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LIFE

OF

John Milton

Stampind: Aprill

Containing, befides the 30: 1699.

History of his WORKS,

Several Extraordinary Characters
of Men and Books, Sects, Parties,
and Opinions.

Victrix Caufa Diis placuit, fed victa Catoni.
by far

LONDON,

Printed by John Darby in Bartholomew Clofe.

M. DC.XC.IX.

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THE

LIFE.

OF

John Milton.

To THOMAS RAULINS of Kilreag in Herefordshire Esq;

I

SEND You at length, my best Friend, what you have so often and earnestly follicited me to write, the Life of 70 HN MILTON, a Man eminent at home and famous abroad for his univerfal Learning, Sagacity, and folid Judgment but particularly noted as well for those excellent Volumes he wrote on

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the behalf of Civil, Religious, and Domestic Liberty; as for his divine and incomparable Poems, which, equalling the most beautiful Order and Expreffion of any antient or modern Compofitions, are infinitly above them all for Sublimity and Invention. Obferving in this performance the Rules of a faithful Hiftorian, being neither provok'd by Malice, nor brib'd by Favor, and as well daring to fay all that is true, as fcorning to write any Falfhood, I fhall not conceal what may be thought against my Author's Honor, nor add the leaft word for his Reputation: but three things I would have you specially obferve. First, I fhall not be too minute in relating the ordinary Circumftances of his Life, and which are common to him with all other Men. Writings of this nature should in my opinion be defign'd to recommend Virtue, and to expose Vice; or to illuftrat Hiftory, and to preserve the memory of extraordinary things. That a Man, for example, was fick at fuch a time, or well at another,

should

fhould never be mention'd; except in the Causes or Effects, Cure or Continuance, there happens fomthing remarkable, and for the benefit of Mankind to know. I had not therfore related MILTON'S Headachs in his Youth, were it not for the influence which this Indifpofition had afterwards on his Eys; and that his Blindness was rafhly imputed by his Enemies to the avenging Judg. ment of God. Secondly, In the Characters of Sects, and Parties, Books or Opinions, I fhall produce his own words, as I find 'em in his Works; that those who approve his Reafons, may ow all the Obligation to himself, and that I may escape the blame of fuch as may dislike what he fays. For it is commonly feen, that Hiftorians are fufpected rather to make their Hero what they would have him to be, than such as he really was; and that, as they are promted by different Paffions, they put those words in his mouth which they might not speak themselves without incurring fom danger, and being accus'd A 4

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