Milton - PR3550 D77 1777 M2

THE LIFE op MI LTON. 407 Profeffor Burman in the third tome of his Sylloge Epiflolarum, he fays, that he had the only copy of Milton's book, that the Queen borrowed it of him, and was very much pleafed with it, and commend.. ed Milton's wit and manner of writing in the prefence of feveral perfons, and that Salmafius was very angry, and very bufy in pre- paring his anfwer, wherein he abufed Milton as if he had been one of the vileft catamites in Italy, and alfo critici-od his Latin poems. Heinfius writes again to Voffius from Holland, that he wondered that only one copy of Milton's book was brought to Stockholm, when three were fent thither, one to the Queen, another to Vofiius which he had received, and the third to Saltnafius ; that the book was in every body's hands, and there had been four editions in a few months befides the Englifh one ; that a Dutch tranflationwas handed about, and a French one was expeded. And afterwards he writes from Venice, that Holflenius had lent him Milton's Latin poems ; that they were nothing, compared with the elegance of his Apology ; that he had offended frequently againft profody, and here was a great opening for Salmafius's criticifms ; but as to Milton's having been a catamite in Italy, he fays, that it was a mere calumny ; on the contrary he was difliked by the Italians, for the feverity of his manners, and for the freedom of his difcourfes againft popery. And in others of his letters to Vofilus and to J. Fr. Gronovius from Holland, Heinfius mentions how angry Salmafius was with him for commending Milton's book, and fays that Grafwin- kelius had written fomething againft Milton, which was to have been printed by Elzevir, but it was fuppreffed by public authority. The fill reply that appeared was publilhed in 165 t, and intitled an Apology for the king and people, &c. Apologia pro rege & po- pulo Anglicano contra Johannis Polipragmatici (alias Miltoni An- gli) Defenfionem deftruttivam regis & populi Anglicani. It is not known, who was the author of this piece. Some attribute it to one Janus a lawyer of Gray's-Inn, and others to Dr. John Bramhall, who was then Bithop of Derry, and was made Primate of Ireland after the Refloration : but it is utterly improbable, that fo mean a performance, written in fuch barbarous Latin, and fo full of folce- cifms,

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