Pitt, upon Skinner's declining any concern with the letters he had obtained, "proceeded his own way;" and, if the system of divinity had fallen into his hands, of that too he would have " endeavoured "to make the best advantage." The publication of the State-Letters proves the correctness of Skinner's attestation. What Pitts had obtained, whether from Phillips or others, was not the complete collection of these fine examples of diplomatick composition. Some of them had perhaps been mislaid, or lost, or destroyed, after the transcript of them had been made. Of such Phillips knew nothing; for his Eng "Of an acquisition, bearing the name of Milton, this bookseller would eagerly have availed himself. At this very time (in 1675) he had been publishing a little work, De Nummis, as the production of Selden, which had been printed before Selden was born; whether with a fraudulent intention, or from pure mistake, let Dr. Wilkins, the learned editor of Selden's works, be heard. "Causam erroris hujus, si fallacia Pittium absolvere vellem, ne hariolando quidem assequi possum, nisi quòd rara libri copia Seldeni manum ad exemplar describendum excitaverit, et cùm post obitum tractatulus hic, charactere Seldeniano expressus, in museo reperiretur, pro genuino Seldeni fœtu creditus, licentiaque episcopi Londinensis sacellani Smithii stipatus, divulgatus est." Vit. Seld. The preface to this little tract, signed J. H., gives the following account. "Cùm, haud ita pridem, in amici cujusdam bibliotheca excutienda D. Pittius bibliopola esset occupatus; incidit ex-insperato in hunc libellum Cl. Seldeni, non antea in lucem editum. Quem postquam avidis paulisper inspexerat oculis, rogavit mutuum, quò typis mandaret; lætusque statim accepit. Acceptum Summo Angliæ Justitiario D. Matthæo Halesio, equiti aurato, testamenti utpote Seldeniani executori, ostendit; et, facta imprimendi copia, opem à me petiit, ut ȧлóyρapov, malè cum esset descriptum, quàm emendatissimè prodiret in publicum," &c. lish version of the surreptitious Latin publication announces no addition. But in the copy of the State-Letters, made by Skinner, there are several yet unknown, as indeed I expected to find, and found immediately upon examination, which are of great interest. One of these letters, I may here observe, is addressed by the Protector" Cunctis regibus, rebuspublicis, ac civitatibus nobiscum fœederatis, necnon aliis quibuscunque Protestantium religionem profitentibus, ad quos hæ nostræ literæ pervenerint, S. D." Here the theologian and the secretary are in unison; for the address, prefixed to the system of divinity, is of similar form and import. For the slight notice only, which Phillips has taken of his uncle's theology, it is not very easy to account. Perhaps, when he published the Life of Milton, as more than twenty years were passed since the death of the poet, he cared little about it, probably recollecting also that the compilation had been consigned to Skinner. Perhaps indeed he had forgotten several circumstances respecting it, as fifty years had then elapsed from the time of his first engagement in making extracts from Wollebius, Ames, and other divines. Thus he has only tantalized the reader with the expectation of a full account of" the tractate of divinity begun in 1640," and is silent after he had promised as it were to be explicit. But in order to shew the possession of this ma nuscript by the family of Skinner only, and thus to argue for its authenticity, let us attend to the whole of what Daniel Elzevir says to Sir Joseph Williamson. 66 0 Monsieur, "Il y a environ un an que je suis convenu avec Monsieur Skinner les lettres de Milton et un autre From the State-Paper Office. The translation of this letter is here given. "Sir, About a year ago I agreed with Mr. Skinner, to print Milton's letters and another treatise on Theology; but having received the manuscripts, and finding them to contain many things which I considered more proper to be suppressed than divulged, I determined not to print either the one or the other. I wrote on this subject to Mr. Skinner at Cambridge; but as he has not been there lately, my letter did not reach him for some time: whereupon he came