NOVEMBER 109 



liberty, and his hearty and fearless advocacy of the en- 

 lightenment of mankind. Among his poetical works do 

 you know the " Comus" well? There are parts of it which, 

 I think, he never surpassed. I am sure you must like 

 it. His " Paradise Lost " is indeed a study a noble and 

 improving one for all who can comprehend his sublime 

 conceptions and the beautiful and powerful language in 

 which he has clothed them. But I must think he was 

 unfortunate in his subject. A lover of pure religion can 

 hardly fail to think that the effect of parts is to degrade 

 and humanise the Divinity. I can hardly conceive that 

 the 3 rtl Book, in which he propounds the mystery of 

 the Eedemption and details its origin, should not be in 

 some degree shocking to a true Christian. The poetry of 

 it is certainly most sublime, but there is on the whole a 

 familiarity in the scene described which makes me think 

 it would have found a fitter place in the writings of a 

 heathen. I had also got you one or two more books, 

 but I am afraid to send them, lest you should think I 

 presume too much upon y e permission you gave me. 

 One of them was an Essay upon the nature and true 

 value of military glory, and another upon the education 

 of the poor as the best kind of charity we can do them. 

 Depend upon it, it is so ; and all indiscriminate relief, 

 given as it generally is for the selfish purpose of gratify- 

 ing our own benevolence, partakes not of the real nature 

 of Charity, which regards the good of the object ; and 

 while it tends to diminish their own exertions in the 

 present, prevents them from acquiring those habits of 

 providence and self-dependence which in the long run 

 constitute their only chance of respectability and happi- 

 ness. There is no fear the stream of charity will want 

 channels in which to flow, and I also do not believe that 

 its sources are the least likely to be dried up. There are 

 more funds required for education and y e support of some 



