principle, and "a lack of principle" he pronounces to be "more lamentable than honourable indigence." And what is the proof of this "lack of principle"? It is, that to receive this bounty is "a SIN against Dissenting principles." But who is to decide, between the accuser and the accused, what Dissenting principles are, as they bear upon this subject? There are in this country hundreds and thousands of men, thoroughly versed in the history of Protestant Dissent, and holding in deep veneration the great principles of intellectual freedom, and the rights of conscience in the all-important province of religion, which guided the judgments and determined the conduct of those illustrious and honoured confessors to whom they look up with gratitude as the founders of Protestant Nonconformity, who deem the acceptance of this benefaction of the Crown and of the Parliament no violation of principle. And is it, then, because they cannot constrain their minds to adopt his perceptions, and to recognize as alone accurate and complete the definition he may be pleased to give of what constitutes Protestant Dissent, that a whole class of men, comprising many hundreds of individuals venerated and beloved for their exemplary characters as Christian Ministers, for their high moral worth, and honourable devotion and self-sacrifice, amidst numerous and severe privations, to the cause of their Divine Master, are to be arraigned as delinquents, and held up to public obloquy and reprobation? And by whom, and on what authority, are they to be thus assailed? Who is it that thus elevates himself to the pontifical throne, and thence fulminates against them HIS fierce anathemas, "the full severity of HIS censures"-and, whilst he aims to blast their pro

fessional fame, complains that, "wrapped in their dishonourable concealment, they are beyond HIS reach"-who, but a self-constituted judge, himself without a name avowed, and who, sheltered by his incognito, publishes his gratuitous slanders safe from all danger of public scrutiny and public censure?

Then as to the Distributors. For a season they may, indeed, avert the "full severity" of this high arbiter of their destiny; but they must not hope for final escape. Hitherto, their " obstinacy" "in maintaining their position," has had no worse effect than "almost to overwhelm them with resolutions and remonstrances." But let them beware!— for "the sentiments of personal respect," which alone could have procured for them so mild a doom, will "very soon be changed into general and indignant rebuke." This zealous but merciful champion, by whose mighty arm the cause of Dissent is, it seems, to be sustained, though conscious that he has them wholly in his power, is at present only worrying them with his milder instruments of torture. If these avail not, the raised arm will strike the fatal blow, and they will fall unpitied-for "by no individual beyond themselves will they obtain the reputation of martyrs." Alas, gentlemen! do not these terrible denunciations fill you with dismay? Or do you not listen to them with pity or with scorn?

But if reasoning, if entreaties, if expostulations, if threats, fail to persuade, the author has yet in reserve one other resource-a SNEER. Talk to him of the responsibility of the Trustees, and their willingness to investigate any charge of malversation-" Responsible did we say? Alas! we wish in vain they were responsible; we would not hold a TRUST SO irresponsible" (aye, reader, an irresponsible TRUST) "for all the wealth of the empire"!

Such are the Christian meekness and gentlemanly courtesy with which this writer takes his leave. Gentlemen Distributors! the scorpion bears in its tail a sting. Its contortions indicate that, were it able, it would inflict a wound: fortunately, the armour of conscious integrity, self-approbation and public confidence, which you bear in the execution of your honourable charge, repels the blow, and renders the venom impotent of evil.

RELIGION SOMETHING MORE THAN THEOLOGY.

THAT theology has been so generally brought into the pulpit, rather than religion, is probably one reason why most churches have lost their hold on the popular feeling. The masses are more attracted by the earnest fanaticism which comes from the heart, than by the cold light which streams from the cultivated intellect, and plays round the ingenious theories of learning and philosophy. Yet it is in the highest degree undesirable that the popular religion should be left to the direction of ignorant and vulgar minds. The most refined and elevated influences, when mingled with a genuine simplicity and benevolence, are the best and the most attractive even for the lowest class. There must be something defective in the religious organization of society, when places of public worship are thronged by the educated and genteel, while the multitudes wander abroad, reckless and unreclaimed, without an instructor or a guide. It is the very reverse of the state of things which the Gospel originally proclaimed.—Rev. J. J. Tayler's Religious Life of England, p. 480.

