ously endeavoured to discharge his duty both to earth and heaven.

In February 1659, he published The Ready and Easy Way to establish a Free Commonwealth, a work not approved even by republican writers: I will only make one observation upon it: the motto to this performance seems to display the just opinion that Milton entertained concerning the tyranny of Cromwell;

et nos,

Consilium Syllæ dedimus, demus populo mune.

e'en we have given

Counsel to Sylla---to the people now;

a very happy allusion to the noble but neglected advice which he bestowed on the Protector.

Amidst the various political distractions towards the end of the year 1659, he addressed a letter to a nameless friend, who had conversed with him the preceding evening on the dangerous ruptures of the commonwealth. This letter and a brief paper,

containing a sketch of a commonwealth, addressed to General Monk, were, soon after the author's death communicated by his nephew to Toland, who imparted them to the public.

Milton gave yet another proof of his unwearied attention to public affairs, by publishing brief notes on a sermon preached by Dr. Griffith, at Mercer's Chapel, March 25th, 1660," wherein (says the annotator) many notorious wrestings of scripture, and other falsities, are observed."

When the repeated protestations of Monk to support the republic had ended in his introduction of the king, the anxious friends of Milton, who thought the literary champion of the parliament might be exposed to revenge from the triumphant royalists, hurried him into concealment. The solicitude of those who watched over his safety was so great, that, it is said, they deceived his enemies by a report of his death, and effectually prevented a search for his person (during the first tumultuary and vindictive rage of the royalists) by a

pretended funeral. A few weeks before the restoration (probably in April) he quitted his house in Westminster, and did not appear in public again till after the act of oblivion, which passed on the 29th of August. In this important interval some events occurred, which greatly affected both his security and reputation. The House of Commons, on the 16th of June, manifested their resentment against his person as well as his writings, by ordering the attorney general to commence a prosecution against him, and petitioning the king, that his two books, the Defence of the People, and his Answer to Icon Basilike, might be publicly burnt.

Happily for the honor of England, the person of the great author was more fortunate than his writings in escaping from the fury of persecution. Within three days after the burning of his books, he found himself relieved from the necessity of concealment, and sheltered under the common protection of the law by the general act of indemnity, which had not included his name in the list of exceptions. It has been

thought wonderful by many, that a writer whose celebrated compositions had rendered him an object of abhorrence to the royal party, could elude the activity of their triumphant revenge, and various conjectures have been started to account for the safety of Milton, after his enemies had too plainly discovered an inclination to crush him. One of these conjectural causes of his escape represents two contemporary poets in so amiable a light, that though I am unable to confirm the anecdote entirely by any new evidence, I shall yet dwell upon it with pleasure. Richardson, whose affectionate veneration for the genius and virtue he celebrates, makes ample amends for all the quaintness of his style, has the following passage on the subject in question.

"Perplexed and inquisitive as I was, I at length found the secret, which he from whom I had it thought he had communicated to me long ago, and wondered he had not. I will no longer keep you in expectation:-'twas Sir William Davenant obtained his remission, in return for his own

life procured by Milton's interest, when himself was under condemnation, anno, 1650-a life was owing to Milton (Davenant's) and 'twas paid nobly; Milton's at Davenant's intercession. It will now be expected I should declare what authority I have for this story; my first answer is, Mr. Pope, who told it me. Whence had he it? From Mr. Betterton-Sir William was his patron-Betterton was prentice to a bookseller, John Holden, the same who printed Davenant's Gondibert. There Sir William saw him, and, persuading his master to part with him, brought him first on the stage. Betterton then may be well allowed to know this transaction from the fountain head."

On this interesting anecdote Johnson makes the following remark: "Here is a a reciprocation of generosity and gratitude so pleasing, that the tale makes its own way to credit, but if help were wanted I know not where to find it; the danger of Davenant