OF THE EIGHTH VOLUME. MISCELLANEOUS ESSAYS, PREFACE to an Effay on MILTON's Ufe and Imitation of the Moderns in his PARADISE LOST LETTER to the Rev. DR. DOUGLAS, occafioned by his VINDICATION of MILTON. To which are fub- joined feveral curious original Letters from the Authors of the UNIVERSAL HISTORY, Mr. AINSWORTH, and Mr. MACLAURIN. By WILLIAM LAUDER, A. M. First printed in the Year 1751 7 23 POLITICAL TRACTS. THE PATRIOr; addressed to the Electors of Great Britain TAXATION NO TYRANNY; an Answer to the Refolutions A JOUR PRE F A C E* ΤΟ An ESSAY on MILTON'S USE and IMITATION of the MODERNS in his PARADISE LOST. [ First published in the Year MDCCL. 1 IT T is now more than half a century fince the PARADISE LOST having broke through the clouds with which the unpopularity of the author, for a time, obfcured it, has attracted the general admiration of mankind; who have endeavoured to compenfate the errour of their first neglect, by lavish praises and boundlefs veneration. There feems to have arifen a contest, among men of genius and literature, who fhould most "It is to be hoped, nay, it is expected, that the elegant and nervous writer, whofe judicious fentiments, and inimitable file 66 points out the author of Lauder's Preface and Postscript, will no "longer allow one to plume himself with his feathers, who appears "fo little to have deserved his affiftance; an affistance which I am perfuaded would never have been communicated, had there been "the leaft fufpicion of those facts which I have been the inftru66 ment of conveying to the world in these sheets.”—-Milton vindicated from the charge of plagiarifm brought against him by Mr. Lauder, and Lauder himfelf convicted of feveral forgeries and grofs impofitions on the publick. By John Douglas, M. A. Rector of Eaton Conftantine, Salop, 8vo. 1751, p. 77. VOL. VIII. B advance advance its honour, or beft diftinguish its beauties. Some have revifed editions, others have published commentaries, and all have endeavoured to make their particular studies, in fome degree, fubfervient to this general emulation. Among the inquiries to which this ardour of criticism has naturally given occafion, none is more obfcure in itfelf, or more worthy of rational curiofity, than a retrospection of the progrefs of this mighty genius, in the construction of his work; a view of the fabrick gradually rifing, perhaps from fmall beginnings, till its foundation rests in the centre, and its turrets sparkle in the skies; to trace back the structure, through all its varieties, to the fimplicity of its firft plan; to find what was first projected, whence the scheme was taken, how it was improved, by what affiftance it was executed, and from what ftores the materials were collected, whether its founder dug them from the quarries of nature, or demolished other buildings to embellish his own. This inquiry has been, indeed, not wholly neglected, nor, perhaps, profecuted with the care and diligence that it deferves. Several criticks have offered their conjectures; but none have much endeavoured to enforce or afcertain them. *MR. VOLTAIRE tells us, without proof, that the firft hint of PARADISE LOST was taken from a farce called ADAMO, written by a player; DR. PEARCE, that it was derived from an Italian tragedy, • Effay upon the Civil Wars of France, and alfo upon the Epick Poetry of the European Nations, from Homer down to Milton, 8vo. 1727, p. 103. E. + Preface to a Review of the Text of the Twelve Books of Milton's Paradife Loft, in which the chief of Dr. Bentley's Emendations are confidered, 8vo. 1733. E. 8 called |