SOME UNRECORDED PASSAGES IN THE LIFE OF JOHN MILTON. SIR,

To many of your readers it will be unnecessary to announce the existence of the Non-con Club, or to state that one of its three standing toasts is the honoured name of JOHN MILTON. At a late meeting of the Club, when it was my turn to preside, I introduced the toast with some remarks to the following effect; and it having been suggested to me that they might be acceptable to some of your readers, I have endeavoured to recollect their substance, with the addition of a few facts.

Gresham College, Nov. 11, 1845.

EDWARD TAYLOR.

IN introducing our next standing toast, I shall not attempt "to paint the lily, or gild refined gold," by venturing upon any imperfect eulogy on the character of John Milton: but, under the conviction that whatever may tend to illustrate that character will not be unacceptable to the members of this Club, I will draw your attention to a single trait of it—and the rather, since some of the facts I shall state are but imperfectly recorded in the lives of Milton, either good or bad, and as, on the present occasion, I shall not venture "beyond my last.' I mean to illustrate the constancy of Milton's friendship, where it had been worthily earned: and especially as exhibited in his conduct towards Henry Lawes.

Henry Lawes, as well as his brother William, was a boy in Salisbury Cathedral. He came early to London, was admitted a member of the Chapel Royal, and his acquaintance with Milton soon followedmost probably thus. The elder Milton (as his son's biographers just mention in so many words) had some skill in music; and a Psalmtune, called "York Tune," is mentioned as the evidence of it. But something more than this remains to be said of his musical attainments. He was the only non-professional contributor to two publications in which the talents of the most eminent musicians of the day were combined-in the one, he was associated with Byrd, Gibbons, Ward, Farnaby and Giles; in the other, with Wilbye, Weelkes, Morley, Bateson and Hilton. Some of these admirable composers lived in Milton's neighbourhood, and there is no doubt that the young "Pauline" often met them at his father's house and took his part in their beautiful Madrigals. Several of them were members of the Chapel Royal, and thus, in all likelihood, young Milton and young Lawes became known to each other; the latter having been introduced to the hospitalities and musical enjoyments of Bread Street by some of his elder brethren of the Chapel.

I pass over the time of Milton's residence at Cambridge, whence he retired to his father's house at Horton.* Here he remained for some time secluded and unknown. The mighty eloquence, the lofty genius, which were to burst and blaze upon the world, had given no public evidence of their existence. At Horton he said of himself,

Toland says that "during Milton's five years' residence at Horton, he made an excursion now and then to London-sometimes to buy books, or to meet friends from Cambridge; at other times to learn some new thing in mathematics or in music, with which he was extraordinarily delighted." At such times Milton and Lawes, we may be assured, would meet.

Tempora nam licet hic placidis dare libera Musis,
Et totum rapiunt me, mea vita, libri.

Excipit hinc fessum sinuosi pompa theatri,

Et vocat ad plausus garrula scena suos.

The intercourse between Milton and Lawes, which probably had never been broken off, an accident more closely renewed. The latter had been appointed the musical instructor of the noble family of Egerton, and when John Egerton, the first Earl of Bridgewater, was appointed Lord President of Wales, his occupation of Ludlow Castle (his official residence) was intended to be celebrated with great pomp and splendour. Lawes now applied to his friend for assistance the Masque was the favourite entertainment of the time-and this was to be the crowning festivity of Ludlow Castle. Lawes and his pupils were to be the principal performers, and the songs were to be such as they could sing and precisely such they are.* Milton complied with his friend's request, and wrote for him his Comus. Thus the existence of this most beautiful of poems, the most perfect specimen of the Lyric Drama that the world has yet seen, (written, too, at a time when the Lyric Drama of Italy was in a state of feeble infancy,) is distinctly traceable to Milton's friendship for Lawes. Milton does not appear to have reserved to himself any right to its publication, but to have given the MS. to his friend as his own possession and property.† The Masque was presented in 1634, and three years afterwards it was published by Lawes, with a dedication by him to Lord Brackly, from which it appears that Milton had no desire to be known as its author, although we may be assured that it was given to the world with his consent. "Although," says Lawes, "not openly acknowledged by its author, yet it is a legitimate offspring, so lovely, and so much desired, that the often copying of it hath tired my pen to give my several friends satisfaction, and brought me to a necessity of producing it to the public view."

