image, and the school of the agnos- 
tics, in order to maintain the dig- 
nity of their position, must close 
their eyes to this fact. Agnosticism 
in any degree must logically lead 
in the end to skepticism in an abso- 
lute degree. But if I find it impos- 
sible to accept the agnostic attitude 
in regard to this doctrine of the 
Trinity, I find it no less impossible 
to accept the only other alternative, 
namely, the doctrine of the eternity 
of the universe. This doctrine is 
one which a logical Unitarian must 
adopt as his belief if he is to have 
any doctrine of a personal God. A 
God who is love must have an eter- 
nal object of love. A God who is 
absolute and eternal reason must 
have as the subject of his reason an 
eternal and worthy object of rea- 
son in which His reason is both 
expressed and realized. But the 
highest forms of reason and love are 
social and an eternal reason and 
eternal love must find real existence 
in an eternal social organism wor- 
thy of the transcendant qualities of 
each. 
‘This demand is alone met by the 
doctrine of the three-fold nature of 
the perfect personality of God, his- 
torically revealed in the life and 
consciousness of Jesus, historically 
known by the symbolic terms 
Father, Son and Spirit, and_his- 
torically realized in the life of the 
Christian church throughout the 
ages. God as an eternally concrete 
being possessing all life in Himself 
and the secret of all reality in His 
own nature, realizes Himself in and 
through this trinity of conditions 
or centers of life, each possessing 
independence as to _ individuality, 
and each having a distinct office in 
the self realization of the ab- 
Solute ‘life, «yet each so. re- 
lated to the others as 
(2) of powers or faculties and (3) 
of natures. 
(Concluded next week.) 
MASTERS OF ENGLISH LITERATURE 
(Continued from Page 1.) 
master’s eye,’ and accomplishing 
the mighty achievement to which 
he felt himself called. 
Milton was an ardent supporter 
of the popular cause under the Stu- 
arts; he outlived Cromwell, and on 
the Restoration retired from all pub- 
lic cares and devoted himself to the 
great work of his life. His last 
years were clouded by misfortune 
and neglect; he had fallen on evil 
days, but his calm and undaunted 
spirit soared above the tumult 
around him, and lived with those 
high virtues and intelligences who 
“wear victorious palms.” 
Milton wrote largely in prose, 
treatises on Education and on Civil 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
Government. His ~style is “stiff 
with gorgeous embroidery,” is often 
involved and disfigured by too 
much Latinity. But his writings 
contain noble thoughts often ex- 
pressed in musical and resounding 
phrase. As a thinker, Milton ranks 
with the more liberal Puritans; “the 
completest type of Puritan,’ Green 
calls him; there is a breadth and 
greatness about him that mark him 
out as a leader of thought. 
It is upon his poetry that Milton's 
reputation chiefly rests. His smaller 
poems, as his Hymn on the Morning 
of Christ’s Nativity, some of his 
sonnets, the twin poems, Il Pense- 
roso and L’Allegro, and Comus, 
would have been sufficient alone to 
secure for him a place in “Poets’ 
Corner.” But Milton’s great work, 
that which has made his name im- 
mortal in all lands and times, is the 
Paradise Lost. The subject had 
been growing and shaping itself in 
his mind for years; it may be said 
to have taken possession of him; 
and when he wrote it was “with de- 
vout prayer to that Eternal Spirit 
who can enrich with all utterance 
and knowledge.” He _ had before 
said: “I was confirmed in this opin- 
ion, that he who would not be frus- 
trate of his hope to write well here- 
after in laudable things, ought him- 
self to be a true poem; that is, a 
composition and pattern of the best 
and honorablest things; not presum- 
ing to sing high praises of heroic 
men, or famous cities, unless he has 
in himself the experience and the 
practice of all that which is praise- 
worthy.” The great poem may be 
thought of as the mature product 
of Milton’s thought and experience. 
It was born of years of meditation, 
of study, of knowledge of men and 
affairs and of a soul accustomed to 
the society and communion of the 
Invisible. It is the work of a great 
and lofty mind, enriched with all 
the culture of ancient and modern 
learning, disciplined by adversity 
and sorrow, “soaring in the high re- 
zion of his fancies with his garland 
and his singing robes about him.” 
The theme is the old one of Sin 
and Redemption, 
“Of man’s first disobedience and the fruit 
Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste 
Brought death into the world, and all our 
woe, 
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man re- 
store us.” 
The Biblical story, the classic my- 
thologies, and mediaeval thought, 
all are woven with wonderful skill 
into the work; the influence of 
Dante is plainly traceable; and 
not seldom the times of the Stuarts 
and imagery. The design is a mag- 
15 
furnish the poet with descriptions 
nificent one, and could only have 
been carried out by a master mind. 
In minor details, Paradise Lost may 
be open to criticism, but as a whole 
the structure is imposing in its 
grandeur and nobly proportioned in 
its parts. Addison’s Criticisms on 
Milton, which really introduced 
Paradise Lost to England, still de- 
serve to be read; but Addison, cold, 
elegant and formal, was incapable 
of understanding the true depth of 
Milton’s genius. There is no ade- 
quate work on the greatest English 
poem; perhaps for the reason that 
only a Milton can interpret to us a 
Milton. 
Prof. Masson’s monumental work 
on Milton and his Times is by far 
the best aid to the study of the 
great poet and the forces which 
helped shape the man and his work. 
To the greatness of his writings, 
Milton added the majesty of a pure 
and lofty. character; he was more 
than a_ scholar and a poet; he was 
a statesman, a_ philosopher, the 
champion of English liberty, a 
great and heroic soul. His career 
was a troubled one, he was little fit- 
ted for domestic life; his soul “was 
like a star and dwelt apart.” But 
his hope has been realized, that “by 
labor and intent study” he might 
“leave something so written to after 
times, as they should not willingly 
let? it: die” 
This article may close with Mil- 
ton’s portrait, as drawn for us in 
Aubrey’s Brief Lives. “John Mil- 
ton’s harmonical and ingeniose soul 
did lodge in a beautiful and well- 
proportioned body. He was a spare 
man. He had abroun (auburn) 
hayre. His complexion exceeding 
faire he was so faire that they 
called him ‘the lady of Christ’s Col- 
lege.’ Ovall face. His eie adarke 
gray. He had a delicate tuneable 
voice, and had good skill. His 
father instructed him. He had an 
organ in his howse; he played on 
that most. Of a very cheerful hu- 
mour.—He would be cheerful in his 
gowtefitts, and sing. He was very 
healthy and free from all diseases; 
seldome tooke any physique 
(only sometimes he tooke manna) ; 
only towards the latter end he was 
visited with the gowte, spring and 
fall. He had a very good memorie, 
but I believe that his excellent 
method of thinking and _ disposing 
did much to helpe his memorie. He 
pronounced the letter R_ (littera 
canina) very hard—a certaine sine 
of a_ satyricall witt. Temperate 
man, rarely drank between meales. 
Extreme pleasant in his conversa- 
tion, and at dinner, supper, etc., but 
satyricall.”’ 
