Masson's Life of John Milton [pp. 382-394]

394 M~SSON'S LIFE OF JOfiN MILTON. [ApnI,
Such is the mnn in tl~e vigor of his early manhood, whom Prof. Masson
has essayed to portray, hanging up his portrait on the walls of the gallery
which lie has prepared to receive it. He has done his work faiilifully and
honestly, admiring his hero for what is admirable in him, and yet not digressing into impeI~tine~t eulogy. The style of narrative is clear and forcible, scarcely picturesque, but grave and earnest as becomes his theme,
and we cannot lay his book down without admitting in justice, that however open to criticism, as a mere biography, it mM~es a fair and ample presentation of the life and times of john Milton. Milton's fame as a prose
writer may not be materially affected by the ascription to him of the hitlierto unknown pamphlets to which we have reference. Certainly it will
not suffer thereby, while his character as a political reformer, and his activity as a controversialist are strikingly illustrated. His reputation as a
poet has served to overshadow his other merits, and thousands who are
familiar with his Paradise Lost, are all unaware of the striking felicities
which constitute the charm of his prose style-a charm which rises superior
to his involved sentences and frequent parentheses, and oftentimes fascinates the reader by its surprising blending of the varied graces of lofty or
familiar expression.
Of course, neither Prof. Masson's volumes, nor any newly discovered, or
hereafter-to-be discovered pamphlets of Milton, can be expected to modify, to any considerable extent, the verdict which now, after two centuries,
has been so emphatically confirmed by all who are familiar with his career. But the gratitude of the literary world is due to Prof. Masson for
presenting us with a full4ength portrait of a man, whose name is the pride
of our English tongue, and who, whatever his faults or mistakes, extorted
from the conservative ~Vadsworth the apostrophe:
Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour,
En~and hath need of thee."