Comus was the first of Milton's published poems; for of his minor poems the first edition was published by Humphrey Moseley in 1645. The year following the publication of Comus, Milton went to Italy, whence in 1639 he returned. The noble struggle had commenced in which he was destined to be so prominent and powerful a champion. "I was preparing," says he, "to pass over into Sicily and Greece, when the melancholy intelligence which I received of the civil commotions in England made me alter my purpose: for I thought it base to be travelling for amusement abroad, while my fellow-citizens were fighting for liberty at home." On his return to England, Milton found his countrymen hostilely arrayed against each other, and amongst the Royalist party Henry Lawes and his brother William. The act for

In my lectures in this place on English Dramatic Music, I have given my reasons for supposing that Milton contemplated a possibly more extended employment of Music in Comus than could be accomplished by Lawes and his pupils -very different, indeed, from the Comus of the stage, into which words and music are introduced utterly unworthy of the association in which they are placed.

It is curious that Toland, in his "Exact Catalogue of all Milton's Works," should have omitted Comus, and that he should have made no mention of it in his Life of Milton, which professes to contain "the history of his works."

Second Defence of the People of England.

abolishing Episcopacy was followed by the destruction of all Cathedral organs and the dispersion of all Cathedral quires. Their members sought other employments; some wandered up and down the country, teaching psalmody; some (and among them William Lawes) went into the Royal army. I need not recount the progress of the great struggle. The battles of Marston Moor and Naseby had decided its issue-Charles had become a fugitive, and finally a prisoner. The Royalist cause was utterly prostrated-its friends were subdued and silent. Power was in the hands of the great leaders of the Parliament and the army. And under these circumstances we again meet Milton and his early friend. William Lawes had been killed at the siege of Chester.

In 1648, while the King was a prisoner in Carisbrook Castle, Henry Lawes published a work entitled, "Choice Psalmes put into Musick for Three Voices: composed by Henry and William Lawes, Brothers, and Servants to his Majestie. Printed for Humphrey Moseley." The three parts are in three separate books, and are printed without bars, according to former custom. In his dedication of the work to "his Most Sacred Majestie, Charles, by the grace of God," &c., Lawes says, "Many of these Psalmes were composed by my brother, whose life and endeavours were devoted to your service, whereof I (who knew his heart) am a surviving witness: and therein he persisted to the last minute, when he fell a willing sacrifice for your Majestie." In his "Address to the Reader," he says, "These compositions of mine and my brother's I have been much importun'd to send to the presse, and should not easily have been perswaded to it now, in these dissonant times, but to doe a right (or at least to shew my love) to the memory of my Brother, unfortunately lost in these unnaturall warres; yet lying in the bed of honour and in the service and defence of the King his master." To this work are prefixed Elegies set to music by Henry Lawes, Dr. Wilson, Simon Ives, John Jenkins, John Cob (organist of the Chapel Royal), and other eminent musicians of the time. There are also copies of commendatory verses, in praise of the composers' musical skill and of their loyalty. Among these appears the Sonnet of Milton, addressed "To my friend Mr. Henry Lawes," and beginning,

Harry, whose tuneful and well-measur'd Song
First taught our English Music how to span
Words with just note and accent, &c.

This Sonnet, which was afterwards incorporated with, and will be found in every edition of Milton's poems, appears in this collection of Psalms for the first time. This fact, I think, is honourable to both parties. Milton (unlike many of his puny successors) did not think it beneath his dignity to record his friendship for a musician-and that, too, at a time in which the fraternity were in very bad odour with the dominant party; nor did he shrink from avowing that friendship in a work of which that portion of the contents to which I have referred must have been singularly distasteful to that party and to himself. But it was no part of Milton's plan to make expediency

Several of the Psalms were selected and paraphrased with an immediate reference to the position of the King:

[Thy