to this city, and was overjoyed to find that I had not begun to print the said treatises, and has taken away his manuscripts. "He told me you have been informed, Sir, that I was going to print the whole of Milton's works together. I protest to you, that I never had such a thought; and I should abhor printing the treatises he has written in defence of such a wicked and abominable cause: besides, it would ill become the son of him who first printed Salmasii Defensio Regia, and who would have laid down his life to have saved the late King of glorious memory, to print a book so detested by all loyal men. I beg to inform you, Sir, that Mr. Skinner expressed the greatest pleasure that I had not begun the printing of those works; and told me, that in case the said book had been commenced, it was his intention to have bought up all the copies, in order to suppress them; and that he had determined to dispose of those manuscripts in such a manner, as that they should never again appear. And I may assure you, Sir, that I will be answerable to you for the decided resolution I have taken of not making use of them myself, particu manuscript en Theologie; mais ayant receu les dits manuscripts, et y ayant trouvé des choses que je jugeois estre plus propres d'étre suppriméz que divulgéz, j'ay pris resolution de n' imprimer n'y l'un n'y l'autre. J'avois escrit pour ce sujet à Mons". Skinner à Cambridge: mais comm' il n'a pas esté au dit lieu depuis quelque temps, ma lettre ne lui estoit pas parvenue. Sur cela il est arrivé en cette ville, et a esté ravy d'entendre que je n'avois pas commencé d'imprimer les dits Traités, et il a repris ses manuscripts. "Il m'a dit que vous avez esté informé, Monsieur, larly since he had the honour of speaking to you, and that you informed him you should be displeased if those manuscripts should appear and as he expects his promotion by your means, there can be no doubt that he will keep his word. "I cannot, Sir, conclude this letter without expressing my acknowledgements for the kindness you shewed me when I was in London, and I should be happy to have an opportunity of serving you on any occasion, which would testify with how much respect, "I remain, Sir, your most humble "Amsterdam, Nov. 20, 1676. " and most obedient servant, "P. S. I forgot to mention, Sir, that neither Mr. Skinner nor myself have had any concern in what has been lately published of the said Milton's; and that I never heard of it, till Mr. Skinner mentioned it to me here. He had indeed written to me, before, that a certain bookseller of London had obtained some letters from some person who had purloined them from the late Milton; but neither he nor myself have any connexion with that impression, of which I request you would be assured." que je debvois imprimer tous les ouvrages de Milton ensemble. Je vous puis protester de n'y avoir jamais pensé, et que j'aurois horreur d'imprimer les Traités qu'il a fait pour la defense d'une si meschante et abominable cause. Outre qu'il ne seroit pas bien seant au fils de celuy qui a imprimé le premier Salmasij Defensionem Regiam, et qui auroit donné sa vie s'il eust pu sauver le feu Roy de glorieuse memoire, d'imprimer un livre si deteste de tous les honnestes geans. Je suis obligé de vous dire, Monsieur, que le Sr. Skinner me tesmoigna une tres grande joye de ce que je n'avois pas commencé l'impression des dits ouvrages, et me dit qu'il estoit d'intention qu'en cas que le dit livre eust este commencé, d'en achepter les feulles pour les supprimer, qu'il avoit pris une ferme resolution d'user en sorte des dits manuscripts qu'il Cin MS. qu'il ne paroitroirent jamais ; et j'oserois vous en repondre, Monsieur, dans la forte resolution que je l'ay ni d'en user ainsy, et principalement depuis qu'il a eu l'honneur de vous avoir parlé, et que luy avez tesmoigné que ne seriez pas bien aisé que les dits manuscripts parussent, et comm'il attend de vous son advancement, ou ne doibt pas doubter qu'il ne tiene sa parole. 86 Monsieur, Je ne puis finir la presente sans tesmoigner ma recognissence pour les bontés qu' avez eu pour moy, lorsque j'estois à Londres; et je voudrois avoir occasion de vous pouvoir estre utile à ла |